Rabban Gamliel and His Dynasty in the Tosefta: Viewing the Nasi through Biblical and Roman Lenses

This study examines the portrayal of Rabban Gamliel II (also known as Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh) and his household in the Tosefta. This text includes stories and anecdotes that highlight his unparalleled standing and emphasize the authority of this sage and his dynasty. Some depictions of his lineage...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wilfand Ben-Shalom, Yael 1973- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2025
In: Journal for the study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman period
Year: 2025, Volume: 56, Issue: 4/5, Pages: 472-529
Further subjects:B Rabban Gamliel
B patriarchate
B the "ways of the Amorite"
B Dynasty
B Tosefta
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Summary:This study examines the portrayal of Rabban Gamliel II (also known as Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh) and his household in the Tosefta. This text includes stories and anecdotes that highlight his unparalleled standing and emphasize the authority of this sage and his dynasty. Some depictions of his lineage draw from Roman frameworks, as suggested by the engagement of Roman imagery of honor, leadership, and patronage. While exploring these depictions, this article also considers the Tosefta’s editorial process and its employment of such narratives. These paired objectives are essential for reassessing the scholarly claim that most passages about Rabban Gamliel and his family (at least those that elevate their status) were later insertions, probably from the third century, intended to legitimize the recently formed patriarchate. Tosefta Shabbat chapter 7, on the "ways of the Amorite," provides a starting point for this two-fold analysis.
ISSN:1570-0631
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman period
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15700631-bja10112