Rabban Gamliel

Give me Yavneh and her Sages and the line of Rabban Gamliel

The line of Rabban Gamliel: That he was of the family of the Nasi (prince/President) of the Sanhedrin, and that this line should not be killed or consumed, as they were the descendants of the House of David who were destined to rule Israel.

(6) [Rabban Gamliel] washed on the first night after his wife died. His students said to him: Didn't you teach us, our teacher, that a mourner is forbidden to wash? He said to them: I am not like other people. I am delicate.

There is a story about Rabban Gamliel, that he recited the Shema on his wedding night. His students said to him: Didn't you teach us, our teacher, that a groom is exempt from reciting Shema on the wedding night? He said to them: I will not listen to you, to remove the kingdom of heaven from me for even one hour.

​

Once, two witnesses came and said, "We saw the moon at its time, meaning, on the first of the two possible days, but it was not to be seen afterwards on the evening of it's passing" and Rabban Gamliel accepted their testimony. Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinus said, "They are false witnesses!...Rabbi Yehoshua said to him (Rabbi Dosa), "I perceive the truth of your words"

When he heard what happened, Rabban Gamliel sent Rabbi Yehoshua word, saying, "I decree upon you to come to me with your staff and your money on the day that comes out to be Yom Kippur, according to YOUR calculation." Rabbi Akiva went to Rabbi Yehoshua, and found him grieving; he said to him, "I have a proof text which shows that all that Rabban Gamliel has done is binding according to the law, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:4), 'These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim;' whether at their natural time, or whether not at their natural time, I have no holy times except for the ones proclaimed by the court." When Rabbi Yehoshua came to Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinus, the latter said to him, "If we are to question the decisions of the court of Rabban Gamliel, we must [also question the decisions] of all the courts which have stood, from the days of Moshe until today."

Rabbi Yehoshua then took his staff and his money in his hand, and went to Yavneh to Rabban Gamliel on the day that came out to be Yom Kippur, according to his calculation. At that point, Rabban Gamliel stood up, and kissed him on his head, [and] he said to him, "Come in peace, my teacher and my disciple! My teacher — in wisdom; and my disciple — in that you accepted my words."

There was a story of Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Joshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Tarfon were reclining in Bnei Brak. They were telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt throughout that night, until their students came and said to them: Our masters! The time has come to read the morning Shema!

It happened that Rabban Gamliel and the Elders were reclining in the house of Beitos ben Zunin in Lud, and they were involved with the laws of Pesach the whole night until the call of the rooster. Their students raised the covering of the window from in front of them, and they then convened and went to the house of study.