Hanina ben Dosa

Hanina ben Dosa (Hebrew: חנינא בן דוסא) was a Jewish sage, miracle worker, and student of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai during the early or middle first and second centuries CE. He is buried in the town of Arraba, Israel, in the Lower Galilee.

Hanina lived in the Galilee, attracted by the fame of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai. There Hanina is told by the Jerusalem Talmud to have served as an example of Shabbat observance, and he and his wife are buried in the Galilee.

While he is reckoned among the Tannaim and quoted in connection with a tannaitic school and its disciples, no specific halakhot, and but few aggadot, are preserved as from him. He is "remembered more for his conduct than for his halakhic teachings. There are no laws quoted in his name." His popularity, which he enjoyed throughout his life and which rendered him immortal among the mystics, rests not on his scholarship but on his saintliness and related powers. From the several maxims attributed to him, it may be seen that he was a member of the ancient Hasideans: "One whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom will endure; but where wisdom precedes fear of sin, wisdom will not endure; "Where a man's works are greater than his learning, his learning will stand; but where his learning is greater than his works, his learning will not stand"; "Whosoever earns the good-will of humanity is loved of God, but whoso is not beloved of man is not beloved of God." There are other teachings that indicate his Hasidean schooling.^{[example needed]}

Like all the ancient Hasideans, Hanina prayed much, and his prayers are said to have wrought many miracles.

There is a story which relates that when the son of Johanan ben Zakai was very sick, the father solicited the prayers of Hanina. Hanina readily complied, and the child recovered. The overjoyed father could not refrain from expressing his admiration for his wonderful pupil, stating that he himself might have prayed the whole day without doing any good. His wife, astonished at such self-abasement on the part of her famous husband, inquired, "Is Hanina greater than you?" To this he replied, "There is this difference between us: he is like the body-servant of a king, having at all times free access to the august presence, without even having to await permission to reach his ears; while I, like a lord before a king, must await an opportune moment".

Another tale states that, at the solicitation of Gamaliel II, Hanina entreated mercy for that patriarch's son, and at the conclusion of his prayers assured Gamaliel's messengers that the patient's fever had left him. This assurance created doubt in the minds of the messengers, who promptly asked, "Art thou a prophet?" To this he replied, "I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet; but experience has taught me that whenever my prayer flows freely it is granted; otherwise, it is rejected." The messengers thereupon noted down Hanina's declaration, and the exact time when it was made; on reaching the patriarch's residence they found that Hanina had spoken truly.

Another legend states that, while traveling, he was caught in a shower and prayed "Master of the universe, the whole world is pleased, while Hanina alone is annoyed." The rain immediately ceased. Arriving home, he altered his prayer: "Master of the universe, shall all the world be grieved while Hanina enjoys his comfort?" Thereupon copious showers descended. With reference to this legend it was said, "Beside Ben Dosa's prayers those of the high priest himself are of no avail".

When, one Shabbat eve, his daughter filled the lamp with vinegar instead of oil, and then sadly told him of her mistake, he remarked, "He who hath endowed oil with the power of burning may endow vinegar with the same power"; and the lamp burned on throughout the whole of the next day.