Yochanan ben Zakai
Encyclopedia
Johanan ben Zakai also known as Johanan B. Zakkai was one of the tannaim
, an important Jewish sage in the era of the Second Temple
, and a primary contributor to the core text of Rabbinical Judaism, the Mishnah
. He is widely regarded as one of the most important Jewish figures of his time. His tomb is located in Tiberias, within the Maimonides burial compound
.
reports that, in the mid first century, he was particularly active in opposing the Sadducees
' interpretations of Jewish law
, and produced counter-arguments to the Sadducees' objection to the Pharisees
. So dedicated was he to opposing the Sadducee view of Jewish law, that he prevented the Jewish high priest
, who was a Sadducee, from following the Sadducee interpretation of the Red Heifer
ritual.
His home, at this time, was in 'Arab, a location in the Galilee
. However, although living among them, he found the secular attitude of Galileans to be objectionable, allegedly exclaiming that they hated the Torah
and would therefore "fall into the hands of robbers."
During the siege
of Jerusalem in the Great Jewish Revolt, he argued in favour of peace; according to talmudic legend, when he found the anger of the besieged populace to be intolerable, he arranged a secret escape from the city inside a coffin, so that he could negotiate with Vespasian
(who, at this time, was still just a military commander). Yochanan correctly predicted that Vespasian would become Emperor, and that the temple would soon be destroyed; in return, Vespasian granted Yochanan three wishes: the salvation of Yavneh (Jamnia)
and its sages, the descendants of Rabban Gamliel
, who was of the Davidic dynasty, and a physician to treat Rabbi Tzadok, who had fasted for 40 years to stave off the destruction of Jerusalem. However, this popular legend has come to be valued as a false account, for the supposed chronology of Yochanan's dramatic escape and subsequent meeting with Vespasian contradicts the true history of events surrounding the Great Jewish Revolt. By this time, Vespasian had already ascended to the position of emperor, and the scholarly community of Yavneh only emerged after the destruction of the Second Temple.
Upon the destruction of Jerusalem, Jochanan converted his school at Jamnia into the Jewish religious centre, insisting that certain privileges, given by Jewish law uniquely to Jerusalem, should be transferred to Jamnia. His school functioned as a re-establishment of the Sanhedrin
, and he soon established the Council of Jamnia
(70-90 AD), so that Judaism could decide how to deal with the loss of the sacrificial altars of the temple in Jerusalem
, and other pertinent questions. Referring to a passage in the Book of Hosea
, "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice", he helped persuade the council to replace animal sacrifice
with prayer, a practice that continues in today's worship services; eventually Rabbinic Judaism
emerged from the council's conclusions.
In his last years he taught at Berur Hayil, a location near Jamnia. His students were present at his deathbed
, and were requested by him, in his penultimate words, according to the Talmudic record, to reduce the risk of ritual impurity due to the presence of death
:
More enigmatic were the Talmud's record of his last words, which seem to relate to Jewish messianism:
His students returned to Jamnia upon his death, and he was buried in the city of Tiberias; eleven centuries later, Maimonides
was buried nearby. In his role as leader of the Jewish Council, he was succeeded by Gamaliel II
.
are attributed to him and he is known for establishing a number of edicts in the post-destruction era:
Some of his comments were of an esoteric nature. On one occasion he advises that mankind should seek to understand the infinity of God, by imagining the heavens being extended to unthinkable distances. He argued that Job
's piety was not based on the love of God, but on the fear of Him.
He was challenged to resolve several biblical curiosities by a Roman commander, who was familiar with the Torah, but whose name has been lost in confusion. Among the issues were the fact that the numbers in the Book of Numbers
didn't add up to their totals, and the reasoning behind the ritual of the red heifer
; on this latter question the answer he gave didn't satisfy his own students, so he decreed that the ritual was one that shouldn't be questioned.
He articulated the principle that you shouldn't take credit for your learning, because "this was the purpose of your creation". He is also quoted as saying:
----
Tannaim
The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...
, an important Jewish sage in the era of the Second Temple
Second Temple
The Jewish Second Temple was an important shrine which stood on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem between 516 BCE and 70 CE. It replaced the First Temple which was destroyed in 586 BCE, when the Jewish nation was exiled to Babylon...
, and a primary contributor to the core text of Rabbinical Judaism, the Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
. He is widely regarded as one of the most important Jewish figures of his time. His tomb is located in Tiberias, within the Maimonides burial compound
Tomb of Maimonides
According to Jewish tradition, the Tomb of Maimonides is located in central Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel. Maimonides died in Fustat, Egypt on 20 December 1204, where it is believed that he was briefly buried before being reinterred in Tiberias.The Tomb of Maimonides...
.
Life
The TalmudTalmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
reports that, in the mid first century, he was particularly active in opposing the Sadducees
Sadducees
The Sadducees were a sect or group of Jews that were active in Ancient Israel during the Second Temple period, starting from the second century BC through the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. The sect was identified by Josephus with the upper social and economic echelon of Judean society...
