Rabi (Rabbi Yehuda haNasi - Tannaim - Sixth Generation, c.170 - c.200 CE) succeeded his father, R. Shimon ben Gamliel as Nasi and was a key figure in Jewish history. A pious and brilliant scholar, he worked to further consolidate the authority of his office. His great wealth and his prestige among the Jews also impressed the Romans, resulting in many discussions with them. His greatest achievement, however, was his organization and compilation of Jewish Law in the Mishnah.
Biography: Rabbi Judah HaNasi was born to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel II in 135 CE (and died in 200 CE), which was the same year that the Romans suppressed the Bar-Kochba Revolt and only 65 years after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. The national trauma was still fresh, and the Sanhedrin was hunted by the Romans and thus not providing any unifying leadership. Without a central address to settle questions, the Oral Tradition was in danger of being lost. When Rabbi Judah became the first Nasi (Patriarch - same Hebrew title, but different function than the President of the Sanhedrin) in 161 CE (some say from 170-200 CE), he resolved to solve this by collecting all of the sayings of the rabbis and organizing them into 6 categories ("orders", or "sedarim") and 63 sub-categories ("tractates", or "masechtot"). Rabbi Akiba and his student Rabbi Meir had already had a go at this, so some of the work was done in previous generations. Not all of the sayings made it into the Mishnah; those were collected and called "baraitas", and they frequently appear in the Talmud (the "Tosefta" is a collection of baraitas). It's not clear that Rabbi Judah HaNasi wanted to "fix" the law; he may have intended to only write down what everybody thought so that future generations could decide what to do. For his efforts, Rabbi Judah HaNasi is sometimes just called "Rabbi".
- David Schwartz, Pirkei Avot Ch. 2 - With Bios
[Antoninus and Rabbi Yehuda haNasi were] often mentioned together in the Talmud as being intimate friends. Antoninus is often identified with Marcus Aurelias. The latest and most exhaustive investigation of the material is by Krauss, "Antoninus und Rabbi", who identifies him with Avidius Cassius, a famous general of Marcus Aurelius and Procurator of Judea.
אנטונינוס שלח לרבינו אמר ליה בגין דתסורתא חסרין מה נעביד ונמלא יתהון, נסביה לשלוחא ועיליה לגו פרדסא שרי עקר פגלין רברבין ושתיל דקיקין, אמר ליה הב לי אנטוגרפא, אמר ליה לית את צריך, סליק לגביה, אמר ליה דין הן אנטוגרפא, אמר ליה לא יהיב לי כלום. אמר ליה ומה אמר לך, אמר ליה לא אמר לי כלום. אמר ליה ולא עבד קודמיך כלום. אמר ליה נסבני ואעלני לגו פרדסא שרי עקר פגלין רברבין ושתיל דקיקין, תרדין רברבין ושתל דקיקין, חסין רברבין ושתל דקיקין, מיד הבין, שרי מפיק דכסין ומעייל דכסין עד זמן דאתמלין תסורתא.
Antoninus sent the following message to Rabbi Yehudah: “The treasury is empty. Tell me what to do.” Rabbi Yehudah led the messenger into his garden and in his presence he pulled out some large radishes and planted small ones in their stead. When the messenger asked him for a reply, R. Yehudah said that none was needed. The messenger returned to Antoninus and reported that Rabbi Yehudah gave no answer to the question. “Did he do anything in your presence?” Antoninus asked and the messenger related what he had seen. Antoninus understood the hint and he discharged some officials and appointed others in their place. In a short time the royal treasury was again filled with gold.
There are indications implying that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] converted; there are indications implying that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] did not convert. One saw him walking with a slight shoe on the Day of Atonement. What do you infer since even God-fearing people go outside thus? (Antolinus) [Antoninus] said to Rebbi, can I eat from the Leviathan in the World to Come? He said to him, yes. He told him, from the Passover lamb you would not let me eat, but from Leviathan you make me eat? He answered, what can we do for you since about the Passover lamb it is written that no uncircumcised man may eat from it. When he heard this, he went and circumcized. He came to Rebbi and said to him, look at my circumcision. He answered him, at mine I never looked, and at yours I should look? Why is he called our holy teacher? Because he never in his life looked at his circumcision. And why is his name Naḥum the holiest of holies? Because he never in his life looked at the figure on a coin. This implies that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] converted. The statement of the rabbis implies that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] did (not) convert, as Rebbi Ḥizkiah, Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar said: When in the Future World the proselytes come, (Antolinus) [Antoninus] comes at the head of all of them.
רַבֵּנוּ עָשָׂה סְעוּדָה לְאַנְטוֹנִינוּס בְּשַׁבָּת, הֵבִיא לְפָנָיו תַּבְשִׁילִין שֶׁל צוֹנֵן אָכַל מֵהֶם וְעָרַב לוֹ, עָשָׂה לוֹ סְעוּדָה בַּחוֹל הֵבִיא לְפָנָיו תַּבְשִׁילִין רוֹתְחִין, אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתָן עָרְבוּ לִי יוֹתֵר מֵאֵלּוּ. אָמַר לוֹ תֶּבֶל אֶחָד הֵן חֲסֵרִין. אָמַר לוֹ וְכִי יֵשׁ קֵילָרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ חָסֵר כְּלוּם, אָמַר לוֹ שַׁבָּת הֵן חֲסֵרִין, אִית לָךְ שַׁבָּת.
Rabbeinu (Rabbi Yehudah/Rebbi) made a feast for Antoninus on the Shabbat. They brought before him prepared foods that were cold. He ate from them and found them very tasty. He (Rebbi) made a feast for him (Antoninus) on a weekday and brought before him steaming foods. He (Antoninus) said to him (Rebbi) those (the cold food on Shabbat) tasted better to me than these (warm foods). He (Rebbi) explained that the warm weekday food was missing a single spice. He (Antoninus) said to him, ‘and is there anything in the king’s treasury that is lacking?' He (Rebbi) said that the food was missing Shabbat. 'Do you have Shabbat?'
The Gemara relates: Antoninus would attend to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and similarly the Persian king Adrakan would attend to Rav. When Antoninus died, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: The bundle [i.e. connection] is separated. When Adrakan died, Rav likewise said: The bundle is separated.