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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 Ḥasidim, 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] |
