Transmission of the Oral Law

950 – 586 bce

Father to Son

Elders

Priests

Prophets

Tofsei Torah (learned in Torah)

J, P, E, D

490 bce

Ezra

Redaction of Torah

Knesset Gadolah

(Great Assembly)

539 – 332 bce

Sofrim:

•collected holy writings

•decided writings to be canonized

•finalized Bible’s structure

•began to codify oral law

Simon haZedek (360 bce) Last of the Great Assembly

Tanakh

Zugot

332 – 140 bce

Greek period

Zugot: “pairs” — political authority shared with scholars. The term “Zugot” refers to the two heads of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the successor to the Great Assembly, and it functioned as the legislative body of the Jewish people. At the head of the Sanhedrin was the Nasi (President) and second to him was the Av Bet Din (Father of the Assembly). For a period of about two hundred years, the Zugot were the spiritual guides of Jewish life and the transmitters of the Oral Law.

•Jose ben Joezer of Sereda and Jose ben Johanan (167 – c. 140 bce)

140 – 37 bce

Hasmonean dynasty

•Joshua ben Perachyah and Nittai of Arbela (134–104 bce), reign of John Hyrcanus

•Judah ben Tabbai and Simeon ben Shetach (103–76 bce), reign of Alexander Yannai

•Shemaiah and Abtalion (79–40 bce), Hyrcanus II, high priest and then king

37 bce –380 ce

Roman period

•Hillel HaZaken (the Elder) (c.30 bce–10 ce) (n) and Shammai (c. 30 bce–c.30 ce), Herod the Great, Roman client-king of Judea

Tannaim

20–40 ce

First generation

Tanna (Aramaic: pl. tannaim, “to learn”) is the plural term for the rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from c. 70 to 200 ce. The Mishnaic period can be divided into eight periods according to generations. There are approximately 120 known Tannaim.¹

Before the destruction of the Second Temple

Rabban² Gamaliel HaZaken (the Elder) (c.5?–63 ce), grandson of Hillel

R. Bava ben Buta

R. Ben He He

R. Jonathan ben Uziel

40–80

Second generation

The generation of the destruction

Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel (c.50–70?) (n), son of Rabban Gamaliel HaZaken

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai (c.60–90)

80–110

Third generation

Between the destruction of the Temple to the revolt of Bar Kokhba

Rabban Gamaliel of Yavnah (Gamaliel II) (n), son of Shimon ben Gamaliel, first person to lead the Sanhedrin as nasi

R. Elazar ben Arakh

R. Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (Eliezar the Great)

R. Tarfon

R. Joshua ben Hananiah

110–135

Fourth generation

R. Akiva ben Yosef (a)

R. Elazar ben Azaria (Nasi briefly after Gamaliel II was removed from his position for a short time)

R. Ishmael ben Elisha

R. Yossi haGelili

(a) systematic organization of halakha

135–170

Fifth generation

After the revolt

Rabban Simon ben Gamaliel (II) (n)

R. Meir (Reb Meir Ba'al HaNess)

R. Shimon bar Yochai (b)

R. Nathan haBavli

R. Yossi ben Halafta

R. Judah bar Ilai (c)

(b) Mekhilta, Sifrei, Book of Zohar(?)

(c) Torat Kohanim

170–200

Sixth generation

Compilers of the Mishnah

Rabbi Judah HaNasi (“Rabbi”) (n), son of R. Simon (d)

R. Elazar ben Shimon

R. Chama ben Bisa

R. Shimon ben Halafta

R. Shimon ben Judah

R. Yishmael ben Yossi

R. Shimon ben Elazar

(d) Mishnah

200–220

Transition period (completed work on Mishnah)

R. Gamliel ben Rabbi (III) (n)

R. Hiyya bar Abba, R Oshaya (c. 180–230) (e)

R. Shimon ben Rabbi

R. bar Kappara

R. Oshaya Rabbah

(e) Tosefta on Mishnah

Amoraim

Amora (Aramaic: pl. Amora'im; “those who say” or “those who tell over”), were renowned Jewish scholars who “said” or “told over” the teachings of the Oral law, from about 220 to 500 ce in Babylonia and Palestine. Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara.¹

Palestinian Amoraim

Babylonian Amoraim

220–250

First generation

• Chaninah bar Chamah (c.180–c.260), disciple of Judah HaNasi

• Yannai

• Joshua bar Levi (ben Sissi) (220–250) in Lydda

• Abba Arika ben Ibo (Rav) (175–247), last Tanna, first Babylonian Amora. Disciple of Judah haNasi. Founder of academy at Sura (219)

