Pt2 The 40-stage, 1800-year chain of transmission of the Oral Law From Sinai to the Redaction of the Talmud According to Maimonides’ Introduction to Mishneh Torah
This is the second and final part of a two-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline of the series can be found at Part 1.
Tannaim
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s students [c. 100 CE; 2nd generation Tannaim] - A List of 5
(See footnote.)1
חמשה תלמידים היו לו לרבן יוחנן בן זכאי,
והם גדולי החכמים שקבלו ממנו;
ואלו הם:
רבי אליעזר הגדול,
ורבי יהושוע,
ורבי יוסי הכוהן,
ורבי שמעון בן נתנאל,
ורבי אלעזר בן ערך.
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai had five students
[who were] great sages and received [the tradition] from him.
They were:
R' Eliezar the great,
R' Yehoshua,
R' Yosei the priest,
R' Shimon ben Netanel
and R' Elazar ben Arach.
R' Akiva, R' Yishmael, and R' Meir [early 2nd century CE; 3rd generation Tannaim]
ורבי עקיבה בן יוסף
קבל מרבי אליעזר הגדול, ויוסף אביו גר צדק היה.
ורבי ישמעאל
ורבי מאיר בן גר הצדק
קבלו מרבי עקיבה,
וגם קבל רבי מאיר וחבריו מרבי ישמעאל.
R' Akiva ben Yosef
received from R' Eliezer the great. Yosef, his [=R’ Akiva’s] father, was a convert.
R' Yishmael
and R' Meir, son of a convert,
received [the tradition] from R' Akiva.
R' Meir and his colleagues
also received [the tradition] from R' Yishmael.
R' Meir’s Circle - A List of 8 [4th generation Tannaim]
(See footnote.)2
חבריו שלרבי מאיר הם:
רבי יהודה,
ורבי יוסי,
ורבי שמעון,
ורבי נחמיה,
ורבי אלעזר בן שמוע,
ורבי יוחנן הסנדלר,
ושמעון בן עזאי,
ורבי חנניה בן תרדיון.
The colleagues of R' Meir are:
R' Yehudah,
R' Yosse,
R' Shimon,
R' Nechemiah,
R' Elazar ben Shamu'a,
R' Yochanan the shoemaker,
Shimon ben Azzai,
and R' Chananiah ben Teradion.
R' Akiva's Circle - A List of 3
וכן קבלו חבריו שלרבי עקיבה מרבי אליעזר הגדול;
וחבריו שלרבי עקיבה הם:
רבי טרפון, רבו שלרבי יוסי הגלילי,
ורבי שמעון בן אלעזר,
ורבי יוחנן בן נורי.
Similarly, R' Akiva's colleagues also received [the tradition] from R' Eliezer the great.
R' Akiva's colleagues are:
R' Tarfon, the teacher of R' Yosse of the Galil
R' Shimon ben Elazar,
and R' Yochanan ben Nuri.
The Patriarchate: Rabban Gamliel the elder (10) to R' Yehudah HaNasi (6) - A List of 5
(See footnote.)3
רבן גמליאל הזקן
קבל מרבן שמעון אביו, בנו שלהלל;
ורבן שמעון בנו
קבל ממנו,
ורבן גמליאל בנו
קבל ממנו,
ורבן שמעון בנו
קבל ממנו.
ורבי יהודה בנו שלרבן שמעון, זה הוא הנקרא רבנו הקדוש,
והוא קבל
מאביו,
ומרבי אלעזר בן שמוע
ומרבי שמעון חברו.
Rabban Gamliel the Elder (10)
received [the tradition] from Rabban Shimon, his father - the son of Hillel the elder.
Rabban Shimon [ben Rabban Gamaliel] (9), his son,
received [the tradition] from him.
Rabban Gamliel [=Gamaliel II] (8), his son,
received [the tradition] from him
and Rabban Shimon [=Shimon ben Gamaliel II] (7), his son,
received [the tradition] from him.
R' Yehudah [HaNasi] (6), the son of Rabban Shimon and referred to as Rabbenu Hakadosh ("our saintly teacher"),
received [the tradition]
from his father,
from R' Elazar ben Shamu'a,
and from Rabban Shimon and his colleagues.
R’ Yehuda HaNasi’s Circle (Transmission_of_the_Oral_Law.16-20) [early 3rd century CE; 5th generation Tannaim / 1st generation Amoraim] - A List of 10
Transmission_of_the_Oral_Law.16-20
(See footnote.)4
ואלו הם גדולי החכמים שהיו בבית דינו שלרבנו הקדוש
וקבלו ממנו:
שמעון וגמליאל בניו,
ורבי אפס,
ורבי חנניה בן חמא,
ורבי חיא,
ורב,
ורבי ינאי,
ובר קפרא,
ושמואל,
ורבי יוחנן,
ורבי הושעיה.
