Editing Judah ha-Nasi (section)

==Teachings==

=== Compilation of the Mishnah ===
{{Eras of the Halakha}}
{{Main|Mishnah}}
According to [[Rabbinical Judaism|Rabbinical Jewish]] tradition, God gave both the Written Law (the [[Torah]]) and the [[Oral Torah|Oral Law]] to Moses on [[Mount Sinai (Bible)|biblical Mount Sinai]]. The Oral Law is the oral tradition as relayed by God to Moses and from him, transmitted and taught to the sages ([[rabbi]]nic leaders) of each subsequent generation.

For centuries, the Torah appeared only as a written text transmitted in parallel with the oral tradition. Fearing that the oral traditions might be forgotten, Judah undertook the mission of consolidating the various opinions into one body of law which became known as the ''Mishnah''. This completed a project which had been mostly clarified and organised by his father and [[Nathan the Babylonian]].<ref name="Codex Judaica Kantor 2006, page 146"/>

The Mishnah consists of 63 tractates codifying Jewish law, which are the basis of the ''Talmud.'' According to [[Abraham ben David]], the ''Mishnah'' was compiled by Rabbi Judah the Prince in 3949 [[Anno Mundi|AM]], or the year 500 of the [[Seleucid era]], which corresponds to 189 CE.<ref>Abraham ben David, ''Seder Ha-Kabbalah Leharavad'', Jerusalem 1971, p.16 (Hebrew)</ref><ref>[[Heinrich Graetz]], ''History of the Jews'', vol. 6, Philadelphia 1898, p. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021930634;view=1up;seq=131 105]</ref>

The Mishnah contains many of Judah's own sentences, which are introduced by the words, "Rabbi says."

The Mishnah was Judah's work, although it includes a few sentences by his son and successor, [[Gamaliel III]],<ref>[[Pirkei Avot]] 2:2-4</ref> perhaps written after Judah's death. Both the Talmuds assume as a matter of course that Judah is the originator of the Mishnah—"our Mishnah," as it was called in Babylon—and the author of the explanations and discussions relating to its sentences. However, Judah is more  correctly considered [[redaction|redactor]] of the Mishnah, rather than its author. The Mishnah is based on the systematic division of the halakhic material as formulated by [[Rabbi Akiva]]; Judah following in his work the arrangement of the halakot as taught by [[Rabbi Meir]] (Akiva's foremost student).<ref>Sanhedrin 86a</ref>

===Halacha===
Using the precedent of [[Rabbi Meir]]'s reported actions, Judah ruled the [[Beit Shean]] region to be exempt from the requirements of [[Tithes in Judaism|tithing]] and [[shmita]] regarding produce grown there.<ref>[[Babylonian Talmud]] [https://www.sefaria.org.il/Chullin.6b.5-6?lang=bi Hullin 6b]; [[Jerusalem Talmud]] ''Demai'' 2:1. The region of Beit Shean was typically seen as not settled by Jews returning from the [[Babylonian captivity]], and therefore had not the same consecrated status as other areas of the country. As for Rabbi Judah HaNasi's enactment, the release from shmita obligations and the release from tithing all home-grown produce throughout the remaining six years of the seven-year cycle were one and the same (cf. Maimonides, [[Mishne Torah]] (''Hilchot Terumoth'' 1:5); Jerusalem Talmud ''Shevi'it'' 6:4; p. 51a in the ''Oz veHadar'' edition.</ref> He also did the same for the cities of Kefar Tzemach, [[Caesarea Maritima|Caesarea]] and [[Bayt Jibrin|Beit Gubrin]].<ref>[[Jerusalem Talmud]] Demai 2:1</ref>

He forbade his students to study in the marketplace, basing his prohibition on his interpretation of [[Song of Songs]] 7:2, and censured one of his students who violated this restriction.<ref>Moed Kattan 16a, b</ref>

===Biblical interpretation===

His exegesis includes many attempts to harmonise conflicting Biblical statements. Thus he harmonises the contradictions between Genesis 15:13 ("400 years") and 15:16 ("the fourth generation");<ref>[[Mekhilta]] Bo 14</ref> Exodus 20:16 and Deuteronomy 5:18;<ref>Mekhilta Yitro, Bahodesh, 8</ref> Numbers 9:23, 10:35 and ib.,<ref>Sifre Numbers 84</ref> Deuteronomy 14:13 and Leviticus 11:14.<ref>Hullin 63b</ref> The contradiction between Genesis 1:25 (which lists 3 categories of created beings) and 1:24 (which adds a fourth category, the "living souls") Judah explains by saying that this expression designates the demons, for whom God did not create bodies because the Sabbath had come.<ref>Genesis Rabbah 7, end</ref>

