Simeon ben Judah ha-Nasi

Simeon ben Judah ha-Nasialso calledRabban b'Rabbiwas a 3rd-centuryTannain theLand of Israeland the younger son ofJudah ha-Nasi,who appointed Simeon ashakhamof hisyeshivahinBeit She'arim (Roman-era Jewish village).

Biography

Judah ha-Nasi had always intended that Simeon only become the hakham of his yeshivah, while Simeon's elder brotherGamalielwas to be Judah's successor asNasi.TheTalmudstates that Simeon transmitted traditions to illustrious contemporary scholars such asḤiyya the Greatwith whom he learnedPsalmsandBar Kappara,with whom he learnedhalakicmidrashimonLeviticus.Neither Hiyya or Bar Kappara recognized Simeon as their teacher and refused to honour him as such, which apparently upset Simeon. When his father was on his deathbed, he appointed Simeon as the hakham (similar torosh yeshiva) of his yeshivah in Beit She'arim (Roman-era Jewish village), previously stating that Simeon was "the light of Israel".

Maimonidestraditionally claimed 37 generations between him and Simeon, although, this has remained unproven.

Teachings

Simeon introduced several explanations in the Talmud, which he claimed to have been passed on from his father. The Talmud states that he did not approve of the fact that his father and grandfather,Simeon ben Gamaliel IIcited sayings ofRabbi Meirwithout mentioning his name.

One of his more famous teachings is about the later chapters ofRe'eh,which states a man will be rewarded for not drinking the blood of ananimal sacrifice.InMishnahMakkot3:15, Simeon explains that because one is rewarded for resisting an unnatural urge, one is rewarded even more so for resisting a natural urge such as robbery or unnatural fornication.