Rabban Gamliel haZaken (I)

Talmudic Figures

Rabban Gamliel became Nasi soon after Hillel died, shortly before the Temple's destruction. Part of his tenure came during a short respite from the Jews' troubles with the reign of Agrippa, who was befriended and taught by R. Gamliel. Many leniencies were legislated under him, and it is was likely he who brought the Great Academy of Jerusalem to Yavneh.

Sources

Upon hearing that Rabbi Yehoshua had challenged his ruling, Rabban Gamliel sent a message to him: I decree against you that you must appear before me with your staff and with your money on the day on which Yom Kippur occurs according to your calculation; according to my calculation, that day is the eleventh of Tishrei, the day after Yom Kippur. Rabbi Akiva went and found Rabbi Yehoshua distressed that the head of the Great Sanhedrin was forcing him to desecrate the day that he maintained was Yom Kippur…

Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 2:9

MISHNA: Rabban Gamliel also said three things as leniencies, in opposition to the view of most of the Sages: One may sweep the room of the couches on a Festival, i.e., the dining room, where they would recline on couches to eat, as there is no concern that by sweeping the room one might come to fill in the holes and level the ground. And one may place incense consisting of fragrant herbs on burning coals in order to perfume one’s house on a Festival. And one may prepare a whole kid goat, meaning a kid goat roasted whole…

Beitzah 22b:9-11

There is another area in which there was an ongoing argument between structure and spontaneity, namely tefilla, prayer, specifically the Amida. After the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Gamliel and his court at Yavneh established a standard text for the weekday Amida, comprising eighteen (or later, nineteen) blessings in a precise order.

Covenant and Conversation; Leviticus; The Book of Holiness, Shmini, Spontaneity; Good or Bad? 15

Introduction After completing the teachings of the “pairs” Mishnah Avoth turns to the teachings of the patriarchs, the leaders of the Jewish people who were from the family of Hillel. Rabban Gamaliel of our mishnah is Rabban Gamaliel the elder, who was the grandson of Hillel. He was the patriarch during the final years of the Second Temple. He is also the first who is called by the title “Rabban” a title reserved (with one exception) for the patriarchs from Hillel’s family. Another interesting thing to note is that almost all of the remainder of Avoth does not use the terminology…

English Explanation of Pirkei Avot 1:16:1

It also seems certain that the great academy of Jerusalem was transferred to Jabneh during the time of Rabban Gamliel. In Jabneh it remained for many years after the destruction of the temple with the permission of the Roman government.

The Jewish Spiritual Heroes, Volume I; The Creators of the Mishna, Rabbi Gamliel the Elder 27

It occurred that two [witnesses] came and said, "We saw [the moon] in the morning in the east and in the evening in the west." R. Yoḥanan ben Nuri said, "They are false witnesses." When they came to Yavneh, Rabban Gamaliel accepted them. Also, two [witnesses] came and said, "We saw [the moon] in its proper time but on the following night it was not seen" and Rabban Gamaliel accepted them. R. Dosa ben Horkanos said, "They are false witnesses. How can people testify that a woman has given birth when the next day her abdomen is between her teeth?" R. Joshua said to him, "I accept your words…