JOHANAN BEN ZAKKAI

Jewish religious and political leader who laid the foundations of a new epoch in judaism after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem; b. Palestine, around the beginning of the Christian era; d. there, c. a.d. 80. Johanan studied under both Hillel and Shammai, but he was influenced more by the former. Later, as one of the leading pharisees in Jerusalem, he engaged in frequent controversy with the sadducees. Because of the fanatical attachment of the Sadducean priests and the zealots for the Temple, he foretold its destruction several years before the event (Yoma 39b). At the beginning of the Jewish revolt of 66–70 he at first remained in Jerusalem; but later, during the siege, he escaped from the doomed city, carried out by his disciples, according to tradition, in a coffin (Git. 56). Vespasian received him kindly and allowed him to establish a Jewish academy at Jabneh (Jamnia) even before the fall of Jerusalem (a.d. 70). From then to the revolt of bar kokhba (132–135), Jabneh and its academy formed the spiritual center of Palestinian Jewry. Thanks to the leadership of Johanan, "the state was changed into an academy, the royal dynasty into a patriarchate, and the Sanhedrin left the Temple site and continued independently in Jabneh" [H. J. Schoeps, Ausfrühchristlicher Zeit (Tübingen 1950) 168]. Johanan was one of the tannaitic teachers whose sayings are frequently cited in the talmud. He was held in such high esteem that the rare title of Rabban (our teacher) was bestowed on him.

Bibliography: j. neusner, A Life of Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai (Studia Post-Biblica 6; Leiden 1962). h. revel, Universal Jewish Encyclopedia ed., j. singer (New York 1901–06) 6:164–166. Jewish Encyclopedia (New York 1939–44) 7:214–217. Encyclopedia Judaica (Berlin 1928–34) 9:222–227. k. schubert, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 5:981. e. lohse, Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart (Tübingen 1957–65) 3:800.

[m. j. stiassny]