Questions tagged [tannaim]
the Rabbinic sages (10-220 CE) whose views are recorded in the Mishnah
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Chain of Transmission between Nachum and Rabbi Meyasha
In the Mishnah Peah 2:6, the text seems to suggest that Nachum the scribe received teachings from Rabbi Meyasha:
"אָמַר נַחוּם הַלַּבְלָר, מְקֻבָּל אֲנִי מֵרַבִּי מְיָאשָׁא שקבל מאבא,
..."
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Why is the Tanna - בן בג בג called בן בג בג?
In Pirkei Avos, it mentions a תנא called בן בג בג.
Why is the תנא - בן בג בג called בן בג בג?
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Why didn't the Tana'im or Amoa'im write a commentary on Tanach?
To the best of my knowledge the first time we have a verse by verse pshat (ie simple or basic authorial intent meaning) commentary on Tanach is from the Geonic period (even if the commentary is not on ...
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Does the Jerusalem Talmud or Mishna speak of shepherds tending their flocks in the fields near to the second Jerusalem templeduring the winter months?
Prior to the destruction of the Temple at the hands of the Romans, I understand that sheep singled out for sacrifice in the Jerusalem temple were tended by their shepherds in the fields near Jerusalem ...
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Who was/were the leaders during the Asarah Harugei Malchus?
I know that the Asarah Harugei Malchus took place over generations. Nonetheless, who is recognized as being the original antagonist? Who is the one who went to Chazal about the claim about Yosef's ...
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How is it concluded from Yerushalmi Shevi'it 6:1 that Rabbi Yishmael b'Rabbi Yosei was a kohen?
I heard a number of months ago that it can be concluded from Yerushalmi Shevi'it 6:1 that Rabbi Yishmael b'Rabbi Yosei was a kohen (this topic in itself is debated, see a short summary in his Hebrew ...
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What is the implication of the question “לימא כתנאי"?
The Gemoro often asks about an argument amongst Amoraim, “לימא כתנאי" Shall we say this is an argument of Tannaim?
I see two ways of understanding this statement:
1] These Amoraim are arguing on ...
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Are the stories in the Midrashim and Targumim meant to be historical? [duplicate]
The Midrashim and Targumim contain stories meant to further elaborate on the accounts in the Hebrew Bible. Are these stories meant to be historically accurate?
Further reading on this issue would be ...
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Rabbi Heiman on Rabbi Nechunyah Hagadol
Rabbi Heiman wrote on Rabbi Nechunyah Hagadol (my translation):
"In Megillah 28a it is told that Rabbi Akiva asked him [RN"H]: In the merit of which virtue were you blessed with longevity? ...
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Was Rabbi Matya ben Harash the son of a deaf-mute or is "ben Harash" just a coincidence?
Talking about the rabbi who appears in Mishna Yoma 8:6, Pirkei Avot 4:15.
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Dictionary of Mishnaic Hebrew (aside from Jastrow) [duplicate]
Can anyone recommend a dictionary of Mishnaic Hebrew? Jastrow is serviceable, but not great. I am looking for a better option.
Some suggestions would be helpful.
Thank you.
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Is there internal evidence within the Mishnah that Rabbi Yehudah ha-Nasi redacted it?
Without drawing upon later sources like the Gemara, Rabbi Sherira Gaon, Rashi, Maimonedes and others, is there internal evidence (or explicit claims) in the Mishnah itself that Rabbi Yehudah ha-Nasi ...
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Is Shmuel (Amora) considered a Tanna by the Jerusalem Talmud?
The Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot.9a (similarly Yevamot 9a or Sotah 16a) says it in the name of Tannayim:
"תני
יצאת בת קול ואמרה אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים
אבל הלכה כדברי בית הלל.
איכן יצאה בת קול רבי ...
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How was the mishna actually transmitted orally
I've recently begun a project to memorize the mishna. The technique I am using is surprisingly effective.
This came as a result of my feeling nostalgic for the days when the Oral Torah was truly oral. ...
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Yeshv'av-Chutzpit connection?
Any connection between the mishmar kehunah Yeshv'av, which was also nicknamed "Chutzpit-Shuchin" (also known as Shuchim or Shichin, the town where they settled in) (see here for example) and ...
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Who was Rav Nechunya ben HaKanah?
The Mishna Avos (3:5) writes
רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל
תּוֹרָה, מַעֲבִירִין מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל מַלְכוּת וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. וְכָל
הַפּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל תּוֹרָה, ...
