Chanina my son • Man of Deed • The Pious
Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa
Era of the TannaimRabbi Chanina ben Dosa was a Tanna of the first generation, at the close of the Second Temple period, and a disciple of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. He lived in Arav in the Galilee (today the village of Araba), where a tomb attributed to him is found. He was known as 'the pious' a…
Biography
Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was a Tanna of the first generation, at the close of the Second Temple period, and a disciple of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. He lived in Arav in the Galilee (today the village of Araba), where a tomb attributed to him is found. He was known as 'the pious' and as 'a man of deed,' and in rabbinic literature he appears chiefly in contexts of miracles and prayer — his prayer was answered and his blessing healed the sick. From his teaching were preserved sayings that attach great importance to relations between a person and his fellow, and that emphasize the superiority of deed over study alone.
Life Story
Childhood
He was born in the first century CE in Arav in the Galilee, a small settlement where his teacher Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai also lived. He grew up in great poverty, and yet devoted his days to Torah and deed. A late tradition (from the Middle Ages) suggests that he was the son of Rabbi Dosa ben Harchinas, though some scholars rejected this conjecture.
Teachers
He studied under Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who also lived in Arav. His teacher held his virtue in esteem and said of him: 'My son Chanina stands before the Holy One, blessed be He,' and likewise: 'If all Israel were like the son of Chanina before the Omnipresent.'
Students
Among his disciples was Rabbi Yeshaya. But his main influence lay not in raising disciples but in his figure as a pious man and man of deed, which became an example in his generation and in those after it.
Family
He was married, and his wife is recalled in several stories of their great poverty and of the miracles done for them. He had a son and a daughter. In one story it is told of his son that he died and was revived through his father's prayer.
Key Events
He was known as a man of prayer and of miracles. His prayer healed the sick, and he could tell from his prayer whether it had been accepted. In years of drought he would pray and bring down rain. He lived in great poverty, and yet refused to enjoy of the public, and even his donkey had a virtue — it would not eat demai, produce from which tithes had not been separated.
Miracles
His miracles are many and recalled throughout rabbinic literature: his prayer that healed the sick, the bringing of rain in drought, the oil that was made a miracle for him on the Sabbath, and the beams of his wife that were too short and lengthened through his blessing. His donkey would not eat demai, out of the holiness of its owner.
Influence
Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa became the model of the pious man and man of deed in the tradition of Israel. His sayings on the superiority of deed over wisdom alone, and on the importance of relations between a person and his fellow, were engraved in the memory of the generations. His teacher, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, said of him that he stands before the Holy One, blessed be He.
Death
He passed away in the first century CE in Arav in the Galilee. His attributed tomb is found in the village of Araba in the Lower Galilee, and is a pilgrimage site.
His Way and Views
Torah Study
Rabbi Chanina emphasized that Torah is not complete without deed: 'Anyone whose deeds exceed his wisdom — his wisdom endures; and anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds — his wisdom does not endure.' Study alone, without application, is but a dry branch.
Halacha
He was scrupulous in the details of commandments, and even his donkey would not eat demai — produce whose tithes are uncertain — out of the holiness of its owner. Thus he became an example of precision in commandments and in piety.
Faith
His faith was simple and strong, and his prayer was answered at once. He saw in every detail of his life supernal providence, and in every trouble — a call to prayer and to trust.
Ethics
His sayings emphasize the importance of relations between a person and his fellow: 'Anyone with whom the spirit of creatures is pleased — the spirit of the Omnipresent is pleased with him; and anyone with whom the spirit of creatures is not pleased — the spirit of the Omnipresent is not pleased with him.' His way is one of peace and love of creatures.
Customs
He practiced piety and extra precision in commandments. He lived in poverty and did not enjoy of the public, and yet was content with his lot. His prayer was short and pure, and yet its power was great.
Character
He is recalled as a humble pious man, a man of deed and a man of prayer. His teacher called him 'my son Chanina' and said of him that he stands before the Holy One, blessed be He. His figure is a blending of holiness, humility and deed.
Public Role
He lived in seclusion in Arav in the Galilee, yet his name went out in all Israel as a man of miracle and a man of prayer. In years of drought people would come to him to pray for rain, and his prayer was answered.
Famous Quotes
"Anyone whose deeds exceed his wisdom — his wisdom endures; and anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds — his wisdom does not endure"
"Anyone with whom the spirit of creatures is pleased — the spirit of the Omnipresent is pleased with him"
"Anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom — his wisdom endures"
Famous Stories
They said of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa that he would pray over the sick and say: 'This one will live' or 'This one will die.' They asked him: How do you know? And he answered: If my prayer is fluent in my mouth — I know that it is accepted; and if not — I know that it is torn away. Thus his prayer was short and pure, and yet its power was great.
It is told of the donkey of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa that it would not eat demai — produce from which tithes had not been separated. Once figs were brought before it and it refused to eat, and it was found that they were demai. And so even the donkey was careful of what was forbidden, because of the holiness of its owner.
The wife of Rabbi Chanina bought wooden beams too short to build their house, and asked her husband to pray. At that hour a miracle was done and the beams lengthened and sufficed for the building. And yet they lived in great poverty, and he did not enjoy of the public.
Students
Teachers
Grave Site
Grave Details
- Grave Name
- Tomb of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa
- City
- Araba
- Country
- Israel
Timeline
Birth in Arav in the Galilee
Study under Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai
Activity as a pious man and man of prayer in Arav
Passing; his tomb in Araba
Legacy
The legacy of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa is the figure of the pious man and man of deed — a person whose Torah is not in hearing alone but in application, and whose prayer is simple and short and yet answered. His sayings on the superiority of deed over wisdom, and on the importance of relations between a person and his fellow, were engraved in the memory of the generations and became a foundation of Jewish ethics. His tomb in Araba in the Galilee is a pilgrimage site.