Everything about Yohanan Ben Zakkai totally explained
» See Rabbi Johanan (disambiguation) for other rabbis from the Talmud named Johanan.
Johanan ben Zakai was one of the
tannaim (תנאים), an important
Jewish sage in the era of the
Second Temple, and a primary contributor to the core text of rabbinic Judaism, the
Mishnah.
During the
siege of
Jerusalem in the
Great Jewish Revolt he snuck out of the city in a coffin to negotiate with
Vespasian, whom he predicted would become Emperor. He was granted three wishes and through one he re-established the
Sanhedrin and founded a new center of Jewish law in
Jamnia (Yavneh/Jabneh) after the
destruction of Jerusalem in
70 CE. It is said that before his escape from
Jerusalem, he prayed in a place which later on became known as the
Rabban Johanan ben Zakai Synagogue.
After the destruction of the
temple of Jerusalem and its sacrificial altars he led the
Council of Yavne (70-90 CE), from which
Rabbinic Judaism emerged. Under his leadership the council replaced animal sacrifice (in Hebrew called קרבן
korban) with prayer, a practice that continues in today's worship services.
The Mishnah offers no information on his birth or family. He was the youngest pupil of
Hillel. Later in life he spent time in the
Galilee. He is recorded as living until the age of 120 years, of which the first third were spent as a businessman, the second third in study, and the final third in teaching and leadership. He rests in the city of
T'veria near the very place where the
Rambam would be buried 11 centuries later.
He is quoted in the
Midrash Avot D'Rabbi Nathan 31b as saying "If you're holding a sapling in your hand and someone tells you, 'Come quickly, the messiah is here!', first finish planting the tree and then go greet the Messiah."
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