אלו הם הגדולים שקבלו ממנו,
ועמהם אלפים ורבבות משאר החכמים.
These are the great Sages who were part of the court of Rabbenu Hakadosh [=R’ Yehuda HaNasi]
and who received [the tradition] from him:
His sons:
Shimon
and Gamliel [=Gamaliel III],
R' Effess,
R' Chanina ben Chama,
R' Chiyya,
Rav,
R' Yannai,
Bar-Kapara,
Shmuel,
R' Yochanan,
R' Hoshaia.
Thousands and myriads of other sages received [the tradition] from him [=R’ Yehuda HaNasi] together with these great sages.
Amoraim
R' Yochanan, Rav, and Shmuel (5) [mid-3rd century CE; 1st/2nd generation of Amoraim]
אף על פי שאלו האחד עשר קבלו מרבנו הקדוש
ועמדו במדרשו,
רבי יוחנן קטן היה, ואחר כך היה תלמיד לרבי ינאי
וקבל ממנו תורה.
וכן רב
קבל מרבי ינאי;
ושמואל
קבל מרבי חנניה בן חמא.
Even though all of the 11 sages mentioned above received [the tradition] from Rabbenu Hakadosh
and attended his study sessions,
[there are differences between them. At that time,]
R' Yochanan (5a) was of lesser stature (or: younger). Afterwards, he became a disciple of R' Yannai
and received Torah from him [=R' Yannai].
Similarly, Rav (5b)
received [the tradition] from R' Yannai,
and Shmuel (5c)
received [the tradition] from R' Chanina ben Chama.
Tannaitic Literature and the Jerusalem Talmud - Rav’s Sifra and the Sifre, R' Chiyya’s Tosefta, Baraitot of R' Hoshaia and Bar-Kapara, R' Yochanan and the Jerusalem Talmud
(See footnote.)5
רב
חבר ספרא וספרי
לבאר ולהודיע עיקרי המשנה,
ורבי חיא
חבר התוספתא
לבאר עניני המשנה.
וכן רבי הושעיה ובר קפרא
חברו בריתות
לבאר דברי המשנה,
ורבי יוחנן
חבר התלמוד הירושלמי
בארץ ישראל אחר חרבן הבית בקרוב משלוש מאות שנה.
Rav
composed the Sifra and the Sifre
to explain the sources for the Mishnah.
R' Chiyya
composed the Tosefta
to explain the subjects [discussed in] the Mishnah.
R' Hoshaia and bar Kapara
composed baraitot
to explain the matters [discussed in] the Mishnah.
R' Yochanan
composed the Jerusalem Talmud
in Eretz Yisrael approximately 300 years after the destruction of the Temple [=370 CE]
Students of Rav and Shmuel - including Rav Huna (4) [2nd generation of Babylonian Amoraim] - List of 4
(See footnote.)6
ומגדולי החכמים שקבלו מרב ושמואל:
רב הונא,
ורב יהודה,
ורב נחמן,
ורב כהנא
Among the great sages who received [the tradition] from Rav and Shmuel were:
Rav Huna (4),
Rav Yehudah,
Rav Nachman,
and Rav Kahana.
Students of R' Yochanan [3rd generation Amoraim of Eretz Yisrael] - List of 5
ומגדולי החכמים שקבלו מרבי יוחנן:
רבה בר בר חנה,
ורבי אמי,
ורבי אסי,
ורב דימי,
וראבון.
Among the great sages who received [the tradition] from R' Yochanan were:
Rabbah bar bar Channah,
Rav Ami,
Rav Assi,
Rav Dimi,
and Rav Avin.
Students of Rav Huna & Rav Yehuda, Rabbah (3) & Rav Yosef, Abaye & Rava (2), and Rav Ashi (1) and Ravina [thru 5th century CE; 3rd-6th generation Babylonian Amoraim]
ומכלל החכמים שקבלו מרב הונא ומרב יהודה:
רבה
ורב יוסף.
ומכלל החכמים שקבלו מרבה ורב יוסף,
אביי
ורבא;
ושניהם קבלו גם מרב נחמן.
ומכלל החכמים שקבלו מרבא:
רב אשי
ורבינא;
ומר בר רב אשי קבל
מאביו
ומרבינא.
Among the Sages who received [the tradition] from Rav Huna and Rav Yehudah:
Rabbah (3)
and Rav Yosef.
Among the sages who received [the tradition] from Rabbah and Rav Yosef:
Abbaye
and Rava (2).
Both of them also received [the tradition] from Rav Nachman.
