Pirkei Avot Ch. 4 - with Bios

Biography: This chapter mostly contains sayings of rabbis who lived at the same time as Rabbi Judah HaNasi (around 200 CE) and/or were students of Rabbi Akiba.

Ben Zoma's full name is "Shimon ben Zoma", but he is frequently called "Ben Zoma". His teacher was Rabbi Joshua ben Chananiah and he overlapped with Rabbi Akiba (most active around 110-135 CE). Ben Zoma was well-known for his wisdom, and it was said that seeing him in one's dreams was an omen for becoming wise (Brachot 57b). Ben Zoma was also such a good sermon-giver that when he died it was said that the last of the great sermon-givers had passed away (Sotah 49a).

There is a story that Ben Zoma and 3 other rabbis “entered ‘Pardes'“ -- Ben Azzai died, Ben Zoma lost his mind, Elisha ben Abuya became an apostate, and Rabbi Akiba was fine. Gershom Scholem, a 20th century scholar of Jewish mysticism, interprets “Pardes” to be Gnosticism, which was a type of Greek philosophy (Chagigah 14b).

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: This saying was said by Shimon ben Azzai, but he usually was called "ben Azzai". He was active around the same time as Ben Zoma (110-135 CE).

One of Ben Azzai's teachers was Rabbi Joshua ben Chananiah, and Ben Azzai would sometimes quote this teacher to disagree with Rabbi Akiba (for example Ta'anit 4:4). Ben Azzai also studied with Rabbi Tarfon. All this notwithstanding, Ben Azzai was a dedicated student of Rabbi Akiba.

Ben Azzai was considered such a diligent student that when he died it was said that "the last of the truly diligent has passed away" (Sotah 49a). Perhaps it was this trait which explains why Rabbi Akiba's daughter betrothed herself to Ben Azzai and then sent him off to study, just like her mother Rachel did to Rabbi Akiba (Ketubot 63a). On the other hand, he seems to have been so enamored of study that he broke off his engagement (Sotah 4b:2).

There is a story that Ben Azzai and 3 other rabbis “entered ‘Pardes’ “ -- Ben Azzai died, Ben Zoma lost his mind, Elisha ben Abuya became an apostate, and Rabbi Akiba was fine. Gershom Scholem, a 20th century scholar of Jewish mysticism, interprets “Pardes” to be Gnosticism, which was a type of Greek philosophy (Chagigah 14b).

If somebody saw ben Azzai in a dream it was considered an omen of piety (Brachot 57b).

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: More ben Azzai.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Levitas lived in Yavneh in the 100s CE and was a contemporary of Rabban Gamliel II. He does not appear again in the Talmud, but is quoted three times in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (23:11, 52:5, and 54:2). This seems to indicate that the compiler of Pirkei Avot was more concerned with the importance of the saying than of the sayer. We also know that the rabbis who lived in Yavneh were modest and not snobbish (Brachot 17a).

Biography: Rabbi Yochanan ben Berokah was a disciple of Rabbi Joshua ben Chananiah and he was influenced heavily by Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri. He was a contemporary of Rabbi Akiba, and he may have survived the Bar-Kochba Revolt (135 CE). He was a colleague of Eliezer ben Chisma and was an authority on civil law. His decisions are found throughout the Talmud, but not frequently. When it comes to statements about women, his thoughts are usually the minority opinion.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: This Rabbi Ishmael was the son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Berokah (not the Rabbi Ishmael who was killed by the Romans). He lived in the second half of the 100s CE and was a close colleague of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel II.

Biography: Rabbi Tzadok lived before the destruction of the Second Temple, which as a priest he officiated in. He tried to fast for 40 years to prevent it from being destroyed; when he felt like he had to have nourishment, he would suck out the liquid from fresh figs. When Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai met with General Vespasian, he asked the general for the city of Yavneh, the safety of the descendants of Hillel, and a doctor to heal Rabbi Tzadok. The doctor gave Rabbi Tzadok water with bran, and then the next day water with coarser bran, then the next day water with flour, and so on until he was able to handle regular food again. (Gittin 56a-b). Although Rabbi Tzadok was a student of Shammai, he often ruled according to Hillel.