' interpretations of Jewish law
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
, and produced counter-arguments to the Sadducees' objection to the Pharisees
Pharisees
The Pharisees were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews during the Second Temple period beginning under the Hasmonean dynasty in the wake of...
. So dedicated was he to opposing the Sadducee view of Jewish law, that he prevented the Jewish high priest
Kohen Gadol
The High Priest was the chief religious official of Israelite religion and of classical Judaism from the rise of the Israelite nation until the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem...
, who was a Sadducee, from following the Sadducee interpretation of the Red Heifer
Red heifer
The red heifer or red cow was a sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible the ashes of which are used for the ritual purification of an ancient Israelite who had come into contact with a corpse.- Hebrew Bible :...
ritual.
His home, at this time, was in 'Arab, a location in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
. However, although living among them, he found the secular attitude of Galileans to be objectionable, allegedly exclaiming that they hated the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and would therefore "fall into the hands of robbers."
During the siege
Siege of Jerusalem (70)
The Siege of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD was the decisive event of the First Jewish-Roman War. The Roman army, led by the future Emperor Titus, with Tiberius Julius Alexander as his second-in-command, besieged and conquered the city of Jerusalem, which had been occupied by its Jewish defenders in...
of Jerusalem in the Great Jewish Revolt, he argued in favour of peace; according to talmudic legend, when he found the anger of the besieged populace to be intolerable, he arranged a secret escape from the city inside a coffin, so that he could negotiate with Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
(who, at this time, was still just a military commander). Yochanan correctly predicted that Vespasian would become Emperor, and that the temple would soon be destroyed; in return, Vespasian granted Yochanan three wishes: the salvation of Yavneh (Jamnia)
Yavne
Yavne is a city in the Central District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 33,000.-History:...
and its sages, the descendants of Rabban Gamliel
Gamaliel
Gamaliel the Elder , or Rabban Gamaliel I , was a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the mid 1st century CE. He was the grandson of the great Jewish teacher Hillel the Elder, and died twenty years before the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem...
, who was of the Davidic dynasty, and a physician to treat Rabbi Tzadok, who had fasted for 40 years to stave off the destruction of Jerusalem. However, this popular legend has come to be valued as a false account, for the supposed chronology of Yochanan's dramatic escape and subsequent meeting with Vespasian contradicts the true history of events surrounding the Great Jewish Revolt. By this time, Vespasian had already ascended to the position of emperor, and the scholarly community of Yavneh only emerged after the destruction of the Second Temple.
Upon the destruction of Jerusalem, Jochanan converted his school at Jamnia into the Jewish religious centre, insisting that certain privileges, given by Jewish law uniquely to Jerusalem, should be transferred to Jamnia. His school functioned as a re-establishment of the Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
, and he soon established the Council of Jamnia
Council of Jamnia
The Council of Jamnia or Council of Yavne is a hypothetical late 1st-century council at which it is postulated the canon of the Hebrew Bible was finalized....
(70-90 AD), so that Judaism could decide how to deal with the loss of the sacrificial altars of the temple in Jerusalem
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
, and other pertinent questions. Referring to a passage in the Book of Hosea
Book of Hosea
The Book of Hosea is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It stands first in order among what are known as the twelve Minor Prophets.-Background and Content:...
, "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice", he helped persuade the council to replace animal sacrifice
Korban
The term offering as found in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the worship of Ancient Israel is mainly represented by the Hebrew noun korban whether for an animal or other offering...
with prayer, a practice that continues in today's worship services; eventually Rabbinic Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism or Rabbinism has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century CE, after the codification of the Talmud...
emerged from the council's conclusions.
In his last years he taught at Berur Hayil, a location near Jamnia. His students were present at his deathbed
Deathbed
A deathbed is a place where a person dies or lies in during the last few hours before death.Deathbed may also refer to:* Deathbed conversion, a religious faith conversion...
, and were requested by him, in his penultimate words, according to the Talmudic record, to reduce the risk of ritual impurity due to the presence of death
Ritual purification
Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity...
:
- Put the vessels out of the house, that they may not become unclean
More enigmatic were the Talmud's record of his last words, which seem to relate to Jewish messianism:
- prepare a throne for Hezekiah, the King of Judah, who is coming
His students returned to Jamnia upon his death, and he was buried in the city of Tiberias; eleven centuries later, Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
was buried nearby. In his role as leader of the Jewish Council, he was succeeded by Gamaliel II
Gamaliel II
Rabban Gamaliel II was the first person to lead the Sanhedrin as Nasi after the fall of the second temple, which occurred in 70 CE. Gamliel was appointed nasi approximately 10 years later. Gamaliel II was the son of Shimon ben Gamaliel, one of Jerusalem's foremost men in the war against the...
.
