JOSE B. JUDAH:

By: Solomon Schechter, S. Levene

Tanna of the end of the second century. He is principally known through his controversies with R. Judah I. As specimens of his exegeses, the following may be given here. On the expression (Lev. xix. 36) he comments, "Let thy yea be yea and thy nay nay" (Sifre to the verse; B. M. 49a; comp. Matt. v. 37). Deut. viii. 5 he explains thus: "Dear to God are the afflictions destined for man, for on whomsoever they come, the glory of God reposes, as it is said, 'It is the Lord thy God who chastiseth thee'" (Sifre, Deut. vi. 5). As characteristic of his poetical mind, the following may be cited as his view on the repose and peacefulness of the Sabbath: "Two angels, a good and a bad one, accompany man on the Sabbath eve from the synagogue into his house. When the man finds the lamp lit, the table laid, and the bed made, the good angel prays, 'May it be Thy will, O Lord, that it be the same next Sabbath!' to which the evil angel, against his will, responds 'Amen!' If, however, the man finds his house in disorder, the wicked angel says, 'May it be the same next Sabbath!' to which the good angel is forced to respond 'Amen!'" (Shab. 119b).

Of a controversial nature is probably the saying in which Jose insists that the proselyte must show his readiness to accept even the precepts of the sages in their capacity as interpreters of the Law (see Tosef., Demai, ii. 5; Sifra, Lev. xix. 34). Jose, like his father, Judah b. 'Ilai, and through the teachings of his father, was the depositary of many old traditions, which appear in his name.

S. S. S. Lev.