Johanan (2nd century rabbi)

Johanan ben Torta (Hebrew: יוחנן בן תורתא, read as Yochanan ben Torta) was a rabbi of the early 2nd century (third generation of tannaim).

Upon being sold to a non-Jew, the cow refused to work on Shabbat, until the non-Jew complained about the defective animal he was sold.

The non-Jew was so impressed by this that he decided to convert to Judaism.

In different versions of the story, Johanan ben Torta was either the Jew who sold the cow, or the non-Jew who converted.

This biographical article about a rabbi from the Middle East is a stub.