Era of the Rabbis - Tiyul to the North: Oral Law

by Lindsay Benedek,     12^th grade,     San Diego

This Tiyul to the north was all about following the Sanhedrin and understanding more about their daily life and their importance. Alongside this motive, we also traveled up north to learn about Oral Law. Throughout the article you will understand how these two topics actually go hand in hand. 

Before you can understand that though, you need some background information. The Sanhedrin were an esteemed group of Rabbis who originated from the Pharisees back in the time of Roman rule of Israel. Flash Forward, the Second Temple was destroyed and the Jewish people are in a state of confusion and sadness. The Sanhedrin steps and, in short, teaches, judges and legislates. They are made up of 70 rabbis and one Nasi, head rabbi.  Apart from them, there are Batei Din, local synagogues and rabbinical courts around Eretz Yisrael. Think of the Sanhedrin as the top authority or the supreme court.

What does any of this have to do with the Tiyul to the north? Well, if you look through Jewish history you’ll notice that the Sanhedrin is always moving around. This is from, “Im Ein Kemach, Ain Torah,” אם אין קמח אין תורה.  The direct translation is, "If there is no flour, there is no Torah", but through interpretation it means - If there is not economic prosperity, Jewish life will not thrive. Now you probably asking what does that have to do with anything? Well, it is actually very related because if you look at the topography and climate of the north of Israel which is hilly and surrounded by water, especially the Galil, it is very different than that of Jerusalem which is in the center of the country and is dryer. This is why we went to the north because the hills and water of the Galil were a much more prosperous environment for agriculture than Jerusalem and the area of Judah.

Where are the Sanhedrin in 180 CE? 

Beit She'arim (5^th out of 7 places where the Sanhedrin sat)

• Meaning “House of measurements” or “House of Gates”
• Center of commerce and trade (the local grain trade) - make profits 

How Did Jewish economic life thrive here?

• Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi 
• He consolidates power and takes all authority- easier to make decisions 
• He’s friends with Romans (he was a grain merchant) 
• Helps Jews and gentiles co-exist
• He understands that acculturation is ok if one maintains a strong Jewish identity 
• Around 200 CE he decided to codify the oral law into the Mishna because of his belief of preparing for bad times when things going well) - Claim to fame.

Yehuda HaNasi's burial site at Beit Sha'arim

            When Yehuda Ha Nasi asked to be buried at Beit Sha'arim he could have never expected the impact it would have. Many people and important figures were buried there as well, because they yearned to be close to one of the most influential rabbis of the time. 

            For this reason, Beit Sha'arim was home to a necropolis, which is a city of the dead - derived from Greek. The stone coffins that people were buried in were called sarcophagi - meaning flesh eater. Although this way of burial is not exclusively a Jewish custom, we knew the ones here were used by Jews because of the Hebrew writing. Another important Jewish element incorporated into the sarcophagi were four horns on each one, this was inferred to resemble the look of the altar of the Temple - which had been destroyed not long before.

            Contrasting with these clues that lead us to believe we were in a Jewish burial cave, there were also drawings of animals: 8 cows, pigs, lions, and in one case Nike the Greek god of victory on a sarcophagus. This was shocking because if Jewish history has taught anything it is that - avodah zarah (idolatry) is forbidden. Surprising as it was though, our class was eventually able to understand why the images were there. The Jews at the time were going through many changes and moving around - in order to have money, to be able to thrive. Because of this, the Jews had been subject to acculturation. Now be careful not to get that term mixed up with the term "assimilation" - which is the complete loss of one’s identity. The Jews acculturating just meant that they were playing an active part in society to be able to succeed.

Entrance of burial cave and necropolis at Beit Sha'arim

Images on the sarcophagi

            After Beit Sha’arim we went to the 6^th century Beit Alpha Synagogue, which was also in use during the Talmudic period. It was located in the north, at the foot of the Gilboa mountains, near Beit Shean. Beit Shean was also named Scythopolis, it was a prosperous city for the Jews as well and home to the famouse Talmudic Rabbi Yosef HaKoper.  Finally, it was a large city of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justin I.

            Referring back to Beit Alpha Synagogue, there were also images and art inside which we know stirs up controversy. Was it avodah zarah, acculturation, or just purely wrong? Again, the answer is acculturation. Which many people (in certain sects of Judaism) today have come to terms with because they were still keeping their Jewish identity.

            Now to bring up something very specific: the mosaic on the floor of the synagogue. It is special because, according to one theory, it is supposed to represent the Amidah prayer - which is one of the ways Jews mourned in moderation after the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70. I think that the mosaic does a good job of representing the Amidah prayer because it shows the past on the bottom - with the binding of Isaac, the present in the middle - with the 12 zodiac signs and a Greek god for decorative purposes, and the future on top - with the image of a holy arc, lions and religious symbols such as menorah - representing the Temple. 

Picture of the mosaic in the Beit Alpha Synagogue

         To conclude this blog, I want to address the lack of teaching of the Mishnah and Oral law in some synagogues/Jewish communities in the states. After learning about the two subjects, I think they are a very important part of who the Jewish people are, and how we’ve become who we are. For this reason, I think that secular and Reform Jews should be taught about the Mishna and Oral Law with the same emphasis that is placed on other subject matter in one's Jewish education. If not for religious reasons, then just for historical sake because, personally I have learned a lot about who and what makes me Jewish through being taught about them along with the rest of Jewish history.