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Why did the title "Rav" appear after Hillel and Shammai?
IIRC, the word Rav appears in the Tanakh as an adjective ("עצום ורב" or "רב לכם בני לוי". Probably in Jonah 1:6 "רב החובל" it is a name?).
Earlier leaders (Moses, ...
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Why is Rebbi Meir frequently quoted as "he used to say" in the Talmud?
If one has taken a 'swim' in the Talmud, it would become apparent that Rebbi Meir is often cited as "he used to say". I cannot express with certainty that it is a completely unusual ...
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Who are the first generation of tannaim?
Of all the known tannaim, how many of them were considered first generation tannaim? This link gives a list of a few first generation tannaim, but I'm sure there should be more in the list, such as ...
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Are the names of the zugot disclosed to us in other masechtot?
Am I correct in saying that the identities of the zugot are only revealed to us within masechet Pirkei Avot?
Or are the names of the zugot also disclosed to us in other masechtot of the Mishnah? If so,...
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What are the specifics of the fake Yerushalmi story?
I heard, long ago, about a mesechta (or entire seder, I can't recall which) of Yerushalmi that was fabricated. It was finally proven to be a fake when a rabbi realized that every mesechta (or seder) ...
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What is the etymology of the name Teradion (as in R. Haninah ben Taradion)? [closed]
The name sounds Greek, and this Teradion would probably have lived in the first or second centuries under Roman occupation. That being said, since it's a Greek name, are there any other examples of ...
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Are Rabbi Akiva's opinions disproportionately followed? [closed]
I understand that Rabbi Akiva was the foremost rabbinic leader of his time, and after the Bar Kochba revolt his students were the primary Tanaaim, and they also were responsible for organizing the ...
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Berachot 7a – Is there a connection between R. Meir and Acher?
In Berachot 7a we find the following passage:
וא"ר יוחנן משום ר' יוסי שלשה דברים בקש משה מלפני הקב"ה ונתן לו בקש שתשרה שכינה על ישראל ונתן לו שנאמר הלוא בלכתך עמנו בקש שלא תשרה שכינה על עובדי ...
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Was Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai a priest? And was he Nasi of a sanhedrin?
Was Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai a priest? And was he Nasi of a sanhedrin?
I ask, because I read here that he was nasi of the sanhedrin from the years 70-80 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanhedrin ...
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Where in Shas was the psak din of Rabbi Meir vs. Rabbi Yehuda accepted?
I think I remember that, in disputes between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda, we follow Rabbi Yehuda except in two occasions. Is this correct and where are these two instances?
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Better understanding masechtot ketanot
I am not knowledgeable about masechtot ketanot. Wikipedia writes they are essays from the Tannaitic period or later dealing with topics about which no formal tractate exists in the Mishnah. I ...
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Did Beruriah add to, "Women are light-headed," to say, "...except Beruriah"?
I'm seeing a couple of secondary sources which suggest, without citing a primary source, that Beruriah may have supplemented her husband's teaching "Women are light-headed", either orally or in ...
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What is the oldest extant source which attributes Targum Pseudo-Jonathan to Yonasan Ben Uziel?
There’s an impressive list of proofs that what’s commonly called Targum Yonasan on the Chumash was not, in fact, written by Yonasan Ben Uziel.
Where did the rumor start that it was actually written ...
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Does Amorayim read berayta in Gemara rather than recite it
I noticed a very atypical expression on Yevamot 40a:
יתיב ר' חנינא קרא קמיה דר' ינאי ויתיב וקאמר הלכה כר' יהודה א"ל פוק קרי קרייך לברא אין הלכה כר' יהודה תני תנא קמיה דרב נחמן אין הלכה כר' יהודה ...
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Did Rabban Shim'on ben Gamli'el accept the stipulation of the court?
The Mishna (Demay 7:3) gives the case of a worker who doesn't trust his employer to separate tithes. The worker has to separate tithes himself, i.e. 1% (1 fig out of 100) for terumat ma'aser, and ma'...
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How was it decided when the period of Tannaim ended and the period of Amoraim began? [duplicate]
The era of the Tannaim was from 10-220 CE
The era of the Amoraim was from 200 to 500 CE
A couple questions:
1) Who or what flipped the switch to determine that one era was ending and another was ...
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Seeking works by tanaim or amoraim
To the best of my knowledge there is only 1 full work that was authored by a rabbi from the period of the tanaim or amoraim is the work seder olam by r' yose ben chalafta. I would like to know if ...