• Samuel bar Abba (180–257), disciple of Judah haNasi and others. Founder of academy at Nehardea (it moved later to Pumbedita)

250–290

Second generation

• Jochanan bar Napacha (R. Jochanan), (c.199–279), disciple of Judah HaNasi, Oshaya. Founded Tiberias (f)

• Simon bar Lakish (Resh Lakish) (c.200–275), disciple of Yannai

• Chama ben Chanina

• Jacob ben Idi

• Ulla ben Yishmael

• Jeremiah, 320–350, disciple of R. Zeira, in Tiberias

• Huna (212–297), disciple of Rav and Samuel, successor to Rav. in Sura

• Judah ben Ezekiel (247–299), disciple of Rav and Samuel, in Nehardea, moved academy to Pumbedita (259)

• Chisda (d. 309), disciple of Rav, Samuel, and Huna. in Sura

• Nachman bar Jacob (235–324), disciple of Samuel, in Pumbedita

(f) Began Palestinian Talmud

290–320

Third generation

• Elazar ben Pedat (c.260?–280), disciple of Jochanan, in Tiberias.

• Ammi and Assi, headed academy in Tiberias (279)

• Chiya bar Abba and Simon bar Abba (c.180–230), disciples of Jochanan

• Abbahu (c.279–320), disciple of Jochanan, in Caesarea

• Zera (or Zeira), Tiberias

• Chanina ben Pappa

• Rabbah bar Huna (d. 322), in Sura. Closed 322–c.375

• Rabbah bar Nachmani (270–330), disciple of Huna, Judah and Chisda. in Pumbedita

• Joseph bar Chiya (d. 333), disciple of Judah, succeeded Rabbah in Pumbadita

• Dimi bar Chinena, in Pumbedita (385–388)

320-350

Fourth generation

• Hillel II (330–365)

• Acha bar Jacob (320–350)

• Huna ben Avin

• Jonah, disciple of Ila (Hila) and Jeremiah

• Jose bar Zevida

• Nahmani ben Kaylil (Abbaye) (278– 339), disciple of Rabbah, Joseph, and Nachman bar Jacob. in Pumbedita

• Abba Ben Rav Hamma (Rava) (299–353), disciple of Rabbah, Joseph, and Nachman bar Jacob. in Mahuza

• Nachman bar Isaac (d. 356), disciple of Nachman bar Jacob. in Pumbedita

• Rami bar Hama

350–375

Fifth generation

• Avin II ben Ravin

• Mana II

• Tanchuma ben Abba (Yelammedenu) (c.380)(g)

• Pappa bar Chanan (d. 375), disciple of Abbaye and Rava. in Naresh

• Huna bar Joshua

(g) Tanchuma, commentary on the Pentateuch

Christian

period

375–425

Sixth generation

(Christian pressures forced closure of the Palestinian academies)

• Ashi bar Simai bar Ashe (355–427), Reopened Sura 375 (h)

• Amemar, in Nahardea, (390–c.422)

• Ravina I

• Rab Zebid bar Oshaya, succeeded Rab Chama in Pumbedita (377–385)

• Rafram bar Pappa the elder (Rafram I), disciple of Raba, in Pumbedita (388–394)

• Kahana bar Tachlifa, in Pumbedita (394–411)

• Mar Zutra, in Pumbadita (411–414)

• Acha bar Raba, in Pumbadita (414–419)

• Gebihah of Bei Katil, in Pumbadita (419–433)

(h) Began redaction of the Babylonian Talmud

425–460

Seventh generation

• Mar Jemar (Mar'emar), in Sura (427–432)

• Idi (or Ada) bar Abin, in Sura (432–452)

• Mar bar Rab Ashi Tabyome, in Sura (455–468) (i)

• Rafram II, succeeded Gebihah in Pumbedita (433–443)

• Rechumai (443–456)

• Sama b. Rabba (456–471)

(i) Major redactor of the Babylonian Talmud

460–500

Eighth generation

• Rabbina bar Huna (Ravina II) (d. c.499); disciple of Ravina I and Ashi, the last Amora of Sura (j)

• Rabbah Tosafa'ah (Jose), the last Amora of Pumbedita and the first of the Saboraim.

(j) Completed redaction of the Babylonian Talmud