Jochanan ben-Nappacha

(c. 180–c. 279)

   Palestinian amora. The handsome and kindly Jochanan was the greatest of the Palestinian amoraim and MAIMONIDES held that he was the editor of the Palestinian Talmud. His name appears there more frequently than any other amora. As a child Jochanan lost both parents and was brought up by his grandfather. He studied first under JUDAH HA-NASI and then under Hoshayah. In order to study he sold off all the land he had inherited, claiming he was selling what had taken six days to create and getting in return the Torah, which had taken forty days.

   He founded his own school in Tiberias. This grew into one of the most famous, and many of the greatest amoraim studied there. Jochanan’s best-known student was SIMEON BENLAKISH, a former gladiator, to whom he gave his sister in marriage. Jochanan corresponded with RAV and referred to him as ‘our master in Babylon’. When Rav died, Jochanan was regarded as the undisputed halachic authority.

   His family life was fraught with grief, as all ten of his sons died before him. It is said that his own death was hastened by remorse because he had taunted his brother-in-law, Simeon ben-Lakish, with his past. As a sign of humility, he asked to be buried in a grey shroud rather than a white one, since he could not know whether the Lord would regard him as having been righteous.