Rabbi Yose Hacohen (Jose ha-cohen, Yosei the priest; ) was a second-generation Tanna who lived at the end of the first century CE,, 5726 a student of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai. His

Halakhic ''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is based on biblical commandments (''mitzv ...

opinion is only mentioned once in the

Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; , from the verb ''šānā'', "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Torah. Having been collected in the 3rd century CE, it is ...

. The

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

says about him that he learned

Maaseh Merkabah The ''Ma'aseh Merkabah'' () is a Hebrew-language Jewish mystical text dating from the Gaonic period that comprises a collection of hymns recited by the "descenders" and heard during their ascent. It is part of the tradition of Merkabah mysticism ...

with Rabbi

Joshua ben Hananiah Joshua ben Hananiah ( ''Yəhōšūaʿ ben Ḥănanyā''; d. 131 CE), also known as Rabbi Yehoshua, was a leading tanna of the first half-century following the destruction of the Second Temple. He is the eighth-most-frequently mentioned sage in t ...

, and that his teacher, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, praised his knowledge of

Kabbalistic Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal (). Jewi ...

wisdom. The Mishnah relates that his teacher and colleagues referred to him as "pious" ("hasid"). Some identify him with Rabbi Yose Katnuta ("the Small"), about whom the Mishna states: "When Rabbi Yosei the Small died, that was the end of the pious." Some claim that the reason he appears so rarely in the Mishna is because of his humility. The Talmud says of him that he was so careful about the laws of

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

that, "a document in his handwriting was never found in the hand of a gentile," to prevent even a gentile from transgressing Shabbat by carrying his letter in a public place. Rabbi Yose also appears as a Biblical commentator, when he explained difficult verses before Rabban

Gamaliel Gamaliel the Elder (; also spelled Gamliel; ''Rabban Gamlīʾēl hazZāqēn''; ''Gamaliēl ho Presbýteros''), or Rabban Gamaliel I, was a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the early first century CE. He was the son of Simeon ben Hillel a ...

, and as an ethical teacher of Musar when he was asked by his teacher, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, "Which is the straight path that a person should cleave to?" Rabbi Yose answered, "A good neighbor." To the converse question, of "What is the wicked path that a person should distance himself from?" he answered, "A bad neighbor." He is also mentioned as someone who comforted Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai after the death of his son. Mordecai Margalioth claims that Rabbi Yosi Hacohen should not be confused with Rabbi Yosef Hacohen, who is mentioned in the Mishna but was not one of the sages.

Burial place

There is a supposed grave of Rabbi Yose HaKohen in

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, though it is also claimed that he was buried near Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai in

Tiberias Tiberias ( ; , ; ) is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Heb ...

. Local residents mark the anniversary of his death ( Yom Hillula) on 15th of

Iyar Iyar (Hebrew language, Hebrew: or , Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew, Standard ''ʾĪyyar'' Tiberian vocalization, Tiberian ''ʾĪyyār''; from "Rosette (design), rosette; blossom") is the eighth month of the civil year (which starts on 1 Tishrei ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:HaKohen, Yose 2nd-century rabbis Mishnah rabbis Pirkei Avot rabbis