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Nathan the Babylonian (Hebrew:רבי נתן הבבלי,Rabbi Natan ha-Bavli), also known asRabbi Nathan, was atanna of the third generation (2nd century).
Nathan was the son of aBabylonian exilarch. For reasons that are unclear he leftBabylonia, and his bright prospects there, to settle in theland of Israel, where he was made chief of the school at Usha.[1] Later he was entrusted by the patriarchSimeon ben Gamliel II to secure a reconciliation withR. Hananiah ofBabylon, who had declared himself independent of theSanhedrin of Judea and had established one in Babylon—a mission which Nathan, in company with R. Isaac, successfully executed.[2] According toI. Halevy, however, both Nathan and Isaac were still residents of Babylon.[3]
Soon afterward disagreement occurred between Nathan andRabbi Meir, on the one side, and the president, R.Shimon ben Gamliel, on the other, owing to R' Shimon's attempt to abolish the equality previously existing among all members of the school, by restricting the tokens of esteem shown by the community to other members of the school lower in distinction than the president. Nathan and Meir conspired to depose Simon and to usurp his authority themselves, but the plot came to his knowledge, and he caused the conspirators to be expelled from the school. The two knew, however, how to make their absence felt. They sent in slips on which were written puzzlinghalakhic questions, so that a member of the school once exclaimed: "We are inside, and the learning is outside!" Both Nathan and Meir were ultimately readmitted on condition that the name of neither should thenceforth be mentioned in connection with his halakic decisions, but that a pseudonym should be used instead. In the case of Nathan this pseudonym was "some say"; in that of Meïr, "others say".[4]
Nathan was a highTalmudic authority. Numeroushalakhic decisions andaggadic sayings of his are recorded. To him is attributed the authorship ofAvot de-Rabbi Natan, a kind oftosefta to thePirkei Avot. He is said also to have been the author of thebaraitaMem Tet Middot, no longer extant, on Haggadah and mathematics.[5]
Nathan's chief opponent in halachic decisions was the patriarch R.Judah HaNasi, whom, however, he is said to have assisted in the collaboration of theMishnah[6] and who held him in high esteem.[7]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Nathan the Babylonian".The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
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