After his ordination he declined a teacher's position, recommending in his stead a more needy friend, Abba of Acre, as worthier than himself.Sotah 40a He thereby illustrated his own doctrine that it is a divine virtue to sympathise with a friend in his troubles as well as to partake of his joys.Tan., Vayeshev, ed. Buber, 16 Later he assumed the office of rector in Caesarea, the former seat of Hoshaiah Rabbah, and established himself at the so-called Kenishta Maradta (Insurrectionary Synagogue);Yerushalmi Nazir chapter 7, 56a; Yerushalmi Sanhedrin chapter 1, 18a; compare Josephus, B. J. ii. 14, § 5; Jastrow, Dict. p. 838 from which some of the most prominent teachers of the next generation issued. In Caesarea he originated several ritual rules,Yerushalmi Demai chapter 2, 23a, R.H. 34a one of which (regulating the sounding of the shofar) has since been universally adopted, and is referred to by rishonim as "the Enactment of R. Abbahu"."Takkanat R. Abbahu"; compare Machzor Vitry, Berlin, 1893, p. 355