Alternatively, this might be Rabbi Tzadok, the grandson of the aforementioned Rabbi Tzadok. He was a contemporary of Rabbi Ishmael, but on the other hand, he was taken captive to Rome.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta, a contemporary of Rabban Gamliel II, was referred to sometimes as Rabbi Yosei the Great (Avodah Zara 8b). A leader of the post-Bar-Kochba period (135-170 CE), he was ordained by Rabbi Judah ben Baba during a period when the Romans were threatening death to anybody who ordained, was ordained, or lived in the city where ordination happened. Rabbi Judah ben Baba ordained Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta (and Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Judah, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua) between two cities; when they were discovered by the Romans, their elderly teacher told them to flee and vowed to make himself an immovable boulder for the Romans. He was pierced by 300 Roman spears, but the students got away. (Avodah Zara 8b). Rabbi Judah ben Baba is one of the 10 Martyrs that we read about in the Yom Kippur Martyrology service.

Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta was a leather-worker (Shabbat 49b), but he was one of the first Jews interested in history and he is given credit for writing Sefer Olam Rabba, a book of Jewish history from the creation of the world through the Hadrianic Persecutions. The book in fact mostly dates from his time, so it's entirely possible that he wrote it. He also transmitted many traditions from his father, so he had a historical / teaching mindset. Rabbi Yosei also held a skeptical view of some of the Tanach, arguing that the Divine Presence never fully descended to the earth nor did Elijah ascend to Heaven (Sukkah 5a).

Once Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta was talking with a Roman lady and she wanted to know what G-d has been doing since the sixth day of Creation. "Making marriage matches." "Really? You think that it takes G-d to pull that off? Why, I have 1000 male and female slaves, I'll match them all tonight." The next day, she sent for Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta. "You were right. This morning I had 1000 people complaining to me about the matches that I made. It must take G-d to make successful matches."(Genesis Rabba 68:4)

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: This Rabbi Ishmael is the son of Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta (not the Rabbi Ishmael who was killed by the Romans). Rabbi Ishmael succeeded his father as the leader of the town of Tzippori/Sepphoris (Eruvin 86b:10), and almost all of the halacha he teaches is in his father's name. He went to learn from Rabbi Judah HaNasi and had to step over some other students to get to a spot. Rabbi Judah's assistant said to him, "Who are you and what are you doing here?" "I'm Ishmael, the son of Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta, and I am here to learn from Rabbi Judah." "Are you sure you're worthy to learn from him?" "Was Moses worthy to learn from G-d?" "Are you Moses?" "And is the teacher G-d?" (Yevamot 105b). Eventually he was involved in Rabbi Judah HaNasi's editing of the Mishnah.

Rabbi Ishmael was also very careful not to take bribes. He owned an orchard, and somebody rented a part of it and paid every Friday with a small portion of the fruit he picked that week. One week the man brought the fruit on Thursday. When Rabbi Ishmael asked why, the man said that he was a party in a lawsuit being decided by Rabbi Ishmael that day, and so he figured he would save himself a trip. Rabbi Ishmael did not accept the fruit, and he also recused himself from the case (Ketubot 105b).

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: More Rabbi Ishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Jonathan does not come up anywhere else in the Mishnah. However, in Avot d'Rabbi Natan (a parallel version of Pirkei Avot), this saying is said by "Rabbi Natan ben Yosef" (30:1), and this pegs him as Jonathan the son of Joseph, a student of Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha who later learned from Rabbi Akiba as well. This puts him as active from 135-170 CE. He comes up frequently in the Mechilta (Rabbinic exposition on Exodus) and the Sifrei (Rabbinic exposition on Numbers and Deuteronomy)

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Meir, active from 135-170 CE, was the most famous disciple of Rabbi Akiba. He was so respected for his wisdom that it was said, “One who simply touches Rabbi Meir’s walking stick becomes wise” (Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 29b). Rabbi Meir was also considered so good at explaining things via stories that when he died it was said that the last of the great parable-tellers had passed away (Sotah 49a).

Rabbi Meir continued Rabbi Akiba’s work of organizing the oral tradition thematically (Sanhedrin 86a:3) (Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 5:1:11). This made it easier for Rabbi Judah HaNasi to put the Mishnah together in 200 CE.

Rabbi Meir learned from everybody, including the apostate Elisha ben Abuya. It was said of him that he treated his lessons from Elisha like a pomegranate - he used the good parts and threw away the rest (Chagiga 15a). In the Talmud Elisha is referred to as “Acher” (“Other”), and this may be why Rabbi Meir is sometimes referred to as “Acheirim” (“Others”).

Rabbi Meir liked to give public classes on Friday evening. One time the class went longer than usual, and when one of the attendees returned home her husband became furious at her delay. He drove her out of their house, saying that he wouldn't let her in until she spat in Rabbi Meir's eye 3 times. When Rabbi Meir heard this, he had it be known that he had an eye ailment which could only be cured by spitting in it. The woman did so and her husband let her back in the house. (Leviticus Rabba 9:9)

Rabbi Meir's wife was Beruriah, the daughter of Rabbi Chananiah ben Teradion, and a scholar in her own right (Pesachim 62b:9). Once there were some troublemakers bothering him and he prayed that they should die. Beruriah urged him to pray that they would stop causing trouble, thus solving the problem without killing anybody. (Brachot 10a).

