Rabbi Jonathan

Rabbi Jonathan (Hebrew: רבי יונתן, romanized: Rabi Yonatan) was a tanna of the 2nd century and schoolfellow of R. Josiah, apart from whom he is rarely quoted.

Jonathan is generally so cited within further designation; but there is ample reason for identifying him with the less frequently occurring Jonathan (or Nathan) b. Joseph (or "Jose").^[1]

In consequence of the Hadrianic religious persecutions he determined to emigrate from Israel, and with several other scholars started on a journey to foreign parts. But his patriotism and innate love for the Holy Land would not permit him to remain abroad.^[2]

Jonathan and Josiah were educated together at the academy of Ishmael ben Elisha,^[3] whose dialectic system, as opposed to that of Rabbi Akiva, they acquired. It is even reported that Jonathan all but converted Ben Azzai, a "fellow student" of Akiva, to Ishmael's system, and made him deeply regret his failure to study it more closely. Ben 'Azzai then exclaimed, "Woe is me that I have not waited on Ishmael".^[4] Nevertheless, in later years, probably after Ishmael's death, both Jonathan and Josiah adopted some of Akiva's principles. Of Jonathan it is expressly stated that "he followed the system of his teacher Akiva".^[5]

Together, Jonathan and Josiah devoted their analytical minds to midrash halachah, interpreting laws as they understood them from the corresponding Scriptural texts, but not suggesting them. Only one halakhah unconnected with a Scriptural text bears their names. Their argumentations are mostly embodied in the Mekhilta (about thirty) and in the Sifre to Numbers (over forty).^[6] Neither Jonathan nor Josiah appears in Rebbi's compilation of the Mishnah, with the exception of a single teaching, in the name of Jonathan^[7] Of other ancient compilations, the Tosefta cites these scholars once,^[8] while the Sifra mentions them twice^[9] by their names; once^[10] "Jonathan ben Joseph" occurs; and some of R. Josiah's midrashim are cited, but anonymously.^[11]

Contrary to the astrological views of his times, Jonathan taught the Scriptural idea of natural phenomena; quoting Jeremiah 10:2, he added: "Eclipses may frighten Gentiles, but they have no significance for Jews".^[12] To the question as to the permissibility of profaning the Sabbath to save human life he answered, "The Law says^[13] 'The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations'; but one may profane one Sabbath in order to preserve a man that he may observe many Sabbaths".^[14] According to him, an am ha'aretz is one who has children and does not train them in the knowledge of the Law.^[15] Jonathan contradicted the general opinion of earlier and contemporaneous rabbis that a ben sorer umoreh ("rebellious son"; Deuteronomy 21:18-21) never was and never will be executed, and that the ir nidachat never did and never will occur; he declared that he himself had sat on the grave of an executed rebellious son and had seen a ruined ir nidachat.^[16]

Jonathan was the author of many aphorisms, among them:

• He that observes the Torah in poverty shall in the end observe it in wealth; and he that neglects the Torah in wealth shall in the end neglect it in poverty.^[17]

• The angry man is controlled by many and variegated manifestations of hell.^[18]

• Consoling the mourner, visiting the sick, and practical beneficence bring heavenly grace into the world.^[19]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Solomon Schechter; S. Mendelsohn (1901–1906). "Rabbi Jonathan". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.