רבן גמליאל הזקן,

Rabban Gamliel the Elder,

a) [In the Mishnah, Orlah 2:12, Rosh Hashanah 2:5, Yevamot 16:7, Sotah 9:15, Gittin 4:2, and Avot 1:16. (See Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder)]:

b) Rabban Gamliel the Elder [(he is simply referred to as R"G)] the son of Rabban Shimon the son of Hillel the Elder. [He was the first among the prophets to be called Rabban, as is stated in the work of Abaye; therefore, what is mentioned in the lineage that he is the son of R"Sh is mistaken. And see the Ten Sayings, Saying 14, Part 2, Chapter 19, the reason he is called Rabban even though he is greater than Rabban in name, as explained in the commentary of Yad Yehuda, section 34.

And see in the introduction of the copyist according to the Rambam's commentary on the Mishnas of Seder Nashim, and you will see that there is an error there.]

g) [The genealogical record [in Seder HaDoros] states that even during the time of the Temple, Rabban Gamliel the Elder was in Yavneh, although he was in Jerusalem, for the Sanhedrin had exiled 40 years prior to the destruction, and there Samuel the Small established the blessing for heretics in his presence. Rashi wrote (Rosh HaShanah 31a) that Rabban Gamliel the Elder was in Usha and returned to Yavneh, and this appears to be correct.

However, Rashi's statement that his son, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel (i.e., Rabbi Shimon the executed son of Rabban Gamliel the Elder), returned to Usha, as mentioned in the last chapter of Rosh HaShanah, is problematic, for the Rabban Shimon mentioned there (32a) who was in Usha is (Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel of Yavneh) the father of Rabbi, as is evident from the commentary of the sages who were speaking with him, Rabbi Yishmael son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka (and the version before us does not mention Rabbi Yishmael, only Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka) and Rabbi Chanina son of Rabbi Yossi the Galilean, who were after Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri. And Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri disputed with Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh regarding the sanctification of the month.

Therefore, Rashi's statement that Rabbi Shimon the executed son of Rabban Gamliel the Elder returned to Usha is not correct; rather, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel of Yavneh was in Usha, for Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asked Yavneh and its sages from the emperor not to execute them. From this, it appears that before the destruction, there was [a presence] in Yavneh, and so Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh were there, but Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel of Yavneh, the father of Rabbi, was in Usha.

Thus concludes the genealogical record. It is puzzling regarding what was raised against Rashi, may his memory be blessed (31a) regarding Yavneh in the days of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, and he returned to Yavneh, and the version of the Ein Yaakov is mistaken, and so too in the chain of tradition (32b) the reading is Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder.

However, the version before us is authentic: Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel (i.e., Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh, the father of Rabbi Shimon) and they returned from Usha to Yavneh, and in the days of Rabbi Shimon, his son (who is the father of Rabbi), they returned to Usha, as it is taught below in the chapter (32a) when the court sanctified the year in Usha, Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka descended before the ark, etc., and Rabban Shimon said to him, "Thus they used to practice in Yavneh." Rashi explains, "In the days of my father when the Sanhedrin was there." And see in Niddah (14b) where Rabbi Eliezer ben Chisma asked the sages in Usha, and there (48b) it was said, "Thus they would explain in Yavneh." And in the Jerusalem Talmud, in the first chapter of Sanhedrin, it is stated that when Rabban Gamliel was sitting in the court in Yavneh, his father was sitting to his right. And Rashi in the chapter "In Every Area" states that Rabbi Eliezer ben Chisma was in the time of Rabban Gamliel (of Yavneh), a disputant of Rabbi Yehoshua.

In Usha, they established regulations regarding the ketubah (49b) and Rashi in Bava Metzia (35a) and above, Rabbi Yishmael was among those who walked in Usha. It is thus evident from all the above that Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh, the grandson of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, was in Usha and returned to Yavneh, and in the days of his son, Rabbi Shimon, the father of Rabbi, they returned to Usha. This is also evident from Rashi's own wording, who wrote, "Yavneh in the days of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder," for if he intended to refer to Rabban Gamliel the Elder, he should have preceded him, as Rabban Gamliel the Elder was the Nasi and died 18 years before the destruction, while Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai became Nasi after the destruction, two and a half years after the execution of Rabbi Shimon (as noted).

Therefore, in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, he was not yet in Usha.

