XIV. JUDAS or JUDAH sirnamed the holy, in Hebrew, Haccados, author of the Mishna, was son to Simon the just, an eminent Jewish Doctor. Judah was head or Rector of the School of Tiberias in Galilee, and was advanc’d to the dignity of president of the Sanhedrim which was held in the same city. He was acknowledged Prince of his nation, and lived under three Emperors, who were favourable to the Jews, namely Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, and Commodus. The first took possession of the Empire in 138, and the second died in the year of Jesus Christ 194. So that his age may be fixed to the Vide Ganz. Chron.middle of the second Century. It is affirm’d, that he came into the world upon the very day when Akiba died, who was, as it were, the setting sun to the Jewish Nation, but at the same time another sun as it were rose, to spread light throughout Israel. According to this account the birth of Judah may be supposed to have happened in the year of Jesus Christ 135 or 136, which is that of the taking Bether, and the death of Akiba.
The place of Judah’s death was Tzippari, situated upon a mountain of Galilee, which had formerly been considerable. Some believe that here certain authors, supported by the authority of the spurious Hegesippus, declared Anne the mother of the blessed Virgin, and Hermanna sister to Elizabeth, to have been both born. Simeon the father of Judah circumcised his son the eighth day, conformably to the Law, and contrary to the prohibition of the Emperor Adrian, who had forbidden this practice. Simeon was cited before the Emperor, but before he appeared he went to the house, where the mother of young Antoninus lived, who was then in his cradle, borrowed this young Prince, and left his own son in his room, presented him to Adrian, and proved to him, that the accusation form’d against him was false, since the child whom he saw, was not circumcised. Adrian believed this was young Judah, and dismissed the party accused. At his return Simeon went back to the Princess’s house, restored her son to her, and took his own. This is an impertinent story, and against all rules; but such as it is you have it.
Some sirname Judah, Holy by reason of the private circumcision which he then received: others maintain, that he deserved it on the score of the innocency and purity of his life. We do not know particulars enow of it, to judge in this case; and besides this is not a proper place to go to the bottom of this matter, we have nothing to say of it but what relates to the Mishna, whereof he was the Author. Till that time all traditions received from Doctors and Prophets were preserved in people’s memory. The Rabbins taught vivâ voce in the Schools, and every one making his particular glosses, additions, or defalcations after his own manner, they began to multiply infinitely, and to be changed insensibly by passing through so many mouths. The Sages resolved therefore to reduce them into writing, and Judah was chosen for this employment. Another reason which still further determin’d them was, the calamities they suffered under Adrian, the dispersion of their Doctors, the ruin of their Schools, the loss of their Books, and the disaster of their Nation. How could the unity of opinions be preserved, and the depositum of traditions, while they were at this distance, and in the midst of so many misfortunes ?
Judah therefore took upon him to prepare the Body of the Jewish civil and canon Law, and to form a kind of course, and system of them, which might be exactly followed in the Schools belonging to their Nation. He called his work Mishna, or second Law. He divided it into six parts, or into six Books, every one whereof contain’d several Treatises. There are sixty three of them in all. Under these sixty three heads, he ranged very methodically all that the tradition of their ancestors had hitherto transmitted relating to tradition and the Law. No sooner did this Book appear, but it was received with profound veneration by all the Jews. The learned men among them, made it the subject of their studies, and the principal of them both in Judea and Babylon set about commenting it. These comments, with the text of the Mishna, compose the two Talmuds, that is to say, that of Babylon, and that of Jerusalem. See hereafter the article Mishna and that of the Talmud. Bartolocci believes, that Judah the Holy died in the year of Jesus Christ 194. M. Basnage places his death in 210 or 215. Rabbi Gamaliel was his son and successor in the dignity of Prince of his Nation.