לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלָ֑יו עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א שילה [שִׁיל֔וֹ] וְל֖וֹ יִקְּהַ֥ת עַמִּֽים׃
홀이 유다를 떠나지 아니하며 치리자의 지팡이가 그 발 사이에서 떠나지 아니하시기를 실로가 오시기까지 미치리니 그에게 모든 백성이 복종하리로다
Epistle of Rav Sherira Gaon
And in the days of Rabbi (רבי), Rav Huna the First (רב הונא) was the Exilarch in Babylon. And this is what we say: Rabbi asked Rabbi Hiyya (רבי חייא), "Someone like me, what am I regarding a male goat [offering for a Nasi]?" He said to him, "Behold, your rival is in Babylon [and who is it? Rav Huna]." And Rav Safra (רב ספרא) teaches that this is what he said to him: "There is the scepter, and here is the lawgiver." As it is taught: "'The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet.' 'The scepter shall not depart from Judah'—these are the Exilarchs in Babylon who subjugate the people with staffs. 'And the lawgiver from between his feet'—these are the descendants of Hillel who teach Torah in public." Thus, those in Babylon are superior, since they hold the scepter.