This is also evident from what was questioned in the Jerusalem Talmud, Peah, chapter one, where Rabbi Yishvav divided his property and sent to Rabban Gamliel the Elder, "Did they not say (in Usha) that one who squanders should not squander more than a fifth?" And he questioned, "But Rabban Gamliel was before Usha!" (i.e., how could he send them regulations of Usha after he was before Usha?) And the answer was, "Thus was the law in their hands (i.e., before they established in Usha) and they forgot it, and the years (i.e., in Usha) passed and they agreed with the opinions of the earlier ones." And after a long time, I came upon the book "City of Benjamin" the second edition printed anew, and he wrote in the tractate Peah as follows: "I am greatly astonished at what was questioned in the Jerusalem Talmud here, 'Rabban Gamliel was before Usha,' and yet in Rosh HaShanah, he counted among those ten exiles of the Sanhedrin from the Chamber of Hewn Stone to the shops to Jerusalem, to Yavneh, to Usha, to Yavneh." Rashi explains, "Yavneh in the days of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, and there that regulation was established" (i.e., if so, the regulation of Usha was in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, and how could it be questioned that Rabban Gamliel the Elder preceded the regulation of Usha?) And he wrote, "Unless it is said that it was clear to the Jerusalem Talmud that this Rabban Gamliel who sent to Rabbi Yishvav preceded the regulation of Usha, for this regulation was established when they exiled a second time to Usha, and this was after Rabban Gamliel the Elder." Even if a mistaken version of Rashi's wording were to arise, "Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel the Elder," according to the version of Ein Yaakov, then in what I wrote to resolve the question of the Jerusalem Talmud that this regulation was established when they exiled a second time to Usha, this too is not valid. In my opinion, the ten exiles that exiled from the Chamber of Hewn Stone to the shops and from the shops to Jerusalem and from Jerusalem to Yavneh, this was 40 years before the destruction, and what was exiled from Yavneh to Usha, etc., this was after the destruction.

Thus, it appears that Rabban Gamliel the Elder was in Yavneh before the destruction, for Samuel the Small, who died in his lifetime, established the blessing for heretics before him in Yavneh, and Rabban Gamliel the Elder died 18 years before the destruction. (And above, Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurcanus went up in the ascent in Yavneh, which is worthy for the Shechinah and the Holy Spirit to rest upon two, and they set their eyes on Samuel the Small). And it is possible that they also exiled to Usha before the destruction in the days of Rabbi Shimon the executed, but what was exiled a second time to Yavneh and not to Usha a second time, this was in the days of Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh and Rabbi Shimon his son. (And see Chananiah the deputy of the priests, which I wrote in the name of the Jerusalem Talmud of Pesachim, who was before Usha and was executed at the time of the destruction; thus they were not in Usha before the destruction).

Therefore, the matter stated in the fourth chapter of Rosh HaShanah (31) that ten exiles exiled the Sanhedrin from the Chamber of Hewn Stone to the shops to Jerusalem, to Yavneh, to Usha, to Yavneh, to Usha, to Shfar'am, to Beit Sha'arim, to Tzipori, to Tiberias, can be said to have occurred before the destruction. They exiled from Jerusalem to Yavneh, and there was Rabban Gamliel the Elder, and his tenure there lasted until the days of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai.

And in Rosh HaShanah (29b), Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai established after the destruction, "Rabbi Eliezer did not establish except in Yavneh alone," thus they were in Yavneh after the destruction and exiled to Usha in the days of Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh, and in his days they returned from Usha to Yavneh, and in the days of Rabban Shimon, who is the father of Rabbi, they returned to Usha, as Rashi wrote, and in the days of Rabbi to Beit Sha'arim, Tzipori, and Tiberias, as Rashi wrote.

Thus, the genealogical records, the chain of tradition, the author of "City of Benjamin," and the author of "Ein Yaakov" have all erred and misjudged the situation.]

4) [Rabban Gamliel the Elder instituted Eruvin (Mishnah Eruvin 5:1) and Gittin (Mishnah Gittin 32a, 34b). The genealogy written [in the name of Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh] in Tosefta 7 of Shabbat states that they burn for the Nasi as they do for kings. When Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, Onkelos (of blessed memory) burned his bed and utensils for a value of forty manehs of Tyrian silver (Mishnah Yoma 1:1), and each maneh is twenty-five shekels, and some say forty manehs means forty times a hundred, which totals seven thousand dinarim.

He acted with lightheadedness himself and they brought him out in linen garments (Ketubot 8b, Makkot 27b) thus concludes the text.] When he died, the honor of the Torah ceased (Sotah 49a) and the Arukh states that the honor ceased [(a typographical error; it should be "the honor of the Torah")]. It is explained that people who honor the bearers of the Torah, and in the chapter "The One Who Reads the Megillah" [(Megillah 21a)] until Rabban Gamliel the Elder, they would study Torah while standing; when he died, sickness descended upon the world and they began to study while sitting, and this is what we learn: when Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, the honor of the Torah ceased [and he died in purity and separation (in Mishnah chapter Eglah Arufah).

And he was one of the men of the Great Assembly (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1)].

5) Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua were present at the death of Rabbi Gamliel of Yavneh, the son of his son, and they ruled regarding the turning over of his bed. The matter is as follows: [(27a), a question posed by the convert's hair to Rabbi Gamliel, etc., Rabbi Yosi the Kohen was involved with her, Rosh Hashanah (17b). And it requires investigation, for it seems that this Rabbi Gamliel, along with Rabbi Yosef the Kohen, who was a student of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, is Rabbi Gamliel of Yavneh.

King Agrippas, the commander of the army (a Roman who was in charge of the heads of the legions during the days of King Agrippas, was Rashbi), asked Rabbi Gamliel about idolatry (55a). Shimon the Peku'i arranged for him eighteen (in that context). Shimon the executed and Yo'ezer of the city asked him. Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, his son-in-law.

Shmuel the Small ascended to the other side of the years. And he eulogized Shmuel the Small (in that context). Chizkiyah, the father of Akavya, testified before him. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa prayed for his son.

Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, his friend. Nehemiah of the house of Dali received teachings from him. Shimon the man of the watchtower was before him]: