29 Sivan · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya - Tana
Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya - Tana
Yahrzeit – 29 Sivan
Burial place – the cave of Kfar Hananya, (Kefar H̱Ananya, Hazafon, Israel)
Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya – a Tana whose name is recited daily before the reading of Kaddish.
Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya was a Tana of the 4th generation.
We have preserved teachings of Rabbi Chananya, one of which is well known and is quoted after studying Torah, before reciting Kaddish.
Little is known about Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya.
He may have been the brother of Rabbi Shimon ben Akashya, another Tana, who is mentioned once in the Mishnah in Masechet Kinnim.
We have a total of three teachings from Rabbi Chananya.
Two deal with halacha; one in the Tosefot, describing the exact place where the parts of dismembered offerings are kept before they are brought, and the second in Masechet Sofrim.
The third teaching is Aggadic in nature and is found in the Mishnah at the end of Makkot:
“Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya says: ‘The Holy One, Blessed be He, wished to make Israel meritorious, therefore He gave them abundant Torah and many mitzvot, as it is said: “G-d desired, for the sake of His righteousness, to make the Torah great and glorious.”’ (Isaiah 42:21) (Makkot 3:16).
This teaching is well known and is recited before saying Kaddish after Torah study, since in order to say Kaddish, the portion of study must include a teaching from the Aggadah.
Ashkenazim recite it during the summer months, when it is customary to study Masechet Avot every week after Mincha on Shabbat.
Sephardim recite it daily, since they repeat Kaddish after Torah study.
One explanation of this teaching is that it is enough for any Jew to perform a single mitzvah perfectly in order to merit a share in the World to Come (Olam Haba).
This is why so many different mitzvot were given, so that everyone could find the one suited to them.
Rabbi Chananya is buried in the cave of Kfar Hananya together with his wife and numerous disciples. The cave contains 25 graves, and it is not known exactly which one belongs to Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya.
In close proximity are the resting places of the Tana Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov and Rabbi Zecharia ben HaKatzav.
May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
(https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/402-Rabbi-Chananya-ben-Akashya)
Pilgrimage site:
Grave: Chananya ben Akashya - Tana