Grave

Yose ben Chalafta

Tanna

Yahrzeit (Hillula)

15 Tammuz — Yahrzeit/Hillula of Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta - Tanna

Rabbi Yose ben Chalafta was a Tanna of the fourth generation, frequently mentioned in the Mishnah. Yahrzeit - 15 Tammuz Resting place - Kfar Chananya Rabbi Yose ben Chalafta was a Tanna of the fourth generation and one of the most frequently mentioned sages in the Mishnah, where he is simply called Rabbi Yose. He was a leading disciple of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Yose was close friends with Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Meir, and the halacha was always decided according to his opinion in all of his disputes. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was one of his foremost students. Having received smicha from Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava (an act punishable by death under Roman rule), Rabbi Yose ben Chalafta fled to Asia, remaining there until the death of Hadrian. As a result of the same incident that caused Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to hide in a cave, Rabbi Yose was exiled to his hometown of Tzippori for having remained silent instead of praising the Romans. In Tzippori, Rabbi Yose ben Chalafta became a leader of the community and established a large yeshiva. He is the author of the Baraita "Seder Olam." In his youth, Rabbi Yose ben Chalafta once debated a point of Torah with Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua in the synagogue of Tiberias. In the heat of their argument, a Torah scroll was torn. Rabbi Yose ben Kisma, who witnessed this incident, remarked, "I would not be surprised if this synagogue were turned into a house of idolatry" - and so it came to pass. Throughout his life, Rabbi Yose could not understand the verse, "and you shall grope at noon as the blind man gropes in darkness," for what difference does it make to a blind man whether it is light or dark, since he cannot see either way? Then one day Rabbi Yose came across a blind man carrying a torch. When Rabbi Yose asked him why he needed a torch, the blind man replied that as long as he held the torch, others could see him and help guide him away from pits and dangerous corners. Rabbi Yose is buried beside his father, Abba Chalafta, in Kfar Chananya. May the merit of this tzadik protect Am Yisrael! (http://www.zissil.com/topics/Rabbi-Yossi-ben-Chalafta)