Judah Ben Bava

Tanna of the third generation and one of the Ten Martyrs. Known as "the pious one" (he-ḥasid), he was a student of Samuel ha-Katan and a colleague of Rabban Gamaliel II of Yavneh and R. Akiva. Judah was active at the time of the Roman persecutions following the Bar Kokhba revolt of 132-135 CE and defied the injunction against ordaining rabbis. Not wishing to expose any city where he might be active to the danger of destruction, he sat between Usha and Shefaram and ordained five scholars: R. Meir, R. Judah Bar Ilai, R. Simeon Bar Yoḥai, R. Yosé Ben ḥalafta, and R. Eleazar Ben Shammua. When he saw the Romans coming he urged them to flee but was himself caught and executed on the spot with 300 lances driven through his body (Sanh 14a). Of his devoutness it was said that from the age of 18 to 80 he never knew more than half an hour of sleep at a time.

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