Nathan was the son of a Babylonian exilarch. For reasons that are unclear he left Babylonia, and his bright prospects there, to settle in the land of Israel, where he was made chief of the school at Usha.[1] Later he was entrusted by the patriarch Simeon ben Gamliel II to secure a reconciliation with R. Hananiah of Babylon, who had declared himself independent of the Sanhedrin of Judea and had established one in Babylon—a mission which Nathan, in company with R. Isaac, successfully executed.[2] According to I. Halevy, however, both Nathan and Isaac were still residents of Babylon.[3]
Soon afterward disagreement occurred between Nathan and Rabbi Meir, on the one side, and the president, R. Shimon ben Gamliel, on the other, owing to R' Shimon's attempt to abolish the equality previously existing among all members of the school, by restricting the tokens of esteem shown by the community to other members of the school lower in distinction than the president. Nathan and Meir conspired to depose Simon and to usurp his authority themselves, but the plot came to his knowledge, and he caused the conspirators to be expelled from the school. The two knew, however, how to make their absence felt. They sent in slips on which were written puzzling halakhic questions, so that a member of the school once exclaimed: "We are inside, and the learning is outside!" Both Nathan and Meir were ultimately readmitted on condition that the name of neither should thenceforth be mentioned in connection with his halakic decisions, but that a pseudonym should be used instead. In the case of Nathan this pseudonym was "some say"; in that of Meïr, "others say".[4]
Teachingsedit
Nathan was a high Talmudic authority. Numerous halakhic decisions and aggadic sayings of his are recorded. To him is attributed the authorship of Avot de-Rabbi Natan, a kind of tosefta to the Pirkei Avot. He is said also to have been the author of the baraitaMem Tet Middot, no longer extant, on Haggadah and mathematics.[5]
Nathan's chief opponent in halachic decisions was the patriarch R. Judah HaNasi, whom, however, he is said to have assisted in the collaboration of the Mishnah[6] and who held him in high esteem.[7]
Quotesedit
There is no love like the love of the Torah. Neither is there any wisdom like the wisdom of common sense.[8] There is no beauty like the beauty of Jerusalem, and neither is there any wealth like the wealth of Madai.[9]
If there were a plant in your hand and they should say to you: "Look, the messiah is here!" Go and plant your plant and after that go forth to receive him.[10]
^Literally, "derekh eretz," meaning, "the way of the land." The Hebrew is an idiom and a homonym, which actually has several meanings, and can mean "a worldly profession, "etiquette" or "decorum" (good manners), and "common sense." The use of the words here are meant to refer to "common sense."
nathan, babylonian, hebrew, רבי, נתן, הבבלי, also, known, rabbi, nathan, tanna, third, generation, century, contents, biography, teachings, quotes, references, bibliography, external, linksbiography, editnathan, babylonian, exilarch, reasons, that, unclear, le. Nathan the Babylonian Hebrew רבי נתן הבבלי also known as Rabbi Nathan was a tanna of the third generation 2nd century Contents 1 Biography 2 Teachings 3 Quotes 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksBiography editNathan was the son of a Babylonian exilarch For reasons that are unclear he left Babylonia and his bright prospects there to settle in the land of Israel where he was made chief of the school at Usha 1 Later he was entrusted by the patriarch Simeon ben Gamliel II to secure a reconciliation with R Hananiah of Babylon who had declared himself independent of the Sanhedrin of Judea and had established one in Babylon a mission which Nathan in company with R Isaac successfully executed 2 According to I Halevy however both Nathan and Isaac were still residents of Babylon 3 Soon afterward disagreement occurred between Nathan and Rabbi Meir on the one side and the president R Shimon ben Gamliel on the other owing to R Shimon s attempt to abolish the equality previously existing among all members of the school by restricting the tokens of esteem shown by the community to other members of the school lower in distinction than the president Nathan and Meir conspired to depose Simon and to usurp his authority themselves but the plot came to his knowledge and he caused the conspirators to be expelled from the school The two knew however how to make their absence felt They sent in slips on which were written puzzling halakhic questions so that a member of the school once exclaimed We are inside and the learning is outside Both Nathan and Meir were ultimately readmitted on condition that the name of neither should thenceforth be mentioned in connection with his halakic decisions but that a pseudonym should be used instead In the case of Nathan this pseudonym was some say in that of Meir others say 4 Teachings editNathan was a high Talmudic authority Numerous halakhic decisions and aggadic sayings of his are recorded To him is attributed the authorship of Avot de Rabbi Natan a kind of tosefta to the Pirkei Avot He is said also to have been the author of the baraita Mem Tet Middot no longer extant on Haggadah and mathematics 5 Nathan s chief opponent in halachic decisions was the patriarch R Judah HaNasi whom however he is said to have assisted in the collaboration of the Mishnah 6 and who held him in high esteem 7 Quotes editThere is no love like the love of the Torah Neither is there any wisdom like the wisdom of common sense 8 There is no beauty like the beauty of Jerusalem and neither is there any wealth like the wealth of Madai 9 If there were a plant in your hand and they should say to you Look the messiah is here Go and plant your plant and after that go forth to receive him 10 References edit Horayot 13b H Gratz Gesch iv 185 Gratz l c pp 188 et seq Dorot ha Rishonim p 185 Hor 13b Z Frankel Darke ha Mishnah p 191 Leipzig 1859 Bava Metzia 86a and Rashi ad loc Bava Batra 131a Literally derekh eretz meaning the way of the land The Hebrew is an idiom and a homonym which actually has several meanings and can mean a worldly profession etiquette or decorum good manners and common sense The use of the words here are meant to refer to common sense Yerushalmi Shemuel n d Avot de Rabbi Nathan 28 1 Jerusalem Masoret Saldarini Anthony J 1975 Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan Abot de Rabbi Nathan Version B Chapter 31 Leiden Brill Bibliography editGratz Gesch ed Leipzig 1893 iv 173 185 187 Heilprin Seder ha Dorot ii 290 Warsaw 1882 I Halevy Dorot ha Rishonim ii 97 185 Frankfort on the Main 1901 Abot de Rabbi Natan ed Schechter Vienna 1887 External links editJewish Encyclopedia article for Rabbi Nathan by Wilhelm Bacher and A S Waldstein nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Singer Isidore et al eds 1901 1906 The Jewish Encyclopedia New York Funk amp Wagnalls a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a Missing or empty title help Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nathan the Babylonian amp oldid 1181214175, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
