Jonathan ben Uzziel

1st-century Judean Talmudic rabbi

Tomb of Jonathan Ben Uzziel

Jonathan ben Uzziel (Hebrew: יונתן בן עוזיאל) was one of the 80 tannaim who studied under Hillel the Elder during the time of Roman-ruled Judea.[1]

Jonathan ben Uzziel is mentioned several times in the Talmud.[2] Jonathan rendered an Aramaic translation (targum) of the Major and Minor Prophets which still survives today.[3] When he wished to procure a translation of the Ketuvim, a Divine voice (Hebrew: bat ḳol) was heard telling him that what he had done was sufficient for humanity.[3] "Yonatan ben Uziel is most famous for Targum Yonatan—his Aramaic translation and elucidation on the Prophets. When he composed it, tradition tells us, the Land of Israel trembled, and a heavenly voice called out, “Who has revealed My secrets to mortals?” Yonatan humbly responded that he had done so not for his own honor, but to help the Jewish people understand the words of the Prophets. He wanted to do the same for the Writings (Ketuvim), but was stopped by Heaven, as those secrets are reserved for the Messianic era."[4]

> Hillel the Elder had eighty disciples: thirty of them were worthy that the Divine Presence should rest upon them as upon Moses our teacher, but their generation was not worthy of it; thirty of them were worthy that the intercalation of the years should be determined by them;[5]and twenty were average. The greatest of them all was Jonathan b. ’Uzziel[.][6]

## Early life

[edit]

Little is known about Jonathan ben Uzziel's early upbringing, except that he was one of Hillel the Elder's most outstanding pupils.

### Family and heritance

[edit]

According to the Jerusalem Talmud, Jonathan was born into a wealthy family.[7] At one point in Jonathan's life, his father made a vow that his son, Jonathan, would not be entitled to any of his fortune (disinherit). Instead, his father wrote in his will and testament that Shammai would be the recipient of his estate and money, conveyed to him as a gift. When this money came into the hands of Shammai, who was not willing to see Jonathan taken advantage of and deprived of his father's earnings, Shammai resolved to sell part of the inheritance, and to dedicate unto the Temple another part of the inheritance, while the remainder he gave as a gift to Jonathan ben Uzziel.[7]

## Tomb

[edit]

According to tradition, the tomb of ben Uzziel is located in Amuka, Galilee near Safed, Israel.

According to Zev Vilnai, Rabbi Shmuel ben Shimshon wrote about the tomb in 1210: "There is a large tree next to it, and the Ishmaelites [Arabs] bring oil and light a candle in his honor and make vows in his honor." An illustration of Yonatan ben Uzziel's tomb appears in "Ancestry of fathers and prophets" (Hebrew: יחוס אבות ונביאים), a book printed in 1537.

It is customary to visit ben Uzziel's tomb on Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the lunar month, and on 26 Sivan (the day on which he died), although visitors arrive all year round. A practice that began in the 17th century was to pray at the gravesite for a good marriage partner, for children, satisfaction from one's children, a good livelihood, health and happiness. Many unmarried men and women pray there for a match. Doing so is considered a segula (propitious remedy) for finding one's mate within the coming year.[8]

Zev Vilnai offers two theories for this custom (these do not seem to be original theories, as they had been referenced in the Haredi community before he published them):[9] (a) The practice developed from the Pseudo-Jonathan translation of the Bible on Deuteronomy 24:6, where he writes that anyone who prevents the connection between a husband and wife forfeits his portion in the world-to-come; (b) The practice is based on a mistaken reading of Rashi[10] who writes in reference to a place called Harpania (Aramaic: הרפניא) "Everyone goes there: all ineligible men (pesulim) who cannot find a woman turn and go there. And it is deeper (Amuka) and worse than Gehinnom." The words "and it is deeper (Amuka)" are the headwords to Rashi's next comment, and do not relate to his preceding comment about men going to Harpania to look for women. However, the mistaken reading connects Rashi's words to the community named Amuka.

