Simeon Shezuri ( he, שמעון שזורי), or R. Simeon of Shezur, was a Jewish Tanna sage of the fourth generation.

Biography

His surname ''Shezuri'' is either a variant of the Hebrew word ''Shezirah'' (שזירה), and thus stands for his livelihood:

spinning Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

fibers, or for the village he resided at: ''Shezor'' (probably in the vicinity of Sajur). He was a pupil of R. Tarfon, and in one of the disputes over

demai Demai (Mishnaic Hebrew: ) is a Halakhic term meaning "doubtful". The ''demai'' status applies to agricultural produce acquired from common people ( am ha'aretz) who are suspected of not correctly separating tithes according to Jewish law. As a ...

, he cites the ruling R. Tarfon had given him when an event occurred to him. A tomb site attributed to Simeon Shezuri is located in Sajur. The written tradition concerning this tomb site began in early 13th century, noted by

Menachem ben Peretz of Hebron Menachem ben Peretz of Hebron (or Menachem ben R. Peretz of Hebron, or Menachen ben Peretz; Hebrew: מנחם החברוני, pronounced: ''Menachem ha-Hevroni'', lit. Menachem of Hebron) is the alleged-name of a French Jew who spent several years in ...

who visited the area in 1215.

Teachings

His work is frequently recorded in the Mishnah
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography: * Heilprin, ''

Seder ha-Dorot The ''Seder HaDorot'' or "Book of Generations" (completed 1725, published 1768) by Lithuanian Rabbi Jehiel Heilprin (1660–1746) is a Hebrew-language chronological work that serves as a depot of multiple Hebrew language chronological books an ...

''
ii. 365
Warsaw, 1882; * Frankel
''Hodegetica in Mischnam''
pp. 131-132; *Brüll, ''Einleitung in die Mischna'', i. 138. and Talmud. The

amoraim ''Amoraim'' (Aramaic language, Aramaic: plural or , singular ''Amora'' or ''Amoray''; "those who say" or "those who speak over the people", or "spokesmen") refers to Jewish scholars of the period from about 200 to 500 Common Era, CE, who "sai ...

were divided regarding the status of his halachic rulings. Some believed that "wherever R. Simeon Shezuri stated his view, the halakha is in accordance with it" According to some views this is the case only when his opinion is recorded in the Mishnah, and according to other views, even when his opinion is cited in the baraita. Other amoraim, such as R. Jonathan, ruled that his views are in accordance with the halakha only in two instances: writing a divorce document for the dangerously ill, and terumat hamaaser on produce that belong to an "

am ha'aretz ''Am haaretz'' () or the people of the Land is a term found in the Hebrew Bible and (with a different meaning) in rabbinic literature. The world usually is a collective noun in Biblical Hebrew but occasionally pluralized as עמי הארץ ''amei ...

" - a "''

Demai Demai (Mishnaic Hebrew: ) is a Halakhic term meaning "doubtful". The ''demai'' status applies to agricultural produce acquired from common people ( am ha'aretz) who are suspected of not correctly separating tithes according to Jewish law. As a ...

'' tithe". This was the approach accepted by the Rishonim. Nonetheless, R. Shabbatai ha-Kohen showed that there are additional cases where the Rishonim ruled according to Simeon Shezuri, yet not in all instances. Shabbatai ha-Kohen, Yoreh De'ah 7

References

{{Tannaim Mishnah rabbis