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For the Arab month by this name, see Nasi (month).
Also the Malay/Indonesian word for rice. (e.g. Nasi goreng)

Nāśī’ (נָשִׂיא) is a Hebrew title meaning prince, in Biblical Hebrew, Prince (of the Sanhedrin) in Mishnaic Hebrew, or president, in Modern Hebrew. In Biblical times the title of nasi was given to the political ruler of Judea - eg. Lev 4:22; Ezek 44:2–18; Ezra 1:8; comp. Hor 3:2Template:Bibleverse with invalid book.

History

During the Second Commonwealth (c. 530 BCE - 70 CE), the nasi was the highest-ranking member and president of the Sanhedrin or Assembly, including when it sat as a criminal court. The position was created in c. 191 BCE when the Sanhedrin lost confidence in the ability of the High Priest to serve as its head.^[1] The Romans recognised the nasi as 'Patriarch of the Jews', and required all Jews to pay him a tax for the upkeep of that office, which ranked highly in the Roman official hierarchy.

Certain great figures from Jewish history have used the title, including Rabbi Judah haNasi, the chief redactor of the Mishnah.

Under Jewish law, the intercalary thirteenth month in the Hebrew calendar, Adar Bet, was announced by the nasi.^[2]

Gamaliel VI was the last nasi. He was executed in 425 CE by Emperor Theodosius II, who also suppressed the office of the patriarchate thereafter. The patriarchal tax was diverted to the Roman treasury from 426.

In Modern Hebrew, nasi means president, and is not used in its classical sense. The word for prince is now nasich.

Much more recently, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz has taken the title nasi, in an attempt to re-establish the Sanhedrin in its judicial capacity as the Supreme Court of Judaism.

Nasi of the Sanhedrin

The office has been filled as follows:

Nasi
Unknown	191 BCE	170 BCE
Yose ben Yoezer	170 BCE	140 BCE
Joshua ben Perachyah	140 BCE	100 BCE
Simeon ben Shetach	100 BCE	60 BCE
Sh'maya	65 BCE	c. 31 BCE
Hillel the Elder	c. 31 BCE	9 CE
Rabban Shimon ben Hillel	9	9
Rabban Gamaliel the Elder	9	50
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel	50	80
Rabban Gamaliel II of Yavne	80	118
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah	118	120
Interregnum (Bar Kokhba revolt)	120	142
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel II	142	165
Rabbi Judah I haNasi	165	220
Gamaliel III	220	230
Judah II Nesi'ah	230	270
Gamaliel IV	270	290
Judah III Nesi'ah	290	320
Hillel II	320	365
Gamliel V	365	385
Judah IV	385	400
Gamaliel VI	c. 400	425

Titles

Rabban was a higher title than rabbi and was given to the nasi starting with Gamaliel the Elder.

The title rabban was restricted in usage to the descendants of Hillel the Elder, the sole exception being Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai (c. 30 BCE - 90 CE), the leader in Jerusalem during the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE and who safeguarded the future of the Jewish people after the Great Revolt by pleading with the Emperor Vespasian.

Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, who was nasi between 118 and 120 CE, was not given the title rabban, perhaps because he only occupied the office of nasi for a short while, after which it reverted to the descendants of Hillel.

Prior to Rabban Gamliel the Elder, no titles were used before anyone's name, in line with the Talmudic adage "Gadol miRabban shmo" ("Greater than the title rabban is a person's own name"). For this reason, Hillel the Elder has no title before his name: his name is in itself a title. Similarly, Moses and Abraham have no titles before their names, but an epithet is sometimes used to differentiate between biblical and historic personages, hence Avraham Avinu (Abraham 'Our Father') and Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses 'Our Teacher').

Starting with Rabbi Judah I haNasi (born 135 CE), not even the nasi was given the title rabban. In its place, Judah haNasi was given the lofty accolade Rabbeinu HaKadosh ('Our Holy Teacher').^[3]

References

^ Goldwurm, Hersh and Holder, Meir, History of the Jewish People, I "The Second Temple Era" (Mesorah Publications: 1982) ISBN 089906454X.
^ Steinsaltz, Adin, The Essential Talmud: Thirtieth-anniversary Edition, trans. Chaya Galai (Basic Books: 2006) ISBN 0465082734, 16 - 18.
^ Goldwurm and Holder, 322

External links

[1] Goldwurm, Hersh and Holder, Meir, History of the Jewish People, I "The Second Temple Era" (Mesorah Publications: 1982) ISBN 089906454X.

[2] Steinsaltz, Adin, The Essential Talmud: Thirtieth-anniversary Edition, trans. Chaya Galai (Basic Books: 2006) ISBN 0465082734, 16 - 18.

[3] Goldwurm and Holder, 322

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 :''For the [[Arab]] month by this name, see [[Nasi (month)]]. <br>Also the Malay/Indonesian word for rice. (e.g. [[Nasi goreng]])
-'''Nāśī’''' ('''נָשִׂיא''') is a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] title meaning [[prince]], in [[Biblical Hebrew]], Prince (of the [[Sanhedrin]]) in Mishnaic Hebrew, or [[president]], in [[Hebrew language#Modern Israeli Hebrew|Modern Hebrew]].
+'''Nāśī’''' ('''נָשִׂיא''') is a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] title meaning [[prince]], in [[Biblical Hebrew]], Prince (of the [[Sanhedrin]]) in Mishnaic Hebrew, or [[president]], in [[Hebrew language#Modern Israeli Hebrew|Modern Hebrew]]. In Biblical times the title of nasi was given to the political ruler of Judea - eg. {{bibleverse||Lev|4:22|HE}}; {{bibleverse||Ezek|44:2-18|HE}}; {{bibleverse||Ezra|1:8|HE}}; comp. {{bibleverse||Hor|3:2|HE}}.
+Read more: http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=77&letter=N&search=Nasi#ixzz1BXTuQVCu
 ==History==