Rabbi Yochanan

Rabbi Yochanan was called "He is a Tanna and he disputes."

The meaning of this concept is: the status of some of the Amoraim who lived at the end of the Tannaitic period was similar to that of a Tanna, and therefore they could dispute the words of Tannaim, such as: Rabbi Yochanan, Rav, Shmuel, Rabbi Yannai, Bar Kappara, and others whose status is debated.

When Rabbi passed away in a good old age, his two sons remained in the central academy in the Land of Israel: Rabban Gamliel the Third and Rabbi Shimon the Fourth, along with Rabbi Chiya the Great and Rabbi Oshaya, and Rabbi's disciples: Rabbi Aphas and Rabbi Chanina bar Chama.

Rabbi Aphas was appointed head of the academy for approximately two years, and after him, Rabbi Chanina bar Chama was appointed and served as head of the academy for about ten years. Rabbi Yochanan studied in the academy all this time and was appointed head of the academy after Rabbi Chanina for eighty years.

His teachers were: Rabbi, Rabbi Yannai, Rabbi Oshaya (Rabbi Yochanan studied from him for eleven years), Chizkiya ben Rabbi Chiya the Great, Rabbi Bana'ah and Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotsadak, Bar Kappara, and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. (Some say that Reish Lakish was Rabbi Yochanan's student) - The heads of the academies in Babylon during Rabbi Yochanan's time were: in Pumbedita, Rabbi Yehuda bar Yechezkel, a student of Shmuel; and in Nehardea, Rabbi Nachman bar Yaakov, a student of Shmuel. - In Sura, Rav Huna, the Exilarch, a prominent student of Rav.

His Greatness

The appearance of his face was as beautiful as the appearance of Adam's face, and for eighty years he was head of the academy in the Land of Israel, like Joseph's reign in Egypt.

Ten of his sons died, and one son remained, whose name was Matana. They immediately sent him to Babylon to study with Shmuel, so that he would remain alive through this merit. His son, Rabbi Matana, was a friend of Rabbi Yehuda bar Yechezkel.

Rabbi Yochanan also had daughters, and he wanted Ze'iri to marry his daughter. [קידושין לא:] The Nasi's household supported him financially. [סוטה כא].

Destined for Greatness

Rabbi Yochanan was born in Tzipori during the time of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and Rabbi in his later years lived in Tzipori for seventeen years, like our father Jacob in Egypt.

The story of his birth: A pregnant woman smelled the scent of food on Yom Kippur.

They came before Rabbi to ask, "Is it permissible to feed her?" Rabbi replied, "Go and whisper in her ear that today is Yom Kippur!"

They went and whispered in her ear, "Today is Yom Kippur!" She accepted the whisper, and the fetus's craving for food ceased. Rabbi prophesied and quoted the verse concerning him: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:6) - From that woman, a great light emerged into the world, he is Rabbi Yochanan. [יומא פב:]

Rabbi saw that he was blessed from birth and gave him access among the students in his great academy.

Orphaned from Birth

Thus said Rabbi Yochanan: Happy is he who has not seen his parents! Because the mitzvah of honoring parents is not easy to fulfill at all, and a person is easily punished for not honoring parents.

Rabbi Yochanan said this because he was orphaned and never saw his parents at all. For when his mother conceived him, his father died, and when he was born, his mother died! [קידושין לא:]

His grandfather raised him when he was young, as we find:

Rabbi Yochanan said: I remember when I was a baby, meaning a small child, my grandfather would carry me on his shoulder, and I would hear the voice of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, the grandson of Rashbi, sitting and reciting a Baraita. [ירושלמי מעשרות פ"א, ה"ב]

His Esteem for His Teachers

Thus Rabbi Yochanan testifies about Rabbi's academy: I remember, when Rav was still in the Land of Israel before he went down to Babylon, I would sit seventeen rows behind Rav, because I was less significant than Rav.

Rabbi and Rav would discuss halakha, and sparks of fire would emanate from Rabbi's mouth to Rav, and from Rav's mouth to Rabbi's, for the Torah is compared to fire! And I did not understand at all what they said! Thus Rabbi Yochanan praised Rav's greatness.

