Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah
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| Hebrew: | |
|---|---|
| רבי אלעזר בן עזריה | |
| Spelling: | |
| Elazer, Elazar, Eleazer, Azarya, Azaryah | |
| Other Names: | |
| Eleazar Hanasi, | |
| Meaning of Name: | |
| G-D helped, G-D help | |
| Description: | |
| Second generation Tana from a priestly family who temporarily served as Nasi. |
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was a second generation Tana who was temporarily appointed as Nasi when Rabbi Gamliel was expelled from his position. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was a Kohena and tenth generation from Ezra Hasofer.
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His Father Azariah
Rabbi Eleazar was born to Azariah, a wealthy and respected Kohen around thirteen years before the destruction of the Secound Temple. Azariah was a 9th generation direct descendent of Ezra Hasofer. Quite knowledgeable in Torah himself Rebbe Azarya was called a 'friend' by Rabbi Dosa ben Hurkenes, one of the leading elders of the generation. Azariah was very wealthy and supported his brother Shimon so he could spend all his time learning Torah, subsequently this Tana is always referred to as 'Shimon brother of Azaria'.
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was still a young child when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zaki passed away.
Teachers
Rabbi Eleazar studied Torah under his father Rabbi Azayah during his early youth and later under Rabbi Yossi Haglili.
Rabbi Yossi Haglili
Predicting the upcoming doom and destruction of the Temple, Rabbi Azariah gathered all his wealth and family and moved out of Central Eretz Yisroel, heading North, where conditions were slightly better. In the North, young Eleazar became a student of Rabbi Yossi Haglili.
Rabbi Yossi Haglili had a nasty wife but could not afford to pay her Ketuvah and divorce her. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah offered his teacher to pay for the Ketuvah from his fathers wealth but the latter did not take him up on the offer.
Rabbi Yossi Haglili is considered a third generation Tana while his early student Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah is listed amongst the second generation Tanaim. This is because Rabbi Yossi Haglili did not leave the North until years later when he traveled down to Kerem Byavneh and revealed his great wisdom in front of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarphon. His main activity was therefore amongst the third generation Tanaim, while his younger student was appointed as Nasi years before and his main correspondences were with the second generation Tanaim.
Yavneh
After the destruction of the Second Temple, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zaki gathered all the surviving Sages and reestablished the Sanhedrin in Yavneh. Rabbi Azariah gathered his family and they moved to Yavneh the new center of Torah, his son Rabbi Eleazer was now able to study in the Bais Medrash of the Sages.
Even before he was appointed as Nasi, Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was very respected in the eyes of the Sages. We find him along with Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarphone reciting the Story of the Exudos from Egypt on the night of the Seder in Beni Brak. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus was excommunicated before Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was appointed as Nasi, making only 16 - 17 years old at the time. There are however opinions that say it was referring to Rabbi Eleazar be Aruch in his place.
Nasi
In the aftermath of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, Rabbi Gamliel was determined to unify the Sages into one central authority to prevent the Jewish nations from splintering into factions. He felt that by strengthening his position as Nasi he would be able to do that. When he felt strong Halachic controversy from the Av Bais Din, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanaya he openly degraded him three times. After the third time the other Sages were unable to continue watching the humiliation of Rabbi Yehoshua and they together decided to remove Rabbi Gamliel from his position as Nasi.
This was particularly impressive considering all the great Sages of Yavneh whom were alive at the time. This was a sign that even at that young age he had already attained great knowledge and had perfected almost all his attributes.
One of the Sages
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was amongst the Sages that went to visit Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus on his death bed and to appease him for his excommunication due to the incident of the 'Oven of Achnai'.
Friends
Rabbi Eleazer Hamodai
Kever Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah is buried in Alama right after the Kevarim of Rabbi Yossi Hakohen, Rabbi Eleazar ben Aruch and Rabbi Shimon ben Nisanel. A few feet away from Kever Rabbi Eleazar is the Kever of his father Azariah.
- Kever Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah Photo Gallery
