Jewish Leadership Struggle in the Roman Era part 4

One year after the incident involving the calendar, another event took place that was to change the course of Jewish history. Rabban Gamliel was anxious to put prayer in a more central place, especially as the Temple and sacrifice no longer existed. He assigned Rabbi Shimon HaPakuli to edit the central amidah prayer in order to reflect the new situation. He instituted that it be said by all, three times a day. There was dissent regarding the latter issue. There had been two daily sacrifices at the Temple. The morning and afternoon prayers corresponded to these. But there never was an evening sacrifice, only the burning on the altar of certain remnants of the sacrifices. Therefore, many reasoned, the evening prayer must be seen as optional. Rabbi Joshua not only held that opinion but, when asked, would give that as a ruling. A very young Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai approached Rabbi Joshua on this point and was told that the evening prayer was optional. He then asked Rabban Gamliel the same question, and was told that it was obligatory. "But Rabbi Joshua told me the opposite" said Rabbi Shimon. "Wait until the rabbis of the Sanhedrin gather, and we will see about this". When the Sanhedrin assembled, Rabbi Shimon again asked his question. "Obligatory!" pronounced Rabban Gamliel. "Does anyone disagree?" There was no response. "Joshua, I have been told that your opinion differs. "I can't deny it" said Rabbi Joshua. "Stand on your feet for the rest of today's session!" He was being punished like a child told to stand in the corner. The other rabbis balked at this affront. They deposed Rabban Gamliel. Nothing remotely like this had ever happened. "Whom shall we appoint in his stead?" They thought of appointing Rabbi Joshua, but that would appear to be a political move, as he had been involved in the dispute. Rabbi Akiva? He had no ancestral merit, and might succumb to a curse from Rabban Gamliel. Their eyes turned to Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, already a great scholar at age eighteen (some say sixteen), with a pedigree going back five hundred years to Ezra. "I must consult my wife!" His wife protested that he, too, might eventually be deposed. He responded "Should I not drink of a precious cup because it may break tomorrow?" "But you are not old!" Immediately, eighteen rows of gray hair appeared in his beard. This is the reason for his statement, reported in the Haggadah "Behold, I am like one seventy years old!". He accepted the honor. Rabban Gamliel had maintained a strict policy of only allowing the brightest and the best to attend the deliberations of the Sanhedrin. Rabbi Elazar's first move was to remove the bouncer from the gates of the meeting place. Four hundred scholars who had been previously excluded were now welcomed in. It was a move to democratization.  Rabban Gamliel had been seeking excellence rather than inclusiveness. A resolution of the problem was to come, with significant compromises from both sides. These compromises would affect rabbinic leadership for all times. That will be my next post.