Rabbi Eliezer • Rabbi Eliezer the Great
Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus
Era of the TannaimRabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus was one of the greatest Tannaim of the second generation, and a leading disciple of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. He was renowned for his immense diligence in Torah study and for his extraordinary memory, described as 'a plastered cistern that loses not a…
Biography
Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus was one of the greatest Tannaim of the second generation, and a leading disciple of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. He was renowned for his immense diligence in Torah study and for his extraordinary memory, described as 'a plastered cistern that loses not a drop.' He came from a wealthy and prominent family, and in his youth left his father's home to study Torah. He was counted among the sages of Beit Shammai, and was careful to rule and teach only according to the tradition he received from his teachers. The work 'Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer' is traditionally attributed to him, though later scholars suggest it was compiled at a later period.
Life Story
Childhood
Rabbi Eliezer was born into the family of Hyrcanus, a wealthy family of great estates. In his youth he did not study Torah, and only at a relatively late age did he decide to leave his father's home and go to study Torah under Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai in Jerusalem.
Teachers
His primary teacher was Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, with whom he studied for many years. He was counted among the five foremost disciples of Rabban Yochanan, and was described as 'a plastered cistern' that loses no drop of what it heard.
Students
Among his disciples were the giants of the next generation, including Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yishmael, Onkelos the Convert, Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri, and Rabbi Yosi ben Durmaskit.
Family
He was married to Ima Shalom, the sister of Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh, thus marrying into the family of the Nasi. His father Hyrcanus was a man of great wealth. He had several sons, among them Hyrcanus ben Eliezer.
Key Events
After the destruction of the Temple he settled in Yavneh and Lod. At one point he was called upon to determine the calendar, and traveled to Rome for that purpose. In his final years he fell ill and passed away in Caesarea.
Miracles
The rabbinic tradition recounts various miracles performed in his merit, including stories of his ability to influence nature through his holiness and Torah.
Influence
Rabbi Eliezer became one of the most influential Torah sages of his generation. His colleagues held his opinion in high regard, and even Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua would consult with him. His halachic approach, belonging to Beit Shammai, was preserved and transmitted onward.
Death
In his final years Rabbi Eliezer fell ill. His colleagues came to visit him, and on the twentieth of Tammuz he passed away. According to tradition he was buried in Lod, though some identify his burial place elsewhere in the Galilee.
Writings
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Attributed to the Tannaic periodMidrash, Aggadah, Creation
A midrashic work traditionally attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus. The work deals with the narratives of the Torah, halachic and aggadic midrash, and matters of the creation of the world. Later scholars believe it was compiled during the Geonic period or the Middle Ages, and is therefore considered pseudepigraphical.
His Way and Views
Torah Study
Rabbi Eliezer was very strict about diligence in Torah and about receiving tradition from his teachers. He refrained from innovating laws through his own reasoning, and preferred to teach only what he had heard from his teachers.
Halacha
He belonged to the school of Beit Shammai, and ruled halacha in their manner. His halachic opinions were often in dispute with the opinions of Beit Hillel.
Faith
He believed in the sanctity of tradition and in the importance of transmitting it from generation to generation without change.
Ethics
He emphasized the importance of honoring one's teacher and being careful with the dignity of Torah scholars.
Customs
He conducted himself with modesty and patience, and was careful to observe the mitzvot strictly as he had received them from his teachers.
Character
He was described as 'a plastered cistern' - a person whose memory is precise and who loses nothing of what he learned. He was known for his humility and devotion to Torah.
Public Role
He sat in the Sanhedrin in Yavneh and was involved in public affairs and the determination of the calendar.
Famous Quotes
"Be careful to honor your teachers and learn from each and every one"
"If I toiled and did not find - do not believe; if I did not toil and found - do not believe"
"Whoever is jealous of his students is as if jealous of himself"
Famous Stories
In his youth, Rabbi Eliezer left his wealthy father's home and walked barefoot and hungry to Jerusalem in order to study Torah under Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. When he arrived he was weak and hungry, and Rabban Yochanan took him in, fed him and gave him drink, and from then on he began to study Torah with great diligence.
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai described Rabbi Eliezer as 'a plastered cistern' - a clay vessel coated with plaster that loses no drop of what is poured into it, just as Rabbi Eliezer forgets nothing of what he hears from his teachers.
In his final days, when Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, his colleagues came to visit him. He bequeathed to them his Torah, and asked them to be careful about the honor of Torah scholars. On the twentieth of Tammuz he passed away, and his colleagues mourned him greatly.
Students
Teachers
Grave Site
Grave Details
- Grave Name
- Tomb of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus
- City
- Lod
- Country
- Israel
Grave location unavailable
Photo Gallery
Timeline
לידת רבי אליעזר בן הורקנוס בפרובינקיה יודיאה
עזיבת בית אביו והליכה לירושלים ללמוד תורה אצל רבן יוחנן בן זכאי
מעבר ליבנה והמשך פעילות תורנית יחד עם חבריו
יציאה לרומא לשם קביעת לוח השנה
פטירת רבי אליעזר בקיסריה בכ' בתמוז
Legacy
Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus is considered one of the pillars of the Oral Torah in the second generation of the Tannaim. His way of learning and transmitting tradition influenced his disciples, who continued the chain of Torah. His work 'Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer' is studied and researched to this day, and his stories and teachings are mentioned extensively in the Talmud and Midrash.