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Zugot
The ''Zugot'' ( he, הַזּוּגוֹת ''hazZūgōṯ'', "the Pairs"), also called Zugoth or ''Zugos'' in the Ashkenazi pronunciation, refers both to the two-hundred-year period ( 170 BCE – 30 CE, he, תְּקוּפַת הַזּוּגוֹת ''Təqūfaṯ hazZūgōṯ'', "Era of the Pairs") during the time of the Second Temple in which the spiritual leadership of the Jews was in the hands of five successions of "pairs" of religious teachers, and to each of these pairs themselves. Origin of the name In Hebrew, the word ''zûghôth'' () indicates pairs of two identical objects, plural of ''zûgh'' (), a pair. The word is related to Arabic ''zawj'' (زوج) as singular and ''zawjaat'' as plural, "spouse", and Aramaic ''zôghāʾ'' (), "pair, spouse", from a root meaning "to join" ultimately borrowed from Greek ''zugón'' (ζυγόν), "yoke". Roles The zugoth were five pairs of scholars who ruled a supreme court ( '' bêth dîn ha-gādôl'') of the Jews as ''nasi'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joshua Ben Perachiah
Joshua ben Perahiah or Joshua ben Perachya ( he, יהושע בן פרחיה, Yehoshua Ben Perachia) was Nasi of the Sanhedrin in the latter half of the 2nd century BCE. With Nittai of Arbela, second of five pairs of scholars He and his colleague Nittai of Arbela were the second of the five pairs (Zugot) of scholars who received and transmitted Jewish tradition. At the time of the persecution of the Pharisees by John Hyrcanus (c. 134-104 BCE), Joshua was deposed — a disgrace to which his words in Menachot 109b apparently allude. However in Sanhedrin 107b and Sotah 47a it was during the persecutions of Pharisees 88-76 BCE by Alexander Jannaeus, not John Hyrcanus whose persecution he fled. He fled to Alexandria, Egypt, but was recalled to Jerusalem when the persecutions ceased and the Pharisees again triumphed over the Sadducees. Teachings and advice The following ethical maxim found in the Ethics of the Fathers shows his gentle judgment of his fellow men and his eagerness to spr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Judah Ben Tabbai
Judah ben Tabbai ( ''Yehuda ben Tabbai'') was a Pharisee scholar, av beit din of the Sanhedrin, and one of "the Pairs" (''zugot'') of Jewish leaders who lived in the first century BCE. Judah ben Tabbai was associated by some medieval writers with what later came to be known as Karaite Judaism. Av beit din of the Sanhedrin To escape Alexander Jannaeus's persecution of the Pharisees, Judah ben Tabbai, who was already a prominent Pharisee scholar, fled to Alexandria. After Jannaeus's death in 76 BCE, Salome Alexandra became queen of Judea. The Pharisees now became not only a tolerated section of the community, but actually the ruling class. Salome Alexandra installed as high priest her eldest son, Hyrcanus II, a man who was wholly supportive of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin was reorganized according to their wishes. As part of the reorganization, Salome appointed her brother Simeon ben Shetach as prince (''nasi'') of the Sanhedrin. Simeon ben Shetach wrote a flattering letter t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shmaya (tanna)
Shemaiah ( he, שְׁמַעְיָה, ''Šəmaʿyā''; grc-koi, Σαμαίᾱς, ''Samaíās''), or Shmaya in Modern Hebrew) was a rabbinic sage in the early pre-Mishnaic era who lived at the same time as Abtalion. They are known as one of the ''zuggot'' ("couples"): ''Shemaiah and Abtalion''; Shemaiah holding the title of ''nasi'', whilst Abtalion holding the office of Av Beit Din. Biography Abtalion and Shemaiah were converts to Judaism or the descendants of converts; by tradition they were descended from King Sennacherib of Assyria. Despite this, they were influential and beloved. The ''Talmud'' relates that once, when the high priest was being escorted home from the Temple by the people, at the close of a Day of Atonement, the crowd deserted him upon the approach of Abtalion and Shemaiah and followed them. However, Graetz has argued that neither Shemaiah nor Abtalion was of Gentile descent, although both were Alexandrians. According to the Mishnah, both Shemaiah and Abtali ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nittai Of Arbela
