Simeon ben Zoma
Rabbinical eras |
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Simeon ben Zoma, also known as Simon ben Zoma, Shimon ben Zoma or simply Ben Zoma (
Esoteric contemplation
Ben Zoma was specially noted as an interpreter of the
The principal subject of Ben Zoma's exegetic research was the first chapter of the
Ben Zoma was one of the four who entered into the garden of esoteric knowledge (see
The Pardes legend allowed the rabbinate to examine Christian claims and Greek philosophical ideas while formulating the talmudic tradition although the subject never completed his ordination.[3] Conversion to Christianity was the result of the subject's alleged insanity according to Samson H. Levey.[4]
Halachic teachings
Ben Zoma's erudition in the
Only a few of Ben Zoma's exegetic teachings have been preserved. The most widely known of these is his interpretation of the phrase, "that you may remember the day when you came forth out of Egypt"[6] to prove that the recitation of the biblical passage referring to the Exodus[7] is obligatory for the evening prayer as well as for the morning prayer. This interpretation, quoted with praise by Eleazar ben Azariah,[8] has found a place in the Haggadah for the Passover night.
In a
Aggadah
Ben Zoma, seeing the crowds on the Temple Mount, said,
Ben Zoma once saw a multitude [okhlosa] of Israel while standing on a stair on the Temple Mount. He immediately recited: Blessed… Who knows all secrets and Blessed… Who created all these to serve me. Explaining his custom, he would say: How much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found bread to eat: He plowed, sowed, reaped, sheaved, threshed, winnowed in the wind, separated the grain from the chaff, ground the grain into flour, sifted, kneaded, and baked and only thereafter he ate. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Human society employs a division of labor, and each individual benefits from the service of the entire world. Similarly, how much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found a garment to wear? He sheared, laundered, combed, spun and wove, and only thereafter he found a garment to wear. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Members of all nations, merchants and craftsmen, diligently come to the entrance of my home, and I wake up and find all of these before me.
In the closing words of Ecclesiastes, "for this is the whole man," he found the thought expressed, that the pious man is the crown and end of mankind; the whole race ("the whole world") was created only to be of service to him who fears God and respects His commandments.[11]
Quotes
- Ben Zoma would say:
- Who is wise? He who learns from everyone. As is stated: "From all my teachers I have grown wise";[12]
- Who is strong? He who controls his impulses. As is stated: "Better one who is slow to anger than one with might, one who rules his spirit than the captor of a city.";[13]
- Who is rich? He who is happy with what he has. As is stated: "If you eat of toil of your hands, fortunate are you, and good is to you";[14] "fortunate are you" in this world, "and good is to you" in the World to Come;
- Who is honored? He who honors everyone! As is stated: "For to those who honor me, I accord honor; those who scorn me shall be demeaned;"[15][16]
- A grateful guest says, "That host be remembered for good! How many wines he brought up before me; how many portions he placed before me; how many cakes he offered me! All that he did, he did for my sake." But the ill-willed guest says, "What did I eat of his? A piece of bread, a bite of meat. What did I drink? A cup of wine. Whatever he did, he did for the sake of his wife and his children." Thus the Scripture says,[17] "Remember that thou magnify His work, whereof men have sung."[18]
- If you, in repentance, have been ashamed in this world, you will not need to be ashamed before God in the next.[19]
References
- Naz.8:1
- ^ Genesis Rabbah 4
- ^ Sweeney, Marvin A. “Pardes Revisited Once Again: A Reassessment of the Rabbinic Legend Concerning the Four Who Entered Fardes.” Shofar, vol. 22, no. 4, 2004, p. 54. JSTOR website Retrieved 2 Aug. 2022.
- ^ Samson Halevi Levey and Stanley Franklin Chyet. (1998). The text and I : writings of Samson H. Levey. Series:South Florida studies in the history of Judaism, 16. Atlanta, Georgia:Scholars Press. p. 45.
- Berachot57b
- ^ Deuteronomy 16:3
- ^ Numbers 15:37–41
- Berachot1:5
- Pesachim22b)
- ^ "Berakhot 58a:4". www.sefaria.org.
- Arukh, s.v., 5
- ^ Psalms 119:99
- ^ Proverbs 16:32
- ^ Psalms 128:2
- ^ 1 Samuel 2:30
- ^ Pirkei Avot, Chapter 4:1
- ^ Book of Job 36:24
- ^ Tosefta, Brachot 6:5
- ^ Exodus Rabbah 30:19
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Marcus Jastrow and Wilhelm Bacher (1901–1906). "Ben Zoma". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. It has the following bibliography:
- W. Bacher, Agada der Tannaiten, i. 429;
- Z. Frankel, Darke ha-Mishnah, pp. 134–136;
- H. Graetz, History of the Jews, ii. 358, 381;
- Weiss, Dor, ii. 126;
- Braunschweiger, Lehrer der Mischnah, pp. 257–259.