Schism of R. Hananiah Nathan was the son of a
Babylonian exilarch. For reasons that are unclear he left
Babylonia, and his bright prospects there, to settle in the
land of Israel, where he was made chief of the school at Usha. Later he was entrusted by the patriarch
Simeon ben Gamliel II to secure a reconciliation with
R. Hananiah of
Babylon, who had declared himself independent of the
Sanhedrin of Judea and had established one in Babylon—a mission which Nathan, in company with R. Isaac, successfully executed. According to
I. Halevy, however, both Nathan and Isaac were still residents of Babylon.
ab bet din Soon afterward disagreement occurred between Nathan and
Rabbi Meir, on the one side, and the president, R.
Shimon ben Gamliel, on the other, owing to R' Shimon's attempt to abolish the equality previously existing among all members of the school, by restricting the tokens of esteem shown by the community to other members of the school lower in distinction than the president. Nathan and Meir conspired to depose Simon and to usurp his authority themselves, but the plot came to his knowledge, and he caused the conspirators to be expelled from the school. The two knew, however, how to make their absence felt. They sent in slips on which were written puzzling
halakhic questions, so that a member of the school once exclaimed: "We are inside, and the learning is outside!" Both Nathan and Meir were ultimately readmitted on condition that the name of neither should thenceforth be mentioned in connection with his halakic decisions, but that a pseudonym should be used instead. In the case of Nathan this pseudonym was "some say"; in that of Meïr, "others say". ==Teachings==