Among the Sages who received [the tradition] from Rava:
Rav Ashi (1)
and Ravina.7
Mar bar Rav Ashi received [the tradition]
from Rav Ashi, his father,
and from Ravina.
List summarizing the 40-stage, 1800-year chain of transmission of the Oral Law (Transmission_of_the_Oral_Law.21)
Transmission_of_the_Oral_Law.21
נמצא מרב אשי עד משה רבנו ארבעים איש,
ואלו הן:
(א) רב אשי,
(ב) מרבא,
(ג) מרבה,
(ד) מרב הונא,
(ה) מ
רבי יוחנן
ורב
ושמואל,
(ו) מרבנו הקדוש,
(ז) מרבן שמעון אביו,
(ח) מרבן גמליאל אביו,
(ט) מרבן שמעון אביו,
(י) מרבן גמליאל הזקן אביו,
(יא) מרבן שמעון אביו,
(יב) מ
הלל אביו
ושמאי,
(יג) מ
שמעיה
ואבטליון,
(יד) מ
יהודה
ושמעון,
(טו) מ
יהושוע
ונתאי,
(טז) מ
יוסף
ויוסף,
(יז) מאנטיגנוס,
(יח) משמעון הצדיק,
(יט) מעזרא,
(כ) מברוך,
(כא) מירמיה,
(כב) מצפניה,
(כג) מחבקוק,
(כד) מנחום,
(כה) מיואל,
(כו) ממיכה,
(כז) מישעיה,
(כח) מעמוס,
(כט) מהושע,
(ל) מזכריה,
(לא) מיהוידע,
(לב) מאלישע,
(לג) מאליהו,
(לד) מאחיה,
(לה) מדויד,
(לו) משמואל,
(לז) מעלי,
(לח) מפינחס,
(לט) מיהושוע,
(מ) ממשה רבנו רבן שלכל הנביאים, מעם ה' אלהי ישראל.
Thus, there were 40 men (איש) from Rav Ashi back to Moses, our teacher, of blessed memory.
They were:
Rav Ashi
from Rava
from Rabbah
from Rav Huna
from
R' Yochanan,
Rav,
and Shmuel
from Rabbenu Hakadosh [=R’ Yehuda HaNasi]
from R' Shimon [=Shimon ben Gamaliel II] his father
from Rabban Gamliel [=Gamaliel II] his father
from Rabban Shimon [ben Rabban Gamaliel] his father
from Rabban Gamliel the Elder his father.
from Rabban Shimon his father
from
Hillel his father
and Shammai
from
Shemayah
and Avtalion
from
Yehudah [ben Tabbai]
and Shimon [ben Shatach]
from
Yehoshua [ben Perachiah]
and Nittai [of Arbel]
from
Yosef [ben Yo'ezer]
and Yosef [ben Yochanan]
from Antignos [of Socho]
from Shimon HaTzadik
from Ezra
from Baruch
from Jeremiah
from Tzefaniah
from Chabbakuk
from Nachum
from Yoel
from Michah
from Isaiah
from Amos
from Hoshea
from Zechariah
from Yehoyada
from Elisha
from Elijah
from Achiah
from David
from Shmuel
from Eli
from Pinchas
from Joshua
from Moses, our teacher, master of all prophets, from God.
Appendix 1 - Table summarizing 40-stage, 1800-year chain of transmission of the Oral Law as described in Maimonides's introduction to the Mishneh Torah, from Moses (c. 13th century BCE) to Rav Ashi (c. 5th century CE)
Appendix 2 - All Figures Explicitly Mentioned by Maimonides in this Passage - A List of 96 Names
Moses
Eleazar
Pinchas
Joshua
Eli
Samuel
David
Ahijah of Shiloh
Elijah
Elisha
Yehoyada the Priest
Zechariah
Hoshea
Amos
Isaiah
Micah
Joel
Nachum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Jeremiah
Baruch ben Neriah
Ezra
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Daniel
Chananiah
Mishael
Azariah
Nehemiah
Mordechai
Zerubbavel
Shimon HaTzadik
Antigonos of Socho
Yosei ben Yo’ezer
Yosef ben Yochanan
Yehoshua ben Perachiah
Nittai of Arbel
Yehudah ben Tabbai
Shimon ben Shatach
Shemaya
Avtalion
Hillel
Shammai
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai
R' Shimon ben Hillel
R' Eliezer
R' Yehoshua
R' Yossi ha‑Kohen
R' Shimon ben Netanel
R' Elazar ben Arach
R' Akiva
R' Yishmael
R' Meir
R' Yehudah
R' Yossi
R' Shimon
R' Nechemyah
R' Elazar ben Shamua
R' Yochanan ha‑Sandlar
Shimon ben Azzai
R' Chananiah ben Teradion
R' Tarfon
R' Shimon ben Elazar
R' Yochanan ben Nuri
Rabban Gamliel the Elder
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel
Rabban Gamliel ben Shimon
R’ Yehuda HaNasi
Shimon and Gamliel (sons of R’ Yehudah HaNasi)
R' Effess
R' Chananiah ben Chama
R' Chiyya
Rav
R' Yannai
Bar-Kappara
Shmuel
R’ Yochanan
R’ Hoshaiah
Rav Huna
Rav Yehudah
Rav Nachman
Rav Kahana
Rabbah bar bar Channah
Rav Ami
Rav Assi
Rav Dimi
Rav Avin
Rabbah
Rav Yosef
Abbaye
Rava
Rav Ashi
Ravina
Mar bar Rav Ashi
This list is based on the Mishnah in tractate Avot, see my recent piece “Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai and His Five Disciples: On the Ethical Paths to Choose and Avoid (Avot 2:8-9)“, section “R' Yohanan ben Zakkai’s five students: R' Eliezer, R' Yehoshua, R' Yose ha-Kohen, R' Shimon ben Netanel, and R' Elazar ben Arach“.