Teachings
Jewish tradition records Yochanan as being extremely dedicated to religious study, claiming that no one ever found him engaged in anything but study. He is considered to be someone who passed on the teachings of his predecessors; on the other hand, numerous homiletic and exegetical sayingsAggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
are attributed to him and he is known for establishing a number of edicts in the post-destruction era:
- After the destruction of Jerusalem, the shofarShofarA shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
shall be blown in beit dinBeth dinA beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
when Rosh HaShana falls on ShabbatShabbatShabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
(prior to the destruction, it was only blown in Jerusalem and its environs on Shabbat) - After the destruction of Jerusalem, the four speciesFour SpeciesThe four species are four plants mentioned in the Torah as being relevant to Sukkot. Karaite Jews build their Sukkot out of branches from the four specified plants , while Talmudic Jews take three types of branches and one type of fruit which are held together and waved in a special ceremony...
shall be taken for the entire SukkotSukkotSukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
(prior to the destruction, it was only taken for the entire holiday in Jerusalem and on the first of the holiday elsewhere) - After the destruction of Jerusalem, the chadash (new grain) shall be prohibited for the entire Day of Waving (prior to the destruction, it was prohibited only up until the time of the waving on that day)
- After the destruction of Jerusalem, witnesses for the new moonRosh ChodeshRosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed...
shall be accepted all day (prior to the destruction, witnesses were only accepted until the afternoon tamid offering) - After the destruction of Jerusalem, witnesses for the new moonRosh ChodeshRosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed...
shall only go to the place of assembly, and not follow the princeNasiNāśī’ is a Hebrew title meaning prince in Biblical Hebrew, Prince in Mishnaic Hebrew, or president in Modern Hebrew.-Genesis and Ancient Israel:...
(prior to the destruction, witnesses were only accepted at the location of the prince in Jerusalem) - KohanimKohenA Kohen is the Hebrew word for priest. Jewish Kohens are traditionally believed and halachically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the Biblical Aaron....
(those of the priestly caste) may not go up to bless the people while wearing footwear - After the destruction of Jerusalem, witnesses for the new moonRosh ChodeshRosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed...
may not violate the ShabbatShabbatShabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
except for the months of Nissan and TishreiTishreiTishrei or Tishri , Tiberian: ; from Akkadian "Beginning", from "To begin") is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian. It is an autumn month of 30 days...
(prior to the destruction, witnesses were allowed to violate the Sabbath for all months) - After the destruction of Jerusalem, converts no longer separate monies for their conversion sacrifice (prior to the destruction, part of the conversion process was to bring a sacrifice in the Temple in JerusalemTemple in JerusalemThe Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
) - The identity of the ninth edict is disputed:
- After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Second Tithe was permitted to be exchanged for money within a day's journey of Jerusalem (prior to the destruction, exchanges were only permitted for those living farther than a day's journey)
- After the destruction of Jerusalem, the red string associated with the chatas of Yom KippurYom KippurYom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
was sent with the ish iti (designee) to AzazelAzazelAzazel or Azazael or Azâzêl is a term used three times in the Hebrew scriptures, and later in Hebrew mythology as the enigmatic name of a character....
(prior to the destruction, the red string was maintained on the premises of the Temple)
Some of his comments were of an esoteric nature. On one occasion he advises that mankind should seek to understand the infinity of God, by imagining the heavens being extended to unthinkable distances. He argued that Job
Job (Biblical figure)
Job is the central character of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible. Job is listed as a prophet of God in the Qur'an.- Book of Job :The Book of Job begins with an introduction to Job's character — he is described as a blessed man who lives righteously...
's piety was not based on the love of God, but on the fear of Him.
He was challenged to resolve several biblical curiosities by a Roman commander, who was familiar with the Torah, but whose name has been lost in confusion. Among the issues were the fact that the numbers in the Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
didn't add up to their totals, and the reasoning behind the ritual of the red heifer
Red heifer
The red heifer or red cow was a sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible the ashes of which are used for the ritual purification of an ancient Israelite who had come into contact with a corpse.- Hebrew Bible :...
; on this latter question the answer he gave didn't satisfy his own students, so he decreed that the ritual was one that shouldn't be questioned.
He articulated the principle that you shouldn't take credit for your learning, because "this was the purpose of your creation". He is also quoted as saying:
- If you are holding a sapling in your hand and someone tells you, 'Come quickly, the messiah is here!', first finish planting the tree and then go to greet the messiah.
See also
- Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue, located in Jerusalem's Old City.
- Ben ZakaiBen ZakaiBen Zakai is a religious moshav in central Israel. Located in the Shephelah, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Yavne Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 668....
, a village in central Israel.
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External links
- JOHANAN B. ZACCAI Jewish Encyclopedia
- Rabbi Yochanan ben Zaccai Israel Guide
- "Rabbi Yochanan ben Zaccai" Orthodox Union