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: There are 2 Tanna'im (rabbis during the time of the Mishnah) named Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob. The one who said this was probably one of Rabbi Akiba's students (active around 135-170 CE), who later became a member of the Sanhedrin in Usha (Shir HaShirim Rab 2:5:3). He and his students often disagreed with Rabbi Ishmael and his students. Alternatively, it could have been said by one of the students of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai (so, active around 100 CE), who was highly respected for his knowledge about the Temple. Given that the other sayings around this one are by students of Rabbi Akiba, it is more likely the former option.

Rabbi Yochanan was probably a sandal-maker, but possibly got the name "Hasandlar" because it sounded like "the Alexandrian" and he was from Alexandria, Egypt. He was one of the last students of Rabbi Akiba and managed to survive the Hadrianic Persecutions (after 135 CE). He had strong opinions about the correct transmission of Rabbi Akiba's teachings, and once tangled with Rabbi Meir over who remembered their teacher's sayings better (Jerusalem Talmud, Chagigah 15a-b / 3:1)

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua was one of the last students of Rabbi Akiba (so, active around 135-170 CE). He started a school in the Galilee; it became so well-known that the Nasi, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, sent his son, Judah, there to learn. Even when Judah grew up to become the Nasi (a.k.a. Rabbi Judah HaNasi), he continued to take classes at that school. Rabbi Elazar was so respected that Rashi commented that any unidentified Mishnaic "Rabbi Elazar" is Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua (Rashi on Shabbat 19b:1).

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: This Rabbi Judah is Rabbi Judah ben Illai, not Rabbi Judah HaNasi. He was a student of Rabbi Akiba (so, active around 135-170 CE) and comes up very frequently in the Mishnah (where he is mentioned without his father's name usually). He first learned from his father, Rabbi Ilai, who was a student of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanos, and then Rabbi Judah traveled to Lod to study with Rabbi Tarfon before studying with Rabbi Akiba. He was ordained by Rabbi Judah ben Bava at a time when ordaining new rabbis would lead the Romans to kill you and destroy the city you were in (and in fact his teacher died while giving Rabbi Judah ben Ilai time to escape) (Sanhedrin 14a:1-3).

Rabbi Judah, while very learned and very Jewish, was willing to accept the blessings of modernity (in that time, the Romans). His statement about the benefits that the Romans had brought (marketplaces, bridges, bathhouses) triggered Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to disparage the Romans, thus leading him to hide in a cave for 13 years (Shabbat 33b:5).

Rabbi Judah thought that having an occupation was very important, teaching that parents who don't teach their children a trade instead teach them robbery (Kiddushin 29a:10).

One of the distinguishing features of Rabbi Judah ben Illai was that he was always cheerful and his face seemed to have a bit of a shine to it. An important woman once remarked to him that it was scandalous that he was a Jewish teacher and also a drunkard. He promised her that the only time he drank was the Four Cups on Passover, and then he had a headache until Shavuot. Rather, his contentment in life and joy in study was what made it seem as if he was drunk. (Kohelet Rabba 8:1:4)

Biography: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai lived around 100-170 CE, primarily active from 135 on. When the Mishnah says “Rabbi Shimon”, it is referring to him. He was one of the 5 students of Rabbi Akiba to survive the Bar-Kochba Revolt and managed to study with Rabbi Akiba even when the latter was in prison (Pesachim 112a). He spoke negatively about the Romans; the Romans sought to arrest him and he fled to a cave for 13 years until he heard they were no longer looking for him (Shabbat 33b). When he came out, he sought to improve the world as a way of thanking G-d for his deliverance. There was a town which priests avoided because it wasn’t clear if people were buried underneath it. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai marked where the ground was soft, and everywhere else it was certain that nobody was buried there. Because priests could now walk through (and shop in) the city, this was an improvement for everybody (Shabbat 34a).

Once there was a childless couple who came to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai for a divorce. Rabbi Shimon could see that they loved each other, so he suggested that just as they started their marriage with joy, they should end it with a feast also. When the husband was drunk, he told his wife that she could take whatever thing she loved the most to her parents’ house as a reminder of their marriage. Then he passed out. When he woke up the next morning, he found that HE was what she had taken to her parents’ house. The couple returned to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who prayed successfully for them to have a child (Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:4).

