Judah ben Ilai

Rabbi Judah (Yehuda) ben Ilai, also known as Rabbi Judah or Rabbi Judah bar Ilai, was a Tanna (a sage recorded in the Mishna), who lived in the 2nd Century. Of the many Rabbi Yehuda's in the Talmud he is the one referred to simply as Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbi Judah ben Ilai was born at Usha, a city in Galilee. His teachers were his father, who had studied with Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiba.

Rabbi Judah ben Ilai was ordained by Rabbi Judah ben Baba at a time when the Roman government forbade ordination. Judah ben Ilai was forced to flee Hadrian's persecution.

Personal piety

Judah's personal piety was most rigid; and he observed many of the practices of the Hasideans and the Essenes^{[citation needed]}. He drank no wine except on the days when the Law required, and was a vegetarian.

The study of the Law was his chief and dearest occupation; and he lamented the fact that such a devotion was not widespread as in former times.

He also had great compassion. Whenever a funeral or a wedding-procession passed, he interrupted his study to join it (Ket. 17a).

He lived in the utmost poverty.

Sources of his teaching

Judah taught the Mishnah of Eliezer, which he had received from his father (Men. 18a),

In his interpretation of the Scriptures and in the deduction of legal requirements from it Judah adhered strictly to the method of his teacher Rabbi Akiba.

Many of Judah's maxims and proverbs have likewise been preserved; they include:

• "Great is beneficence: it quickeneth salvation" (B. B. 10a).
• "Great is toil: it honoreth the toiler" (Ned. 49b).
• "Who teacheth his son no trade, guideth him to robbery" (Ḳid. 29a).
• "The best path lies midway" (Ab. R. N. xxviii.).

Judah lived to a ripe old age, surviving his teachers and all of his colleagues. Among his disciples who paid him the last honors was Judah ha-Nasi.

References

• This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.