After Hezekiah, head of the academy and exilarch, the academies and the geonim ceased to exist. Before this happened, however, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought about the interruption of the support that had previously reached the academies from Spain, the Maghreb, North Africa, Egypt and the Land of Israel.

This came about in the following manner. A naval commander named Ibn Rumahis sailed from Córdoba. He had been appointed by ʿAbd al-Rahman, the Muslim ruler of Spain, to command a fleet. This commander of powerful ships went out to capture Christian vessels and attack coastal towns.

They reached the coast of the Land of Israel and then turned toward the Greek islands. There they encountered a ship carrying four great scholars who were travelling from the city of Bari to a city called Sefastin. These scholars were travelling to collect funds for the academy. Ibn Rumahis captured the ship and took the scholars prisoner.

One of them was Rabbi Hushiel, the father of Rabbenu Hananel. The second was Rabbi Moses, the father of Rabbi Hanoch. Rabbi Moses was captured together with his wife and his young son Hanoch. The third was Rabbi Shemariah son of Rabbi Elhanan. I don’t know the name of the fourth.

The commander desired the wife of Rabbi Moses because she was exceedingly beautiful and attempted to violate her. She cried out to Rabbi Moses, her husband, in Hebrew and asked him whether those who drowned in the sea would be restored to life at the resurrection of the dead.

He answered her: “The Lord said, ‘I shall bring them back from Bashan; I shall bring them back from the depths of the sea.’”

When she heard that they would be restored to life, she threw herself into the sea and drowned.

The scholars didn’t reveal anything about themselves or their learning. The commander sold Rabbi Shemariah in Alexandria in Egypt. Rabbi Shemariah later went to Cairo, where he became the head of an academy.

Rabbi Hushiel was sold on the coast of North Africa. From there he went to Kairouan, which at that time was the most powerful Muslim city in the Maghreb. Rabbi Hushiel became the head of an academy there, and there his son Rabbenu Hananel was born.

The commander then travelled to Córdoba, where he sold Rabbi Moses and his son Rabbi Hanoch. The Jews of Córdoba redeemed them, although they didn’t know that the captives possessed great learning.

In Córdoba there was a synagogue called the Synagogue of the House of Study. A judge named Rabbi Nathan, an exceedingly pious man, presided there. The Jews of Spain weren’t proficient in the teachings of our sages of blessed memory. Nevertheless, they used the limited knowledge they possessed to conduct discussions, offer explanations and debate questions of Jewish law.

On one occasion Rabbi Nathan was explaining the rule that an immersion was required before each sprinkling, discussed in tractate Yoma, but those present couldn’t explain the passage properly.

Rabbi Moses had been sitting in a corner like a synagogue attendant. He stood before Rabbi Nathan and said, “My master, according to that explanation, there would be too many immersions.”

When Rabbi Nathan and his students heard these words, they looked at one another in astonishment. They asked Rabbi Moses to explain the passage, and he explained it correctly.

They then asked him about all the difficulties that troubled them. Each person presented his questions, and Rabbi Moses answered them out of the abundance of his wisdom.

Litigants were waiting outside the house of study. They weren’t permitted to enter until the students had completed their lesson. When Rabbi Nathan came outside that day, the litigants followed him.

Rabbi Nathan said to them:

“I’m no longer the judge. This stranger dressed in sackcloth is my teacher and master, and from this day forward I’m his student. Appoint him judge over the community of Córdoba.”

They did so. The community granted Rabbi Moses a generous allowance, dressed him in costly garments and presented him with a carriage.

When the naval commander learned what had happened, he attempted to cancel the sale. The king wouldn’t permit him to do so. The king rejoiced greatly when he heard that the Jews of his kingdom no longer needed the scholars of Babylonia.

When news of Rabbi Moses spread throughout Spain and the Maghreb, students came from every region to study with him. Questions that had previously been sent to the Babylonian academies were now directed to Rabbi Moses.

This took place during the lifetime of Sherira Gaon, approximately in the year 4750 from the creation of the world.

Rabbi Moses had many students. One of them was Rabbi Joseph son of Rabbi Isaac ibn Satnas, known as Ibn Abitur, who translated the entire Talmud into Arabic for the Muslim ruler al-Hakam.