Nittai of Arbela ( he, נתאי הארבלי) was ''av beit din'' or vice-president of the Sanhedrin under the nasi Joshua ben Perachyah at the time of John Hyrcanus (r. 134–104 BCE). Name In Yer. Hag. II 76d he is called Mattai of Arbela, which is also found in ancient and linguistically reliable manuscripts of the Mishnah, such as Codex Kaufmann, Codex Parma A and the Cambridge Codex (edited by W. H. Lowe). The confusion in the rendering of his name seems to be due to faulty textual transmission, i.e. the Hebrew mem being separated graphically into two parts, which looked, respectively as a nun and a yod, thus Mattai became Nittai. Arbela was a city of the Galilee not far from Tiberias. Teachings No halakhot of his are extant, but some of his apothegms have been preserved in such sources as Pirkei Avot; these afford a glimpse of his character, to wit: "Distance thyself from a bad neighbor; consort not with an evil man, nor despair at tribulation." Avot i.7. These bitter ut ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jose Ben Jochanan
Jose ben Jochanan ( he, יוסי בן יוחנן, Yose ben Yochanan or Joseph ben Johanan) was Av Beit Din (Chief Justice) of the Sanhedrin in the 2nd century BCE. He was a native of Jerusalem. He and Jose ben Joezer were the successors and, it is said, the disciples of Antigonus of Sokho, and the two together formed the first of a series of duumvirates that transmitted the traditional law; according to tradition, in each pair one was the Nasi (prince or president) and the other was the Av Beit Din (Chief Justice of the Sanhedrin). One of Jose's sayings was: "Let thy house be opened wide; and let the needy be thy household; and prolong not converse with woman". A disagreement between the two colleagues with regard to halakhic decisions gave rise to the formation of two different schools. Both men were opposed to Hellenism, and both belonged to the Hasideans. Jose ben Joezer and Jose ben Johanan were the last of the "eshkolot", or "wise men" (from Hebrew ''Eshkolot'', "bunches f g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jose Ben Joezer
Jose ben Joezer (also spelt Yose ben Yoezer) was a rabbi of the early Maccabean period, possibly a disciple of Antigonus of Soko and member of the ascetic group known as the Hasidæans, though neither is certain. He belonged to a priestly family. Biography With him and Jose ben Johanan of Jerusalem, his colleague, begins the period known in Jewish history as that of the zugot (duumvirate), which ended with Hillel and Shammai. According to an old tradition, the member of the "zugot" mentioned first occupied the office of Nasi (president) of the Sanhedrin, while the one mentioned second served in the capacity of vice-president. Jose belonged to the party of the Ḥasidim, and was a decided adversary of Hellenism. To prevent Jews from settling beyond Judea he declared all pagan countries " unclean". He declared also glass utensils "unclean", probably because they were manufactured in pagan countries. In other respects, however, he was very liberal, and received the surname "Sharaya" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shammai
Shammai (50 BCE – 30 CE, he, שַׁמַּאי, ''Šammaʾy'') was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century, and an important figure in Judaism's core work of rabbinic literature, the Mishnah. Shammai was the most eminent contemporary of Hillel. His teachings mostly agree with those of Hillel, except on three issues. Both were divided over an earlier rabbinic dispute, regarding the actual laying on of hands upon a sacrificial animal on a Festival Day, which Hillel permitted.Jerusalem Talmud (''Hagigah'' 2:2 0b; 12a Their disciples, who had differing views to their masters, disputed many other halakhic matters. The School of Shammai, founded by Shammai, is almost invariably mentioned along with the School of Hillel, founded by Hillel. They differed fundamentally from each other. Although they were contemporaries, Hillel was nearly sixty years old at the time of Shammai's birth. History Shammai, along with Hillel his contemporary, took on oversight of the Sanhedrin sometime ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hillel The Elder
Hillel ( he, הִלֵּל ''Hīllēl''; variously called ''Hillel HaGadol'', ''Hillel HaZaken'', ''Hillel HaBavli'' or ''HaBavli'', was born according to tradition in Babylon c. 110 BCE, died 10 CE in Jerusalem) was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and the founder of the House of Hillel school of tannaim. He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: (1) "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" and (2) the expression of the ethic of reciprocity, or " Golden Rule": "That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary; now go and learn." Biography Hillel was born in Babylon. According to the Talmud, he descended from the Tribe of Benjamin on his father's side, and from the family of David on his mother's side. When Josephus speaks of Hillel's great-grandson, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simeon Ben Shetach