Noteworthy among the other numerous Scriptural interpretations which have been handed down in Judah's name are his clever etymological explanations, for example: Exodus 19:8-9;<ref name="Shabbat 87a">Shabbat 87a</ref> Leviticus 23:40;<ref>Sukkah 35a</ref> Numbers 15:38;<ref>[[Sifre]] Numbers 115</ref> [[II Samuel]] 17:27;<ref>[[Midrash Tehillim]] to Psalms 3:1</ref> [[Book of Joel|Joel]] 1:17;<ref>Yerushalmi Peah 20b</ref> Psalms 68:7.<ref>Mekhilta Bo 16</ref>

He interpreted the words "to do the evil" in [[II Samuel]] 12:9 to mean that [[David]] did not really sin with [[Bathsheba]], but only intended to do so. As she was actually divorced at the time he took her. Abba Arikha, Judah's student, ascribes this apology for King David to Judah's desire to justify his ancestor.<ref>Shabbat 56a</ref> A sentence praising King Hezekiah<ref name="hullin6"/> and an extenuating opinion of King Ahaz<ref>Leviticus Rabbah 36</ref> have also been handed down in Judah's name. Characteristic of Judah's appreciation of aggadah is his interpretation of the word "vayagged" (Exodus 19:9) to the effect that the words of Moses attracted the hearts of his hearers, like the aggadah does.<ref name="Shabbat 87a"/> Once when the audience was falling asleep in his lecture, he made a ludicrous statement in order to revive their interest, and then explained the statement to be accurate in a metaphorical sense.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Shir_HaShirim_Rabbah.1.15.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1:15]; compare Mekhilta Beshallach Shirah 9</ref>

Judah was especially fond of the [[Book of Psalms]].<ref>See Avodah Zarah 19a; [[Midrash Tehillim]] to Psalms 3:1</ref> He paraphrased the psalmist's wish "Let the words of my mouth ... be acceptable in thy sight,"<ref>Psalms 19:14</ref> thus: "May the Psalms have been composed for the coming generations; may they be written down for them; and may those that read them be rewarded like those that study halakhic sentences".<ref>Midrash Tehillim to Psalms 1:1</ref> He said that the [[Book of Job]] was important if only because it presented the sin and punishment of the generations of the Flood.<ref>[[Genesis Rabbah]] 26, end</ref> He proves from Exodus 16:35 that [[there is no chronological order in the Torah]].<ref>[[Sifre]] Numbers 64</ref> Referring to the prophetic books, he says: "All the Prophets begin with denunciations and end with comfortings".<ref>Midrash Tehillim to Psalms 4:8</ref> Even the genealogical portions of the Book of Chronicles must be interpreted.<ref>[[Ruth Rabbah]] 2, beginning</ref>

It appears that there was an aggadic collection containing Judah's answers to exegetical questions.<ref>[[Pesikta Rabbati]] 46 (ed. Friedmann, p. 187a)</ref> Among these questions may have been the one which Judah's son Simeon addressed to him.<ref>According to Midrash Tehillim to Psalms 117:1</ref>

=== Other quotes ===
* What is the right way for man to choose? That which is honorable in his own eyes (i.e. approved by his conscience), and, at the same time, honorable in the eyes of his fellow-men.<ref name="pa21">[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Pirkei_Avot.2.1?lang=bi Pirkei Avot 2:1]</ref>
* Be as careful with a light [[mitzvah]] as a serious one, for you do not know the reward given for mitzvot. Calculate the loss of a mitzvah against its gain, and the gain of a sin against its loss. Look at three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you, an eye seeing and an ear listening, and all your deeds are written in a book.<ref name="pa21"/>
* Look not at the jar, but upon what is inside; many a new jug is full of old wine; and many an old jug does not even contain new wine.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Pirkei_Avot.4.20?lang=bi Pirkei Avot 4:20]</ref>
*Much have I learned from my teachers; more from my colleagues; but most from my students.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Makkot.10a.21?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Makkot 10a]; [[Tanhuma]] Ta'an. 7a</ref>
* Why is the story of the [[Nazirite]]<ref>Numbers 6:1–ff.</ref> juxtaposed to the story of the suspected adulteress?<ref>Numbers 5:11–ff.</ref> In order to tell you that anyone who sees a suspected adulteress in her corrupted state, he should put himself under a vow never again to drink wine.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Berakhot.63a.17?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Berakhot 63a]</ref>
* Let your secret be known only to yourself; and do not tell your neighbor anything which you perceive may not fitly be listened to.<ref name="Avot of Rabbi Natan 28"/>
* Great is work, for whoever does not work, people speak about him: From what does that man eat? From what does he drink? ... Great is work, for whoever works, his hand is never missing a [[prutah]].<ref>[[Avot of Rabbi Natan]] (B) 21</ref>