It is said that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai wrote the mystical book of The Zohar, but modern scholars generally conclude that it was written by Moses de Leon in the 1200s in Spain. According to Moses de Leon’s widow, he attributed it to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai so people would buy more copies.

What do these sayings have to do with our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Nehorai was a Tanna (rabbi during the time of the Mishnah), possibly active during the 100s CE. He has a number of sayings in the Talmud, some said to be in discussion with the Prophet Elijah (https://www.sefaria.org/search?q=Nehorai&tab=text&tpathFilters=Mishnah|Talmud&tvar=1&tsort=relevance&svar=1&ssort=relevance).

Nonetheless, later Amoraim (rabbis during the time of the Gemara) thought that he might have been the same person as Rabbi Meir, because Meir and Nehorai are Hebrew and Aramaic respectively for “illuminate”, as in “they illuminated Halacha in the eyes of the Sages” (Eruvin 13b:4).

Other Amoraim thought that Rabbi Nehorai was the same as Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, because Nehorai’s saying in Pirkei Avot reminded them of the experience of Elazar ben Arach (Shabbat 147b:12). This is because Rabbi Elazar ben Arach decided to leave the other disciples of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai in order to go Damasit on grounds of the good sweet water there. The others wanted to be in Yavneh on grounds of the Torah scholars there. Subsequently, his reputation in Torah study diminished, while theirs grew. (Avot d’Rabi Natan 14:6). According to another version of this story, Rabbi Elazar ben Arach went with his wife to Eima'os because of the beauty of the scenery and the pleasantness of the water. He hoped that the other disciples would join him there, but when they didn't he wanted to go to them (unclear if he wanted his wife to move too). His wife dissuaded him, saying that he was superior in learning so they should come to him. They didn't, and he forgot all of his Torah knowledge (Kohelet Rabba 7:7:2).

Nowhere in the Talmud does it say why either Rabbi Meir or Rabbi Elazar ben Arach would have some things ascribed to them in their own name and other things ascribed to them as Rabbi Nehorai.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Yannai was a student of Rabbi Judah haNasi, meaning that he was active in the early 200s CE. It is unclear if he is the same Rabbi Yannai who is mentioned in the Gemara, in which case he planted 400 vineyards (Bava Batra 14a:7) and would greet the Shabbat Queen on Fridays by saying "Enter O bride, enter O bride" (Bo'i kallah, bo'i kallah) (Shabbat 119a:2), or if this Rabbi Yannai appears nowhere except for this saying in Pirkei Avot (in which case he might be the father of Rabbi Dostai, who is quoted in Pirkei Avot 3:8).

Biography: Rabbi Matya ben Charash, a student of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, was forced to leave the Land of Israel during the Bar-Kochba Revolt (135 CE) and go to Rome, where he started a Talmudic academy (Sanhedrin 32b:10). He was sorry to not be among the Torah scholars in the Land of Israel and stayed in correspondence with them, participating in their discussions. He also declared that it was obligatory to feed somebody on Yom Kippur if it would save their life, and one must break Shabbat if there is the slightest possibility that doing so would save a life (Yoma 8:6).

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Biography: Rabbi Jacob is Rabbi Jacob ben Korshai, the grandson of Elisha ben Abuya. He was the confidante of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel II, the student of Rabbi Meir, and the teacher of Rabbi Judah HaNasi. Rabbi Jacob was active from 135-170 CE. The use of Greek loan-words for "vestibule" and "banqueting hall" indicate a familiarity with Roman culture, even as they get applied to Jewish concepts.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: More Rabbi Jacob.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar is possibly the son of Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua (see Pirkei Avot 4:12), or possibly the son of Rabbi Elazar of Bartota (see Pirkei Avot 3:7), or perhaps somebody else. No matter whom his father is, his teacher was Rabbi Meir, whom he frequently quoted, and he was a colleague of Rabbi Judah HaNasi. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar lived in Tiberias and was active around 170-200 CE.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Samuel the Younger (or possibly, "Samuel the Little", meaning "the Humble") lived at Yavneh around 80-110 CE.

