Yochanan ben Zakai
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- See Rabbi Yochanan (disambiguation) for other rabbis from the Talmud named Yochanan.
Yochanan ben Zakai (Hebrew: יוחנן בן זכאי) was one of the tannaim (תנאים), an important Jewish sage in the era of the Second Temple, and a primary contributor to the core text of rabbinic Judaism, the Mishnah.
During the siege of Jerusalem in the Great Jewish Revolt he sneaked out of the city in a coffin to negotiate with Vespasian, whom he predicted would become Emperor. He was granted three wishes and through one he re-established the Sanhedrin and founded a new center of Jewish law in Jamnia (Yavneh/Jabneh) after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. It is said that before his escape from Jerusalem, he prayed in a place which later on became known as the Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue.
After the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem and its sacrifical alters he led the Council of Yavne (70-90 CE), from which Rabbinic Judaism emerged. Under his leadership the council replaced animal sacrifice (in hebrew called קרבן korban) with prayer, a practice that continues in today's worship services.
The Mishnah offers no information on his birth or family. He was the youngest pupil of Hillel. Later in life he spent time in the Galilee. He is recorded as living until the age of 120 years, of which the first third were spent as a businessman, the second third in study, and the final third in teaching and leadership. He rests in the city of T'veria near the very place where the Rambam would be buried 11 centuries later.
He is quoted in the Midrash Avot D'Rabbi Nathan 31b as saying "If you are holding a sapling in your hand and someone tells you, 'Come quickly, the messiah is here!' first finish planting the tree and then go greet the Messiah."
