Shemaiah ( he, שְׁמַעְיָה, ''Šəmaʿyā''; grc-koi, Σαμαίᾱς, ''Samaíās''), or Shmaya in Modern Hebrew) was a

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

nic sage in the early pre-Mishnaic era who lived at the same time as

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 Sanh ...

. They are known as one of the ''zuggot'' ("couples"): ''Shemaiah and Abtalion''; Shemaiah holding the title of ''

nasi Nasi may refer to: Food Dishes Nasi Goreng is an Indonesian and Malay word for ''cooked rice'', featured in many Southeast Asian dishes *Nasi goreng, a popular rice dish often simply called ''nasi'' *Other Southeast Asian ''nasi'' dishes: **Nasi ...

'', whilst Abtalion holding the office of

Av Beit Din The ''av beit din'' ( ''ʾabh bêth dîn'', "chief of the court" or "chief justice"), also spelled ''av beis din'' or ''abh beth din'' and abbreviated ABD (), was the second-highest-ranking member of the Sanhedrin during the Second Temple period, ...

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 Abtalion studied Torah under Simeon ben Shetach. He was a leader of the

Pharisee The Pharisees (; he, פְּרוּשִׁים, Pərūšīm) were a Jewish social movement and a school of thought in the Levant during the time of Second Temple Judaism. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Pharisaic beliefs bec ...

s in the 1st century BCE and president of the Sanhedrin before the reign of Herod the Great. He and his colleague Abtalion are termed the ''gedolei ha-dor'' (the great men of the age) and ''darshanim'' (exegetes).

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, sag ...

was a contemporary of Shemaiah and Abtalion, and regularly attended their lectures. Of the political life of Shemaiah, only one incident is reported. When Herod on his own responsibility had put to death the leader of the national party in

Galilee Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...

, Hyrcanus II, he permitted the Sanhedrin to cite him before the tribunal. Herod appeared, but in royal purple robes, whereupon the members of the Sanhedrin lost courage. Only Shemaiah was brave enough to say: "He who is summoned here on a capital charge appears like one who would order us to execution straightway if we should pronounce him guilty. Yet I can blame him less than you and the king, since ye permit such a travesty of justice. Know then that he before whom ye now tremble will some day deliver you to the executioner." This tradition is found twice, in Josephus and the Talmud. The tombs of Shemaiah and Abtalyon are located in Jish, a Maronite Christian village in the

In Josephus

Shemaiah and Abtalion may be identical to Sameas and Pollion who are mentioned by Josephus. Shemaiah is named by Josephus under his Greek name ''Sameas'' ( gr, Σαμαίας). According to Josephus, he led the Sanhedrin during the transition period between the Hasmonean dynasty and the rise of King Herod the Great. Shemaiah is described by Josephus as a disciple of

Pollion 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 Sanh ...

the Pharisee, who, in rabbinic literature, is known as Abtalion. Herod held both Abtalion and Shemaiah in great honour.

Quotes

* Love work. Hate aving to assumeauthority. Do not make yourself known to the government.

References

* Mishnah, ''Avot'' 1:10 * Josephus, ''Ant.'' xiv-xv * Heinrich Grätz, ''Geschichte'' iii. 171–207, and note 16 * Emil Schürer, ''Geschichte'' i. 348, 349, 399; ii. 202, 205, 355, 358 {{DEFAULTSORT:Shmaya (tannah) Mishnah rabbis Converts to Judaism from paganism 1st-century BCE rabbis Pirkei Avot rabbis Zugot Sanhedrin