A Palestinian scholar of the third amoraic generation (third century), disciple of R. Johanan and senior to R. Zeïra I. (Ber. 33a, 38b; Ket. 77a). He cultivated both the Halakah and the Haggadah; in his halakic deliverances, however, he was not considered very reliable. Thus when, on one occasion, Ḥiyya b. Abba and he differed on a traditional decision by their master, R. Zeïra remarked, "What does R. Benjamin b. Japhet amount to compared with R. Ḥiyya b. Abba?" (Ber. 38b; Yer. Ber. 6:10a; Yer. Pes. 2:29c). Nevertheless, this same R. Zeïra had occasion to thank Benjamin for communicating to him a Halakah in the name of R. Johanan (Shab. 53a). In the Haggadah, Benjamin was a follower of R. Eleazar b. Pedat, whose expositions and sayings he frequently reports (Meg. 16b; Sanh. 7a; compare Ex. R.; Lev. R. ).—[Yer. Ber. 3:6d; Yoma 29a; Yer. Sanh. 1:18a; Shebu. 18b; Ḥul. 52b (correctly quoted in MS. M); Pesiḳ. 7:63b, 8:68b; Pesiḳ. R.; Midr. Teh.; Gen. R.; Tan., ed. Buber, Lek Leka, 11.]