In the traditional chronology (post-Talmudic, medieval convention), this is the 2nd generation of tannaim, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “תנאים“, section “דורות תנאים מחורבן בית שני ואילך“.
And see also the Hebrew Wikipedia template box, “תבנית: תנאים“
The first five figures in this list is based on lists found in a number of places in Talmudic literature, see my extended note on the section cited in the previous footnote.
This list is based on the Mishnah in tractate Avot, as well as lists found in a number of places in Talmudic literature. See my “Pt1 Tripartite Aphorisms: From The Men of the Great Assembly to Rabban Gamaliel’s Dynasty (Mishnah Avot 1:1-2:4)“, section “List of all the named individuals mentioned in the chapter, in order of appearance“, sub-section “Part 3: Rabban Gamaliel’s Dynasty (Nesi'im / Patriarchate)“.
This generation is conventionally referred to as the 'transitional generation', marking the shift from the tannaitic to the amoraic period, due to the redaction and canonization of the Mishnah.
For the conventional generations of amoraim of Eretz Yisrael, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “אמוראי ארץ ישראל“, section “סדר הדורות“, and the Hebrew Wikipedia template box, “תבנית: אמוראי ארץ ישראל“
See also Maimonides later in his Intro, section 28, regarding tannaitic midrashim on the Pentateuch (=Halakhic midrashim; compare the table in Wikipedia, “Rabbinic literature”, section “The Midrash”):
וחברו חכמי משנה חבורין אחרים,
לפרש דברי התורה:
רבי הושעיה תלמידו שלרבנו הקדוש,
חבר באור ספר בראשית.
ורבי ישמעאל
פרש מאלה שמות עד סוף התורה, והוא הנקרא מכלתא;
וכן רבי עקיבה
חבר מכלתא.
וחכמים אחרים אחריהם
חברו מדרשות.
והכל חבר קדם התלמוד הבבלי
The Mishnaic sages (חכמי משנה - i.e. tannaim) also composed (חברו) other compositions (חבורין)
to explain the words of the Torah (=Pentateuch):
R' Hoshaia, the disciple of Rabbenu Hakadosh [=R’ Yehuda HaNasi],
composed an explanation (באור) of the Book of Genesis [=Genesis Rabbah]
R' Yishmael
[composed] an explanation beginning at "These are the names" [the beginning of the Book of Exodus,] until the conclusion of the Torah. This is called “Mekhilta” [=Mekhilta of R’ Yishmael].
R' Akiva
also composed a Mekhilta [=Mekhilta of R’ Shimon]
Other Sages of the following generations
composed [other] Midrashim (i.e. collections of interpretations of verses).
All of these works were composed before the Babylonian Talmud (i.e. they’re all tannaitic).
These are conventionally the 2nd generation of Babylonian Amoraim, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “אמוראי בבל“, section “רשימת אמוראי בבל בולטים“, and Hebrew Wikipedia template box, “תבנית: אמוראי בבל“.
It’s worth noting that this is actually chronologically impossible, as is explicit in the Talmud, see my appendix here, section “Appendix #2b - Continuity of Righteous Leaders: The Principle of Succession Among Sages (Kiddushin 72b, section # 2)“:
דאמר מר:
כשמת רבי עקיבא,
נולד רבי.
כשמת רבי,
נולד רב יהודה.
כשמת רב יהודה,
נולד רבא.
כשמת רבא,
נולד רב אשי.
As the Master said:
When R' Akiva died,
R' Yehuda HaNasi was born;
When R' Yehuda HaNasi died,
Rav Yehuda was born;
When Rav Yehuda died,
Rava was born;
When Rava died,
Rav Ashi was born.