Ishmael ben Jose

Who is Ishmael ben Jose?

Ishmael ben Jose was a Tanna of the beginning of the 3rd century, son of Jose ben Halafta. Ishmael served as a Roman official together with Elazar ben Simon, and was instrumental in suppressing the hordes of Jewish freebooters that had collected during the war between Severus and Pescennius Niger. His activity in this direction was greatly resented by the Jews, who never forgave him for handing over fellow Jews to the Roman authorities for execution. In halakic literature he is known by his citations of his father's sayings which he transmitted to Judah I, with whom he read Lamentations and the Psalms. He had a wide knowledge of the Scriptures, and could write down from memory the whole of the Bible.