Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai

'''Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai''' was a fourth generation Tana and is the most frequently mentioned Sage in the Mishnah. A student of Rebbe Akiva, he was also one of the five student ordained by Rebbe Yehuda ben Baba as he sacrificed his life. Rebbe Yehudah bar Ilai lived a most of his life in complete poverty. As a result of the same incident that sent [[Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai|Rebbe Shimon bar Yochi]] into hiding, Rabbi Yehuda was appointed by the Romans as the initiating speaker at all Rabbinic gatherings, for having praised them.

Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai lived his life in poverty. His students were also poor and sometimes, six of them had to share one covering to keep them warm as they studied Torah. So poor was Rebbe Yehuda that when his wife finally was able to buy material and sew a coat, they both had to share it, each leaving the home at different times. When Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai would put on the coat he would make a blessing; 'Baruch ShAsani Meil' - 'Blessed is Hashem for giving me a coat', a blessing that he innovated due to his gratitude for owning a coat.

A Chasid once noticed a breach in the fence of his vineyard as he walked through it on Shabbos, causing him to speculate fixing it during the week. Immediately he regretted thinking about mundane actions on the Shabbos and committed to never patch the hole, as a punishment for what was considered a transgression on his high level. His actions found favor in the eyes of Hashem who caused a Tzlaf tree to grow in that very location, filling up the breach and at the same time supplying livelihood to this Chasid for the remainder of his life.

Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai used to have an aura of light emanating from his face, a constant glow of happiness. Once he was accused by an early Christan of either being an alcoholic or alternatively earning an easy stress-less and lucrative livelihood through lending money with interest or by raising pigs, thinking one of these to be the source his facial radiance. Rebbe Yehuda cursed the Christan, exclaiming that he could hardly drink the wine mandated by Halacha, let alone be an alcoholic and would definitely not desecrate the Torah by lending with interest or raising pigs. Rather the source of his aura was from the Torah he studied as it says "the wisdom of a man will enlighten his face".

It was very hard for Rabbi Yehuda bar Illai to drink wine. When he would force himself to drink the mandated four cups of wine during the Pesach Seder, Rabbi Yehuda would have to wrap a bandage around his head for 7 weeks until Shevuot, due to the resulting pain.  

Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai is the  most commonly mentioned Tana in the Mishna, Safra and Tosefta where he is called 'Rebbe Yehuda'. He is mentioned in over 600 Mishnayos, often multiple times in each, almost double the amount of any other Tana. Any time Rebbe Yehuda argues with Rebbe Meir or Rebbe Shimon, the Halacha is established in his favor.

Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai's main teachers were Rabbi Akiva and [[Rabbi Tarfon]]. In his youth he studied under his father who passed down to him the Torah of his master Rebbe Eliezer ben Hurkanes. Rabbi Yehuda also studied somewhat under all the Sages of Yavneh including; Rebbe Eliezer ben Hurkanes,  [[Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah]], Rabban Gamliel, [[Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya]], [[Rabbi Yossi Haglili]], Rabbi Yishmoel and Abba Tzydon, later passing down some of their teachings.

===Avoid Laxity While Studying===

Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai is buried in a cave located in Ein Zeitim, Northern Israel, around 3 kilometers Northwest of [[Safed]]. Above the cave a Beis Medrash was built, which contains stairs leading down to the cave. Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai is buried on the left side of the cave and his students or family are buried on the right side. A separate women's section contains a Tzion which was the outside of the original structure built over the cave. Historically this tomb was revered by the local Arabs who would light candles in his honor.

The Yortzite of Rebbe Yehuda bar Illai is celebrated on the 14th of Iyyar,  Pesach Shani. Although the exact date of the hillula is unknown, this date was chosen due to its proximity to Lag Baomer when many pilgrims traveled up North each year for the Hillula of the Rashbi. This is the same date chosen for the Hillula of the [[Rebbe Meir Baal Haness|Tana Rebbe Meir]].