Simeon ben Shetach, or Shimon ben Shetach or Shatach (), ''circa'' 140-60 BCE, was a Pharisee scholar and Nasi of the Sanhedrin during the reigns of Alexander Jannæus (c. 103-76 BCE) and his successor, Queen Salome Alexandra (c. 76-67 BCE), who was Simeon's sister. He was therefore closely connected with the court, enjoying, at least initially, the favor of Alexander. Although a rabbi by profession, the omission of such an epithet when referred to in rabbinic literature is said to attest to his greatness as a rabbinic Sage, ranking with Hillel. The Shim'on ben Shatah Street in the center of Jerusalem carries his name. Under Alexander Jannaeus During the reign of Alexander the Sanhedrin consisted almost entirely of Sadducees; nevertheless Simeon succeeded in ousting some of the Sadducean members and in replacing them with Pharisees. Having accomplished this, Simeon recalled from Alexandria, Egypt the Pharisees who had been compelled to seek refuge there during the reign of Alex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abtalion
Abtalion ( he, אַבְטַלְיוֹן ''ʾAbhtalyôn'') or Avtalyon (Modern Hebrew) was a rabbinic sage in the early pre-Mishnaic era. He was a leader of the Pharisees during the 1st century BCE, and by tradition vice-president of the great Sanhedrin of Jerusalem. He lived at the same time as Sh'maya. They are known as one of the zugot ("couples"): ''Shmaya and Avtalyon''. Biography Abtalion and Shemaiah were converts to Judaism or the descendants of converts; by tradition they were descended from King Sennacherib of Assyria. Despite this, they were influential and beloved. The ''Talmud'' relates that once, when the high priest was being escorted home from the Temple by the people, at the close of a Day of Atonement, the crowd deserted him upon the approach of Abtalion and Shemaiah and followed them. However, Graetz has argued that neither Shemaiah nor Abtalion was of Gentile descent, although both were Alexandrians. Little is known about Abtalion's life. He was a pupil of Jud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salome Alexandra
Salome Alexandra, or Shlomtzion ( grc-gre, Σαλώμη Ἀλεξάνδρα; he, , ''Šəlōmṣīyyōn''; 141–67 BCE), was one of three women to rule over Judea, the other two being Athaliah and Devora. The wife of Aristobulus I, and afterward of Alexander Jannaeus, she was the last regnant queen of Judea, and the last ruler of Judea to die as the sovereign of an independent kingdom. Family Salome Alexandra's personal genealogy is not given by Josephus, nor does it appear in any of the books of Maccabees. Rabbinical sources designate the rabbi, Simeon ben Shetah, as her brother, making her the daughter of Shetah as well. Salome Alexandra's oldest son by Alexander Jannaeus was Hyrcanus II who fought his younger brother Aristobulus II in 73 BCE over the Jewish High Priesthood. Hyrcanus II was eventually successful after enlisting the help of the Nabataean king, Aretas III; bribing Roman officials, including Scaurus; and gaining the favour of Pompey the Great, who defeate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashkenazi Pronunciation
Ashkenazi Hebrew ( he, הגייה אשכנזית, Hagiyya Ashkenazit, yi, אַשכּנזישע הבֿרה, Ashkenazishe Havara) is the pronunciation system for Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew favored for Jewish liturgical use and Torah study by Ashkenazi Jewish practice. Features As it is used parallel with modern Hebrew, its phonological differences are clearly recognized: * '' '' and '' '' are completely silent at all times in most forms of Ashkenazi Hebrew, where they are frequently both pronounced as a glottal stop in modern Hebrew. (Compare ''Yisroeil'' (Lithuanian) or ''Yisruayl'' (Polish-Galician) vs. ''Yisra'el'' (Israeli).) An earlier pronunciation of ''‘ayin'' as a velar nasal () is attested most prominently in Dutch Hebrew (and historically also the Hebrew of Frankfurt am Main). Vestiges of this earlier pronunciation are still found throughout the Yiddish-speaking world in names like ''Yankev'' (יעקבֿ) and words like ''manse'' (מעשׂה, more commonly pronounced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
