Jose (Joseph), Abba, Ben Dositai (Dosai; Derosai; Dosa)

Palestinian tanna of the second century; mentioned as both halakist and haggadist. He transmitted a halakah of R. Jose the Galilean (Tosef., Ta'an. ii. 6). His haggadot consist chiefly of reconciliations between contradictory Biblical passages, almost all of them being transmitted by Rabbi (Judah I.). A series of them is in the Sifre to Num. 42; they are reproduced in Num. R. xi. 19, and single haggadot occur in Sanh. 52a, Yoma 22a, Zeb. 116b, and elsewhere. Lev. R. xxiv. 3 and Tan., Ḳedoshim, 9, preserve a demon-story the hero of which is called Jose of Ẓitor; while according to Midr. Teh. to Ps. xx. 7, where the same story occurs, the hero is Abba Jose b. Dositai.

Bibliography:

  * Bacher, Ag. Tan. ii. 388;
  * idem, Ag. Pal. Amor. ii. 450;
  * Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii.



S. S. M. Sel.