[Avodah] chashmanoim

[Eli Turkel via Avodah]

<<There are three positions on the identity of the famous Yohanan the
   High Priest:

   1. The Rambam (Introduction to Commentary to the Mishnah) and Roke'ah
   (Hilkhos Hanukah) are of the view that he was the son of Matisyahu,
   of Hanukah fame, evidently named after his own grandfather.

   2. Sefer Yuhasin (1:16) and Seder Ha-Doros (2:Yohanan Kohen Gadol)
   state that Yohanan the High Priest was Matisyahu's father and is the
   one mentioned in the "Al Ha-Nissim."

   3. Later scholars, including Doros Ha-Rishonim (part 2 p. 442) and
   Toledos Tanna'im Ve-Amora'im (vol. 2 p. 688), are of the view that
   Yohanan the High Priest was the grandson of Matisyahu and the son
   of Shimon. >>

I am completely confused by the first option: The two sons of Mattiyahu
that became Kohen gadol
were Yonatan and later Shimon - no Yochanan who died in battle

For the second possibility we are left with the result that Mattityahu's
father became a Sadduccee at the end of his life. There also exists a
midrash that Mattiyahu's father encouraged him in the revolt against the
Greeks,

For the third possibility the son of Shimon (John Hyrcanus) indeed
succeeded his father and was Kohen gadol (for 31 years) . Note that he
spent most of his years fighting wars far from Jerusalem. One of his
accomplishments was conquering Samaria and destrying the Samaritan temple.
At his death his wife became secular leader while his son became Kohen
Gadol. (however the son threw his mother into jail and starved her death
and took over both roles)

Again Mattiyahu lived in Modiin and not Jerusalem. Moddin seems to have
been the home for the whole family.
I agree with Micha that the "high priest" in the years before the Macabbe
revolt were not legimate (some not even being priests). This would imply
that there was no halachic kohen gadol for many years.

-- 
Eli Turkel
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