Shim’on ben Menasya ( he, שמעון בן מנסיא) was a Jewish rabbi who lived in the late 2nd-early 3rd centuries (fourth and fifth generations of
Tannaim
''Tannaim'' ( Amoraic Hebrew: תנאים , singular , ''Tanna'' "repeaters", "teachers") were the rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 10–220 CE. The period of the ''Tannaim'', also referred to as the Mis ...
).
Biography
He was a contemporary of R.
Judah ha-Nasi
Judah ha-Nasi ( he, יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא, ''Yəhūḏā hanNāsīʾ''; Yehudah HaNasi or Judah the Prince) or Judah I, was a second-century rabbi (a tanna of the fifth generation) and chief redactor and editor of the ''Mi ...
, with whom he engaged in a halakhic dispute. He was somewhat older than Judah, yet he immensely respected Judah and spoke in Judah's praise.
He and
Jose ben Meshullam formed a group called "Kahal Kadosh" (the Holy Community) or "Edah Kedosha", because its members devoted one-third of the day to the study of the Torah, one-third to prayer, and the remaining third to work. The group is recorded as being located in Jerusalem, surprising given that
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
banned Torah study and practice in Jerusalem after the
Bar Kochba revolt
The Bar Kokhba revolt ( he, , links=yes, ''Mereḏ Bar Kōḵḇāʾ''), or the 'Jewish Expedition' as the Romans named it ( la, Expeditio Judaica), was a rebellion by the Jews of the Roman province of Judea, led by Simon bar Kokhba, aga ...
. Modern scholarly opinions differ on whether the ban was eventually rescinded, not enforced, or if this community carried on their activities secretly and in great danger.
Teachings
Halacha
He is mentioned once in the Mishnah, though some consider this a later addition. Some halakhic teachings by him have been preserved elsewhere. Following Proverbs 17:14, Simeon says that a judge may call upon the parties to accept a compromise; but once the judge has heard the statements of both parties, or made up his mind as to the nature of his decision, he must decide according to the letter of the law.
Aggadah
Referring to Psalms 44:23, he says, "It is not possible for one to be killed every day; but God reckons the life of the pious as though they died a martyr's death daily".
He says that "
Song of Songs was inspired by the Holy Ghost, while
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes (; hbo, קֹהֶלֶת, Qōheleṯ, grc, Ἐκκλησιαστής, Ekklēsiastēs) is one of the Ketuvim ("Writings") of the Hebrew Bible and part of the Wisdom literature of the Christian Old Testament. The title commonly use ...
expresses merely the wisdom of Solomon".
His interpretation of Exodus 31:14 - "The words '
t is holyunto you' imply that the Sabbath is given to you, and that you are not given to the Sabbath" - is noteworthy for paralleling a saying of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
.
Mekhilta Mekhilta ( arc, מְכִילְתָּא דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל IPA /məˈχiltɑ/, "a collection of rules of interpretation"; corresponding to the Mishnaic Hebrew ' 'measure', 'rule'), is used to denote a compilation of scriptural ...
Ki Tissa d. Weiss, p. 109b compare Mark 2:27, where Jesus says, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath"
References
Bibliography
* Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii. 271–272;
* Frankel, Hodegetica in Mischnam, p. 202;
* Brüll, Einleitung in die Mischna, i. 239–240;
* Bacher, Ag. Tan. ii. 489–494.
Mishnah rabbis
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