The Stick and the Satchel

It is told that Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah disagreed over the fixing of the calendar. By Rebbi Yehoshua's reckoning a certain day was Yom Kippur. Rabban Gamliel, as Nasi, instructed him to come before him on that day with his walking stick and his satchel, dressed as on an ordinary weekday, and so to deny his own calculation in public. The Nasi's order humbled the great scholar deeply.

Later a second dispute arose, this time over whether the evening prayer is obligatory. Once more Rabban Gamliel put Rebbi Yehoshua to shame: he told him to stand up and to remain on his feet while he taught his students.

The Rabbis were shaken. The Sanhedrin deposed Rabban Gamliel and named Rebbi Elazar ben Azariah as Nasi in his place. Only after Rabban Gamliel had reconciled with Rebbi Yehoshua was he returned to his post, sharing the office with Rebbi Elazar by a rotation of every third week.