Death of rabbi yehudah hanasis books

He was a key leader of the Jewish community during the Roman occupation of Judea.

Nasi hebrew

According to the Talmud he was of the Davidic line, the royal line of David, hence the title nasi "prince". The title nasi was also used for presidents of the Sanhedrin. According to the Midrash , he came into the world on the same day that Rabbi Akiva died as a martyr. The Talmud suggests that this was a result of Divine Providence: God had granted the Jewish people another leader of great stature to succeed Rabbi Akiva.

His place of birth is unknown. He is the only tanna known as Rabbeinu HaQadosh , "our holy teacher", due to his deep piety.

Tannaim amoraim geonim

Judah spent his youth in the city of Usha. His father presumably gave him the same education that he himself had received, including the Greek language. This knowledge of Greek enabled him to become the Jews' intermediary with the Roman authorities. He favored Greek as the language of the country over Jewish Palestinian Aramaic. It is said that in Judah's house, only the Hebrew language was spoken, and even the maids spoke it.

Rabbi Judah HaNasi, taking as an exemplum an act that he heard performed by Rabbi Meir, released the entire region of Beit Shean from the obligations of tithing home-grown produce, and from observing the Seventh Year laws with respect to the same produce. He had a close friendship with "Antoninus", possibly the Emperor Antoninus Pius, though it is more likely his famous friendship was with either Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus or Antoninus who is also called Caracalla and who would consult Judah on various worldly and spiritual matters.

It was here that he also established a seat of learning. For centuries, the Torah appeared only as a written text transmitted in parallel with the oral tradition.