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R' Chanina B"T's strange behavior at his execution (Kalah 5, 4)
We all know the heroic story of R' Chanina Ben Tardion in its version in Avodah Zarah 18b as he was wrapped in Sefer Torah and burned alive.
Interestingly, Masechet Kalah 5, 4 (sorry couldn't find a ...
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What is the issue with Rabbi Tarfon's redeeming of first-borns in Bechoros 51?
Bechoros 51b:
וכך היה מנהגו של רבי טרפון שהיה נוטל ומחזיר וכששמעו חכמים בדבר אמרו קיים זה הלכה זו הלכה זו ותו לא אלא קיים זה אף הלכה זו
This was how Rabbi Tarfon [the Kohen] used to deal with his ...
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Examples of the sages in the Talmud going above and beyond in kindness
What are some examples in the Talmud where it tells a story of one of the sages from the time of the Mishna or Gemara showing exceptional kindness that could be a good example to other people?
For ...
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How could Rav be disproved?
Frequently, when the Gemara tries to disprove Rav from a Mishna, it answers that he's considered a Tanna and can argue on a Mishna.
But there's this case in Berachos 37a, where Rav and Shmuel both ...
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Is Pirkei DeRebbe Eliezer the earliest Torah she'be'al'peh to be written down?
The Radal mentions that Rebbe Eliezer ben Herkinus's talmidim wrote down the Pirkei DeRebbe Eliezer. Would that make it the earliest book of Torah she'be'al'peh to be written?
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Who is Queen Cleopatra in Sanhedrin 90b?
The Gemara in Sanhedrin 90b relates:
(Source from Sefaria.org)
(Partial Quote)
.....שאלה קליאופטרא מלכתא את ר"מ
Queen Cleopatra asked Rabbi Meir.....
My Question:
What Queen Cleopatra was this?
...
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Hiding in an attic
There's a few instances I've seen in the gemarra where there were meetings in an attic. Both that come to mind are with Rabbanan Gamliel, although I'm not sure if it occurs with others. One is the ...
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Provenance of Testament of Rabbi Eliezer
There is a work known as Tsavaat Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol, which is purported to be have been authored by the Tanna R. Eliezer. According to R. Menahem Lunzano cited here, the work was actually authored ...
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Why wouldn’t G-d allow the decree against the Asarah Harugei Malchus to be overturned?
In general, a bad decree from G-d can be overturned through repentance and davening, while a good one can never be revoked. (This is a major theme in the books of Yirmiya and Yonah, among others.)
...
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Is it mentioned anywhere in all of the Mishna or the Talmud that Paul of Tarsus was a student of Rabban Gamaliel
Is it mentioned anywhere in all of the Mishna or the Talmud that Paul of Tarsus was a student of Rabban Gamaliel?
Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet ...
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Explanation for the name Rebbi Nechunya ben HaKaneh
Is there an explanation the Tanna Rebbi Nechunya's surname ben "HaKaneh" - son of the reed?
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Who were some of the "sages" referred to in the Mishnah?
When the Mishnah uses the term חכמים אומרים, as in the first Mishnah in Tractate Brachot, approximately how many comprised this group? Who were in this group of people? (doesn't need to be a complete ...
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Linking two sources on Ben Zoma and richness
I recently came across a report of Ben Zoma being rich, and it made me wonder whether there's any relationship between that and his famous definition of "richness" in Avot.
A baraita quoted ...
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Why do we still not mention Rebbi Meir's name?
According to the gemarah in Horiyot 13b-14a statements made by Rebbi Meir were dubbed 'acherim' and those of Rebbi Natan were changed to 'yeish omrim'. This was done as a punishment for an attempt ...
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Why did the R' Akiva marry the wife of Tyrannus Rufus?
The gemara in Avodah zara 20a brings a Baraisa that says,
ואף רבי עקיבא ראה אשת טורנוסרופוס הרשע רק שחק ובכה רק שהיתה באה מטיפה
סרוחה שחק
דעתידה דמגיירא ונסיב לה בכה דהאי שופרא בלי עפרא
We know that ...
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Why is R' Tzadok greater than Yosef?
This is part of a series of questions regarding the Braisa in Avos d'Rebbi Nassan 16:2 that lists how Yosef HaTzaddik, R' Tzadok, R' Akiva, and R' Eliezer HaGadol were able to overcome their ...
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How come Bais Hillel is usually lenient and Bais Shammai usually stringent?
It seems like the Bais Hillel had a tendency to be lenient in Halachic matters vs the Bais Shammai, it was a sort of a presumption to them in which they were almost always successful to back up with ...
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