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
- charity box in synagogue as reminder of sacrifice in Temple
- concept of minyan: 10 adult Jewish males reinforce God's
presences (shekhinah)
Yom Kippur: presence of Holy of Holies / God's Holy
Name: approached / pronounced once a year on Yom Kippur
.