Yose ben Yoezer was a
rabbi of the early Maccabean period, possibly a disciple of Antigonus
of Soko and member of the ascetic group known as the Hasidæans, though
neither is certain. He belonged to a priestly family. With him and
Jose ben Johanan of Jerusalem, his colleague, begins the period known
in Jewish history as that of the zugot (pairs), which ended with Hillel
and Shammai. According to an old tradition, the member of the "zugot"
mentioned first occupied the office of president of the Sanhedrin,
while the one mentioned second served in the capacity of vice-president.
Jose belonged to the party of the Hasidim, and was a decided adversary
of Hellenism. To prevent Jews from settling beyond Palestine he declared
all heathen countries "unclean".[1] He declared also glass
utensils unclean, probably because they were manufactured in heathen
countries. In other respects, however, he was very liberal, and received
the surname "Sharaya" ("one who permits") for
having rendered three liberal decisions on certain ritual questions
[2]
The first halakic controversy known in the Talmud was that between
Jose ben Joezer and his colleague Jose ben Johanan. It arose over
the question whether the laying of hands on the heads of the sacrifices
is permitted on feast-days.[3] Jose ben Joezer was distinguished for
his piety, and is called "the pious of the priesthood" ("hasid
shebi-kchunnah").[4] He professed great veneration for scholars,
one of his sayings being: "Let thy house be a meeting-place for
the wise; powder thyself in the dust of their feet, and drink their
words with eagerness" [5] Jose was probably among the sixty pious
men who, at the instigation of the high priest Alcimus, the son of
his sister, were crucified by the Syrian general Bacchides (I Macc.
vii. 16) in 161 bce.
The Midrash reports the following dialogue between Alcimus and Jose
ben Joezer while the latter was on the way to execution:
Alcimus: "See the profit and honors that have fallen to my lot
in consequence of what I have done, whilst thou, for thy obstinacy,
hast the misfortune to die as a criminal." Jose, quietly: "if
such is the lot of those who anger God, what shall be the lot of those
who accomplish His will?" Alcimus: "Is there any one who
accomplished His will more than thou?" Jose: "If this is
the end of those who accomplish His will, what awaits those who anger
Him?" On this Alcimus was seized with remorse and committed suicide.
[6] Jose ben Joezer left a son whom he had disinherited for bad conduct.[7] |
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