David ben Zakkai

David ben Zakkai (died 940 CE) was an exilarch, leader of the Jewish community of Babylon, known in Jewish history especially for his conflict with Saadia Gaon, which ruptured the leadership of the Babylonian Jews, and which was settled by the intervention of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Qahir.

He was banished to Khorasan, where he died.

He was a relative of the Prince of the Exile, 'Uḳba, who had been deposed from office and banished, and was his successor in the exilarchate.

The office of Exilarch was at this time confronted by a dangerous adversary in the person of the passionate and ambitious gaon Mar Kohen-Zedek (in office 917-936), who attempted to make the Academy of Pumbedita the only center of the Babylonian Jews, thereby threatening the existence of the sister academy of Sura. He, as well as the Academy of Pumbedita, refused to recognize David as exilarch, whereupon the latter, who was equally resolute and ambitious, deposed Kohen-Ẓedeḳ and appointed another gaon.

This dispute lasted for two years, until Nissim Naharwani, highly respected for his piety, intervened and reconciled the adversaries, peace being concluded at Sarsar (half a day's journey south of Baghdad). Kohen-Ẓedeḳ and his college accompanied the exilarch as far as Baghdad (in the fall of 921); David ben Zakkai, in turn, recognizing the former as gaon of Pumbedita. But the reputation of the Academy of Sura continued to dwindle.

A weaver filled the office of gaon for two years (926-928), and the ancient and famous academy of Sura was on the point of being dissolved, when Saadia, called from Egypt by the exilarch, was appointed gaon. This was against the advice of Naharwani, who favored Ẓemaḥ ibn Shahin ("Medieval Jew. Chron." ii. 80); but the wisdom of the choice was shown when Saadia made the fame of Sura surpass even that of Pumbedita.

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