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 on three separate occasions. 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.
Now the Sages were faced with the dilemma of finding a replacement Nasi. They could not appoint Rabbi Yehoshua since such a move would be too painful to Rabbi Gamliel due his personal involvement in this incident. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus had already left the Sages and had started his own Yeshiva in Lud. Rabbi Tarphone lacked the generosity needed as a leader of the Jewish Nation. Rabbi Akiva was a descendent of converts and lacked the parental merit that would be needed to protect him from taking the position away from Rabbi Gamliel.
With no other choices eyes fell upon Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, a young prodigy. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, despite his young age of 18 had deep wisdom and knowledge. He had inherited tremendous wealth from his father and would be rispected by the ruling Roman government. His Yichus was also very strong as he was the tenth generation from Ezra the Scribe.
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 Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah had already attained great knowledge and had perfected almost all his attributes. Some of the Sages had been eying him since he was 16-17 years old from the first time Rabbi Gamliel had humiliated Rabbi Yehoshua.
Appointment as Nasi
Once the Sages agreed upon the appointment of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah they all came to visit him as he was not part of the meeting due to young age. They then asked him if he was willing to accept the position of Nasi, head of the Sanhedrin and Rosh Misivta. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said he first had to consul with his wife. One of the reasons for this is because the Mitzva of Onah for a Nasi is only once a month as apposed to a Talmid Chacham who has this obligation from Shabbos to Shabbos.
His wife told him that the Sages would eventually reconcile with Rabbi Gamliel and he would be returned to his former position. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah replied that it is worth using a valuable goblet for a day even if it were to break afterwords, meaning he should assume the position of Nasi despite that he did not expect it to last long term.
Like Seventy Years Old
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah's wife also pointed out that he looked very young and would not be respected. However that night a miracle took place and that night eighteen strands of his hair turned white giving him an elderly appearance. It is for this reason that Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah said "I am like seventy years old".
Rabbi Dosa ben Hurkenus
On That Day
The day Rabbi Eleazer ben Azarya was appointed as Nasi was a historically significant day due to the changes he instituted in the Bais Medrash and the great Torah debates that took place on that day, leading to many important Halachic conclusions. It was on this day that the discussions of Masseches Adiyus took place. When ever it says in the Talmud "on that day" it is referring to this day, other then the few times it is referring to the great debate between Bais Shami and Bais Hillel that took place in the attic of Chanaya ben Chizkyah ben Gurion.
Torah Open to All
Raban Gamliel had established a rule only allowing into the great Bais Medrash of the Sages students that had been screened and found worthy. When Rabbi Eleazer ben Azarya became Nasi he removed the guards from the Bais Medrash and allowed all Torah students to enter. On that day a few hundred benches were added to the Bais Medrash to accommodate all the new students.
Presidency Reverted to Rabbi Gamliel
On that day Rabbi Gamliel also came to participate in the Torah debates in the Bais Medrash despite having just been impeached from position of Nasi. During a debate he had with Rabbi Yehoshua regarding Yehuda the Amonite convert, Rabbi Gamliel acknowledged his supremacy in Torah and apologized for publicly degrading him. After the apology was issued, the Sages once again reinstated Rabbi Gamliel as Nasi but from then on he had to partially share the position with Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah. Rabban Gamliel would give the presidential sermon two out of every three Shabbasim and Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah would give the remaining Shabbos. According to some opinions Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was also appointed as Av Bais Din, a position formally held by Rabbi Yehoshua. Rabbi Gamliel and Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah shared this position in friendship and peace, often working together for the benefit of the nation.
Trips to Rome
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah made a number of trips to Rome with his fellow Sages including Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yehoshua to nullify harsh decrees against the Jewish Nation.
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'.
In the Mishna
Rabbi Elazer ben Azarya is mentioned around 37 times throughout the Mishna. He argues with Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Eleazar Chasma, Rabbi Tarphone, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Yishmoel and Rabbi Akiva.
Neighboors Cow
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah's neighbor would allow his cow to walk around on Shabbos with a ribbon tied between its horns. In accordance with his personal opinion in the laws of Shabbos which permits such action, Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah did not protest despite the fact that all the other Sages disagreed with his opinion. At one point the Sages approached him and gave him an ultimatum to either get rid of the ribbon or separate himself from their midst. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah ended up regretting his lack of protest to uphold the Sage's opinion so much that he fasted until his teeth darkened.
Masser Rishon to Cohen
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah held that one may give masser rishon to Cohanim if he wishes instead of Leviem. Rabbi Akiva on the other hand held that it was forbidden. When Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah himself went to collect masser rishon from a certain field owner, Rabbi Akiva approached the owner and made him seal off one of the two entrances to the field, leaving only the one entrance that could only be reached by passing through a cemetery. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah took the hint and conceded returning all the masroes that he had taken to that point.
Darshan
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was a big Darshan, so much that he was able to push away Rabbi Akiva when it came to expounding on Agadah.
Contemporaries and Friends
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah was friends with many of the Secound and Third Generation Tanaim including Rabbi Eleazer Hamodai, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Eleazar Chasma, Rabbi Tarphone, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Yishmoel, Rabbi Akiva, Ben Azzai, Rabbi Masyah ben Cheresh.
Approbations
- After hearing a student recite the Shabbos drasha just given by Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Yehoshua declared "The generation that has Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah amongst it are not orphans".
- When the Sages came to inform the Elder Rabbi Dosa ben Hurkanus about the appointment of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah as Nasi he said "I recognize him that he is a tenth generation and his eyes are similar to the eyes of Ezra". Rabbi Dosa ben Hurkanu according to some opinions was over four hundred years old at the time and has seen Ezra. According to other opinions he owned a portrait of Ezra or had seen him in visions or mystical revelations.
- Ben Azzai said "All the Sages of Israel are like the peal of a garlic upon me with the exception of this bald one". According to some opinions he was referring to Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah.
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
