According to the Tikunei Zohar (110b), the execution of the ten sages by the Romans during the time of the destruction of the Bait HaMikdash and the fall of Beitar was a punishment for the 10 brothers who sold Yosef. This is also found in the repetition of the Musaf Amidah of Yom Kippur. (Also, in the Kinos of Tisha Be’Av but the sale of Yosef is not mentioned there.)
The Sefer Shalsheles HaKaballah by Rabbi Gedaliah ibn Yichye explains that the 10 sages were reincarnations of the ten tribes. And that they had very small sins which were comparable (on a minor scale) to the sin of selling Yosef. (e.g., slight haughtiness and some arguments between the sages.)
Specifically, he suggests that the following sages were reincarnations of the following tribes. (For some reason the tribe of Yehudah is not given here.)
- Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef was a reincarnation of Yosef. (Yosef is considered to be [somewhat guilty in the sale since he had slandered his brothers to their father.)
- Rabbi Eliezer ben Shamua was a reincarnation of Shimon (as the word Shamua is similar to Shimon).
- Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol (who was from the tribe of Levi) was a reincarnation of the tribe of Levi.
- Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel was a reincarnation of the tribe of Yehudah since he was a descendant of that tribe.
- Chutzpit HaMeturgeman חוצפית המתורגמן was a reincarnation of the tribe of Yissachar since the letters of his name have the letters of חמור גרם which is said about Yissachar (Gen. 49:14). (In the Shalshelet Hakabalah it says “Yehuda” for Chutzpit. This seems to be a mistake).
- Rabbi Chanina ben Tradyon was a reincarnation of the tribe of Dan (as the letters of Dan are found in Tradyon).
- Rabbi Yehudah ben Teima was a reincarnation of the tribe of Zevulun as the gematriya of Zevulun /זבולון (in mispar kattan) is 29 and counting the word as 1 equals 30. Yehudah/יהודה, too has a gematriyah of 30.
- Rabbi Yesheivav HaSofer was a reincarnation of Gad. As the gematriyah of ישבב (in mispar kattan) is 8 which is the same as Gad/גד which is also the gematriyah of 8 (when counting the word itself as one).
- Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava was a reincarnation of Naftali as the gematriya of נפתלי (in mispar kattan) is 21. This is the same gematriyah as יהודה in mispar kattan.
- Rabbi Chananyah ben Chachinai חכינאי was a reincarnation of Asher, as the verse in Daniel (12:2) says, אַשְׁרֵי הַמְחַכֶה. This indicates a correlation between Asher (אַשְׁרֵי) and חכינאי (similar letters to הַמְחַכֶה).
