Page "Tannaim" Paragraph 49

The Nasi ( plural Nesi ' im ) was the highest-ranking member and presided over the Sanhedrin.

Rabban was a higher title than Rabbi, and it was given to the Nasi starting with Rabban Gamaliel Hazaken ( Gamaliel the Elder ).

The title Rabban was limited to the descendants of Hillel, the sole exception being Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, the leader in Jerusalem during the siege, who safeguarded the future of the Jewish people after the Great Revolt by pleading with Vespasian.

Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, who was also Nasi, was not given the title Rabban, perhaps because he only held the position of Nasi for a short while and it eventually reverted to the descendants of Hillel.

Prior to Rabban Gamliel Hazaken, no titles were used before someone's name, based on the Talmudic adage " Gadol miRabban shmo " (" Greater than the title Rabban is a person's own name ").

For this reason Hillel has no title before his name: his name in itself is his title, just as Moses and Abraham have no titles before their names.

( An addition is sometimes given after a name to denote significance or to differentiate between two people with the same name.

Examples include Avraham Avinu ( Abraham our father ) and Moshe Rabbeinu ( Moses our teacher ).

) Starting with Rabbi Judah haNasi ( Judah the Nasi ), often referred to simply as " Rabbi ", not even the Nasi is given the title Rabban, but instead, Judah haNasi is given the lofty title Rabbeinu HaKadosh (" Our holy rabbi ").