Simeon the Yemenite

Simeon the Yemenite (Hebrew: שמעון התֵּימָנִי, translit: Shimon HaTeimani) or the variant Simeon of Timnah (Hebrew: שמעון התִּימְנִי, romanized: Shimon HaTimni) (fl. c. 80 - 120 CE)[1] was a third-generation Tanna of possible Yemenite origin who was active in Judaea.[2]

Rabbinical eras

Life

He was one of the three Simeons who were considered among the great "students" of the generation before the Bar Kokhba Revolt, the other two being Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma.[3] His teachers were Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon.[4][5] He had a daily study session with Judah ben Baba.[6] His teachings recorded in the Mishnah and Baraitot generally refer to matters of Halakhah, only a few being of an Aggadic nature.[4] Renowned for his ability to solve complex issues,[7] he was one of the most important sages of the Sanhedrin in Jabneh and was among the few who were proficient in seventy languages.[4] He reportedly died at a young age before gaining ordination and is therefore never referred to as "Rabbi".[7]

He is noted for saying: "A bastard is anyone who is born from an [illegal] union for which his parents are liable to kareth",[8] and which teaching comes to exclude a single parent who gave birth to a child outside of wedlock, and whose child is often wrongly called "bastard" under common law.

Origin

There is a dispute regarding Rabbi Simeon's origin, whether he was from Yemen or from the Judean town of Timnah. This is due to a variant reading of the Hebrew word "תימני‎" which can either be pronounced as "Teimani" or "Timni". A reference in tractate Ketubot is identified by Adin Steinsaltz as being "Shimon HaTimni", named so after his native town of Timnah.[4] This is a position taken by earlier commentators, such as Rashi (Ta'anit 19a), Bartenura (Mishnah Ta'anit 3, 7) and Machzor Vitri.[9] Steinsaltz suggest's he was active in his hometown, though he seems to have spent much of his time in the academy at Jabneh.[4] Other commentators believe this tanna was from Yemen, a view taken by Jacob Emden.[10] One attempt to reconcile the issue based on a list of tannaim prepared by Maimonides suggests that there were in fact two rabbis, one from Yemen and one from Timnah.[11] Another view suggests that he was from Teman, an important city of ancient Edom,[12] a view ratified by the Jewish Encyclopedia which calls him "Simeon of Teman".[13]

Selection of teachings
  • Simeon the Yemenite said: It was due to the observance of circumcision that God divided the Sea for them.[14]
  • Simeon the Yemenite said: They also sound the horn in the case of pestilence, but the Sages did not agree with him.[15]

References
  1. Shimon Applebaum (1976). Prolegomena to the study of the Second Jewish Revolt (A.D. 132-135). British Archaeological Reports. p. 21. ISBN 9780904531398. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  2. Lee I. Levine (1 December 1994). The Galilee in late antiquity. Jewish Theological Seminary of America. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-674-34114-2. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  3. Gedalia Alon (June 1977). The Jews in their land in the Talmudic age, 70-640 C.E. Magnes Press, the Hebrew University. p. 475. ISBN 9789652234681. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  4. Adin Steinsaltz (23 November 1993). The Talmud: The Steinsaltz Edition : Tractate Ketubot. Random House. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-679-42694-3. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  5. Y. M. Lau (2006). Rav Lau on Pirkei Avos: A Comprehensive Commentary on Ethics of the Fathers. Mesorah Publications. p. 304. ISBN 978-1-4226-0069-6.
  6. Mireille Hadas-Lebel (1 December 2006). Jerusalem against Rome. Peeters Publishers. p. 281. ISBN 978-90-429-1687-6. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  7. Yosaif Asher Weiss (2007). A daily dose of Torah. Artscroll-Mesorah Publications. p. 228. ISBN 978-1-4226-0601-8.
  8. Mishnah Yebamot 4:13; Babylonian Talmud, Yebamot 49a
  9. Nezikin Mishnah; Gavriel Finkel; Yehezkel Danziger (30 March 2007). The Mishnah. Mesorah Publications. p. 256. ISBN 978-1-4226-0521-9. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  10. Yehudah Leṿi Naḥum; Joseph Tobi (1981). מיצירות ספרותיות מתימן. הוצאת מפעל חשיפת גנזי תימן. p. 110.
  11. שמעון התִּימְנִי או שמעון התֵּימָנִי, nosachteiman.co.il.
  12. סלומון רובין (1888). מעשה מרכבה: אשר חזה הנביא יחזקאל : מבואר ברוח הבקרת החדשה בשני ספרים. בדפוס של געארג בראג.
  13. "Simeon of Teman". Jewish Encyclopedia. 1906. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  14. Fordham University (1992). Thought. Fordham University Press. p. 415.
  15. Leo Auerbach (2005). The Babylonian Talmud in Selection. Kessinger Publishing. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-4191-1951-4.
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