We find that Rabbi Yochanan served Rabbi a little, because he had not yet reached such a level to receive Torah directly from our holy teacher, but he received it through his disciples: Rabbi Chanina bar Chama, Rabbi Oshaya, and Rabbi Yannai, and others. [חולין קלז:]

His Love for Talmud Study

Rabbi Yochanan was walking from Tiberias to Tzipori with his student, Rabbi Chiya bar Abba. They came to a field. Rabbi Yochanan said: This field belonged to me, and I sold it to make a living and engage in Torah study. They came to a vineyard. Rabbi Yochanan said: This vineyard belonged to me, and I sold it to make a living and engage in Torah study. They came to an olive grove. Rabbi Yochanan said: This grove belonged to me, and I sold it to make a living and engage in Torah study.

Rabbi Chiya bar Abba began to cry! Rabbi Yochanan asked him: Why are you crying? Rabbi Chiya answered him: I am crying because you left nothing for your old age, and you sold all your possessions!

Rabbi Yochanan said to him in astonishment: Chiya, my son, "And is this insignificant in your eyes what I have done"?! For Rabbi Yochanan was surprised! He sold all his possessions only to engage in Torah, and what! Rabbi Chiya did not understand! And still thought that his teacher should have left something for his old age?!

Rabbi Yochanan said to Rabbi Chiya: Did I do something insignificant in your eyes?! I sold something that was given for six days, as it is said: "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth." [שמות כ, יא]

But the Torah was given for forty days, as it is said: "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights," [שמות לד, כח] and it is written: "And I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights"! [דברים ט, ט]

Thus Rabbi Yochanan showed his student the value of Torah study compared to the entire physical creation, which was created in six days.

When Rabbi Yochanan passed away, the people of his generation recited concerning him the verse: "If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love," for Rabbi Yochanan loved the Torah and sacrificed all his possessions for it, "he would be utterly scorned."

Meaning: If a person expends all his money to engage in Torah, as Rabbi Yochanan did, then: the spoils of Gog and Magog will be his, as written in the Targum. [ (יפ"ת) שהש"ר פ"ח ס"ז]

Toil in Torah

His toil in Torah was so great!

It is told: One day, an important governor passed through Tzipori, and Rabbi Yochanan, who was engaged in Torah study at that time, did not stop his study to rise before him and honor him!

The servants of that governor came and wanted to strike Rabbi Yochanan! That governor said to them: Leave him alone, he is engaged in the courtesy of his Creator, meaning: he is engaged in words of Torah which are beloved by his Creator. [ירושלמי ברכות פ"ה ה"א]

Studied Talmud from All the Greats of His Generation

Rabbi Yochanan happened upon a place called "Pered," the city where Bar Kappara lived, after Bar Kappara had passed away. Rabbi Yochanan asked: Is there anyone here who studies the teachings of Bar Kappara?

Rabbi Tanchum of Pered recited to him in the name of his teacher Bar Kappara: One who deposits his wine with an idolater, the wine is permissible for drinking and there is no concern of libation wine.

Rabbi Yochanan recited concerning him the verse: "In the place where the tree falls, there it shall be," [קהלת יא, ג] meaning, in the place where the tree, who is the Torah scholar, resided – and he was referring to Bar Kappara – there the wise one shall be.

Is it possible to say that in the place where it was, there it will be, when Bar Kappara has already passed away?!

Rather, they explain thus: In that place where the tree fell, meaning the great sage after his passing, there his fruits that fell from him will be, and these are his words of Torah that are studied even after his death.

In elaboration: One who needs the traditions of sages that were learned in a certain place should ask the people of their city, because they heard the words of Torah from these sages.

And the people of the city themselves teach others, and they are called the fruits of the sage.

Thus Bar Kappara, who taught the people of his city, and they taught others, all are the fruits of Bar Kappara. [ע"ז לא.]

His Praises and Sayings

Rabbi Yochanan said: I am from the seed of Joseph, over whom the evil eye has no power.

Rabbi Yochanan said: In the generation in which the son of David comes, Torah scholars will diminish, and the rest: their eyes will pine away in sorrow and sighing, and many troubles and harsh decrees will be renewed, so that before the first is accounted for, meaning still present, the second hastens to come. [סנהדרין צז.]

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: Any Torah scholar from whom a teaching is quoted in this world, immediately his lips move in the grave. [יבמות צז].