It is also widely believed that Jonathan ben Uzziel was single or childless, so men in similar situations seek to benefit from his special powers, but nowhere in the writings of Chazal is this stated.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Sukkah 28a
2. ^ Sukkah 28a, Bava Batra 133b, Megillah 3a
3. ^ a b Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 3a
4. ^ Chabad Library Why-No-Entry-for-26th-of-Sivan
5. ^ The Talmud relates that the great sage Hillel had 80 exceptional students. Thirty were so holy they merited divine revelation like Moses; 30 were as spiritually mighty as Joshua, who caused the sun to stand still; and 20 were in between. The greatest of them all was Yonatan ben Uziel. If even the “smallest” of Hillel’s 80 exceptional students—Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai—knew every hidden secret of the Torah, imagine the greatness of Yonatan! So intense was his Torah study that birds flying overhead were consumed by the fiery holiness see Chabad Library Why-No-Entry-for-26th-of-Sivan
6. ^ Avot of Rabbi Natan, 14
7. ^ a b Jerusalem Talmud (Nedarim 5:6 [19b]).
8. ^ "The Mystical Power of Amuka". Hamodia. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
9. ^ "Holy Places in the Land of Israel" (Hebrew: מצבות קודש בארץ־ישראל)
10. ^ To Yevamot 17a s.v. "Shehakol ponim sham"

## Further reading

[edit]

* Jewish encyclopedia
* Orthodox Union - Great Leaders Yonatan ben Uziel
* יונתן בן עוזיאל Heaven's Register
* Photographs of Yonatan ben Uziel's Tomb - Third Temple

* v
* t
* e

Tannaim

Last Generation of Zugot Era|

* Hillel the Elder
* Shammai
* Houses of Hillel and Shammai
* Bnei Bathyra
* Menahem
* Hananiah ben Hezekiah ben Garon
* Simeon ben Hillel

First Generation|

* Gamaliel I, the Elder
* Shimon ben Gamliel (I)
* Ishmael ben Elisha ha-Kohen
* Yohanan ben Zakkai
* Jonathan ben Uzziel
* Baba ben Buta
* Hanina ben Dosa
* Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim
* Abba Saul ben Batnit
* Admon
* Dosa ben Harkinas
* Judah ben Bathyra
* Eliezer ben Jacob I
* Nahum the Mede

Second Generation|

* Gamaliel II
* Joshua ben Hananiah
* Eliezer ben Hurcanus
* Eleazar ben Arach
* Nehunya ben HaKanah
* Nachum Ish Gamzu
* Abba Hilkiah
* Rabbi Zadok
* Akabia ben Mahalalel
* Simeon HaPakoli
* Shmuel ha-Katan

Third Generation|

* Rabbi Akiva
* Rabbi Tarfon
* Judah ben Bava
* Rabbi Ishmael
* Eleazar ben Azariah
* Jose the Galilean
* Eliezer ben Jose
* Haninah ben Teradion
* Eleazar ben Perata I
* Johanan ben Baroka
* Simeon ben Zoma
* Simeon ben Azzai
* Onkelos
* Hanina ben Antigonus
* Hanina ben Hakinai
* Yochanan ben Nuri
* Eleazar Chisma
* Elisha ben Abuyah
* Rabbi Ilai I
* Eleazar of Modi'im
* Halafta
* Haninah ben Ahi R. Joshua
* Abtolemus
* Jose ben Kisma
* Jeshbab the Scribe
* Aquila of Sinope
* Johanan ben Torta
* Eleazar ben Judah of Bartota
* Matteya ben Heresh
* Hanan the Egyptian
* Simeon the Yemenite
* Abba Jose ben Hanan
* Judah ben Dama

Fourth Generation|

* Simeon ben Gamaliel II
* Judah bar Ilai
* Jose ben Halafta
* Shimon ben Halafta
* Rabbi Jonathan
* Rabbi Meir (and wife Bruriah)
* Shimon bar Yochai
* Eleazar ben Shammua
* Rabbi Nehemiah
* Rabbi Nathan
* Joshua ben Karha
* Abba Saul
* Johanan HaSandlar
* Pinchas ben Yair
* Simeon Shezuri
* Hananiah ben Akavia
* Eliezer ben Jacob II

Fifth Generation|

* Judah haNasi (Judah I)
* Huna Kamma
* Jose ben Judah
* Ishmael ben Jose
* Eleazar ben Simeon
* Simeon ben Eleazar
* Eleazar ha-Kappar
* Symmachus ben Joseph
* Issi ben Judah
* Bar Kappara
* Jose ben Zimra
* Levi ben Sisi
* Rabbi Bana'ah
* Simeon ben Menasya
* Yadua the Babylonian
* Joshua ben Levi
* Abba Kohen Bardela

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* 2
* 3
* 4
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Italy
* Spain
* Portugal
* Netherlands
* Poland
* Vatican
* Israel

People|

* DDB

Other|

* IdRef

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template