רבי יהושע בן קרחה

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha was a tanna of the fourth generation, a colleague of Rabbi Meir and of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and of the circle of Rabbi Akiva‘s talmidim. Some identify him as a son of Rabbi Akiva, who is called in the Gemara “the bald one”; Tosafot reject the identification, noting that he never brings Torah in Rabbi Akiva’s name.

Few halachot stand in the Mishnah in his name alone; those that appear come joined to another tanna — he brings a halachah in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, another in the name of Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri, and rules together with Rabbi Yosi ben Chalafta concerning the rebuilding of Yericho. Klalim of his guide psak: where one chacham forbids and one permits, in a matter of Torah follow the stringent view, and in a matter of the sofrim follow the lenient one; and a beit din is commanded to pursue compromise, for the mishpat that holds shalom within it is bitzua. On Shabbat he permitted saying to a fellow “will you stand with me this evening?” — speaking of weekday matters is forbidden, but thought is permitted.

His words in aggadah are many: whoever turns his eyes away from tzedakah, he taught, is as one who serves avodah zarah. When Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon began seizing thieves for the Roman rule, Rabbi Yehoshua rebuked him — vinegar son of wine, how long will you hand the nation of Hashem over to death? Let the Owner of the vineyard come and clear away His own thorns. He lived to great old age; when Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi asked for his brachah, he blessed him that he should reach half of his own days.