During the time of the Great Assembly (some time pre-165 BCE), they came up with the 18 blessings that make up the weekday Amidah. These were put in order by Rabbi Shimon haPakuli during the time of Rabban Gamliel I. During the time of Samuel the Younger, there were many informers among the Jews who would report back to the Romans. The rabbis found it necessary to create a blessing in the weekday Amidah, asking G-d to frustrate the hopes of those who malign the Jews. Rabban Gamliel II asked if any of the rabbis felt up to creating this blessing and Samuel the Younger took it on. Although there are now 19 blessings in the weekday Amidah, it still retains the name "the Shmonah-Esray", meaning "the Eighteen". (Brachot 28b:23)

Deciding whether a year should be a leap year used to be an invitation-only affair until the calendar was standardized by Hillel the Second in 359 CE. Once, Rabban Gamliel II invited 7 rabbis to help figure this out, but 8 showed up. Samuel the Younger, who had actually been invited, claimed that he had come only to learn and not to participate, in order to spare the actual uninvited rabbi from embarrassment. (Sanhedrin 11a:1-2)

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: It was said that if somebody saw Elisha ben Abuya in a dream it was an omen of calamity (Brachot 57b). It may be that this is because Elisha once saw a boy follow his father's request to shoo away a mother bird and take the eggs from the nest. The boy did as he was requested, but fell out of the tree and died. Since both of these things are supposed to ensure long life (Deut. 5:16, 22:7), and yet that didn't happen, Elisha decided to start searching for truth in Greek philosophy (Kiddushin 39b:13).

Alternatively, Elisha ben Abuya may have become an apostate after joining Rabbi Akiba, ben Zoma, and ben Azzai in "entering the Pardes" (either a mystical experience or Gnosticism). He became known as "Acher", "Other", because after he left Judaism he desecrated Shabbat to propose to a maiden. She replied, "I thought you were Elisha ben Abuya, but I see that you are an other person". (Chagigah 15b:7)

Elisha ben Abuya was a teacher of Rabbi Meir, who also learned with Rabbi Akiba (a well-respected teacher by all). This may have inspired jealousy. Rabbi Akiba didn't start learning until he was 40 (Avot d'Rabi Natan 6:2), and that may have played into Elisha's saying.

Biography: Rabbi Yosei ben Judah was the son and student of Rabbi Judah ben Ilai. He was active during the late 100s CE. Rabbi Yosei was a contemporary of Rabbi Judah haNasi (Nedarim 62a, Pesachim 112b).

Biography: Rabbi Judah HaNasi was born to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel II in 135 CE (and died in 200 CE), which was the same year that the Romans suppressed the Bar-Kochba Revolt and only 65 years after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. The national trauma was still fresh, and the Sanhedrin was hunted by the Romans and thus not providing any unifying leadership. Without a central address to settle questions, the Oral Tradition was in danger of being lost. When Rabbi Judah became the first Nasi (Patriarch - same Hebrew title, but different function than the President of the Sanhedrin) in 161 CE (some say from 170-200 CE), he resolved to solve this by collecting all of the sayings of the rabbis and organizing them into 6 categories ("orders", or "sedarim") and 63 sub-categories ("tractates", or "masechtot"). Rabbi Akiba and his student Rabbi Meir had already had a go at this, so some of the work was done in previous generations. Not all of the sayings made it into the Mishnah; those were collected and called "baraitas", and they frequently appear in the Talmud (the "Tosefta" is a collection of baraitas). It's not clear that Rabbi Judah HaNasi wanted to "fix" the law; he may have intended to only write down what everybody thought so that future generations could decide what to do. For his efforts, Rabbi Judah HaNasi is sometimes just called "Rabbi".

It is also noteworthy that the Roman emperor at the time was Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Antoninus Pius), a philosopher who showed respect and friendship to the leaders of defeated nations. The Christian Church Father Hieronymus, as well as the Talmud and Midrash, tells of stories involves Rabbi Judah and Antoninus. For example, Rabbi Judah once made a cold meal for Antoninus on Shabbat, and later a warm meal on a weekday. When the Emperor said that the cold food tasted better, Rabbi Judah said that it was because of something called "the Shabbat spice" (Genesis Rabbah 11:4).

It was said that Rabbi Judah HaNasi was so wise that anybody who saw him in a dream was being given an omen of wisdom (Brachot 57b).

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: Rabbi Elazar Ha-kappar was a colleague of Rabbi Judah HaNasi (so, around 170-200 CE). He was reportedly originally from Cyprus. He is often called "The Distinguished", and an archeological site in the Golan Heights turned up a mantle-lintel with the inscription "This is the bet midrash of Elazar ha-Kappar" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleazar_ha-Kappar). He had a son named Rabbi Eliezer and his top student was Rabbi Joshua ben Levi. He has a few halachic statements in baraitas and halachic midrash, and a large number of moral and aggadaitic statements in the Mishnah, Gemara, and midrashim.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biography: More Rabbi Elazar ha-Kappar.

How are these sayings relevant to our lives today?

Biographies from Pirke Aboth, edited by Isaac Unterman, 1964, with a little from Pirkei Avot, edited by Leonard Kravitz and Kerry Olitzky, 1993, as well as some from the biographies on Sefaria.org and from the Koren edition of Ta’anit.