Rabbinical Council at Yavneh / Jamniah and Usha

• Rabbinical Council, beginning after 70 CE, reforming religious tradition to account for the loss of the Temple



• Council begins meeting some time after 70 CE, until 130's CE at Yavneh; after Bar Kochba revolt (133-135 CE) reconvenes at Usha in the Galilee, since south/Judea is devastated by war, and Judaism is outlawed in Judea until 138 CE.



• Rabbinical Council is called together by Yohannan ben Zaccai; motto for council is derived from Prophet Hosea 6:6. " I desire love, not sacrifices."

Some of the major decisions of the Council

• Canonization of TaNaK(h)



• Systematizing teachings of Elders / beginning of editing of Oral Torah / Mishnah (Mishnah edited by ca. 200 CE under Judah ha Nasi)



• Ordination procedures for Rabbis become instituted



• systematization of prayer services: three times at day, patterned after Temple sacrifices; dress code, certain rules for purity



• other Temple observances get transferred to home and synagogue:

• sacrifice (avodah) becomes service through study and/or prayer