 His teacher at Usha was R' Judah bar Ilai, who was officially employed in the house of the patriarch as judge in religious and legal questions.In later years, Judah described how in his childhood he read the Book of Esther at Usha in the presence of Judah bar Ilai.Judah felt especial reverence for R' Jose ben Halafta, the student of Akiva's who had the closest relations with Simon ben Gamaliel.