Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma - Tanna

Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma was a Tanna of the third generation and one of the leaders of his generation. Yahrzeit - 27 Sivan Burial place - Meron, Israel   He is mentioned in the Mishnah only once. He lived and spread Torah in Caesarea. Once he turned down great riches, preferring instead to remain in a city of sages. Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma was held in great esteem by the Roman government and was one of the sages who opposed any Jewish uprising. When he passed away, many prominent Roman officials attended his funeral. Rebbe Yosi ben Kisma is buried in Meron. While traveling, Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma once met a man who offered him many gold coins, precious stones, and diamonds if he would move to his city. Rabbi Yosi replied that even if he were given all the money in the world, he would not leave his current city, which was filled with Torah scholars, since when a person dies, money does not accompany him - only his Torah and good deeds. Once, the young Rabbi Yosi ben Chalafta was debating a Torah matter with Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua in the Beit Knesset in Tiberias. In the heat of their dispute, a Torah scroll was torn. Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma, who witnessed this event, said: "I would be surprised if this Beit Knesset did not turn into a house of idol worship" - and that is exactly what happened. The End of Days When his students asked him to reveal the time of Mashiach's arrival, Rabbi Yosi replied: "When the arch of Rome collapses for the third time, before it can be rebuilt, Mashiach will arrive." His students then asked for a miraculous sign to confirm his words, despite their earlier agreement not to demand proof. Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma answered that the water of the Pamias cave would turn to blood, and so it happened. Before his death, Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma asked to be buried deep in the ground. He then began to give a very cryptic prophecy of what would happen at the end of days, revealing the reasons for his request: "In Babylonia there will be no palm tree to which a Persian horse is not tied, and in Israel there will be no grave from which a Median horse does not eat straw."   The Prophecy of Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma When Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma fell ill, he was visited by Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon. Rabbi Yosi took the opportunity to rebuke Rabbi Chanina for his open defiance of the Roman ban on studying Torah, since he gave public lectures while holding a Sefer Torah in his hands. Rabbi Yosi pointed out that at this time the Romans had been given divine dominion over the nation, which was evident from the fact that they had been able to destroy the Beit HaMikdash and kill many righteous Jews. To this, Rabbi Chanina replied that Heaven would show him mercy. But Rabbi Yosi answered: "I speak words of logic, and you say that Heaven will show mercy - I would not be surprised if they burn you together with the Torah scroll." A few days later, Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma passed away. All the important Romans attended his funeral in Meron and praised him greatly. On their way back, they caught Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon publicly teaching Torah with a scroll in his hands, and sentenced him to be burned.   The Grave of Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma Traditionally, the grave of Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma has been identified in a cave on the hillside behind the ruins of the Beit Midrash of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron. Israel Meir Gabbai and Ohalei Tzadikim disagree with this location; instead, they consider his grave to be in an underground cave halfway down the mountainside below the grave of the Rashbi. Their research into many old manuscripts and diaries of early pilgrims to the Kivrei Tzadikim in Meron showed that almost all of them described stopping at the grave of Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma on their way to the Rashbi. This underground cave also fits well with Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma's request to be buried deep in the ground, which was likely fulfilled. Next to his grave is the grave of Rabbi Tarfon. Nearby are the graves of Rabbi Yehuda ben Besera and Rabbi Yosi ben HaChotef. The Hillula of Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma It is known that the yahrzeit of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon falls on the 27th of Sivan. Rabbi Chanina was caught by the Romans on his way back from Rabbi Yosi's funeral. Assuming he was executed on the same day, this means that the Hillula of Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma also falls on the 27th of Sivan. May the merit of this Tzadik protect Am Yisrael! (http://www.zissil.com/topics/Rabbi-Yossi-ben-Kisma)