Levi ben Sisi
Encyclopedia
Levi ben Sisi or Levi bar Sisi (Sisyi, Susyi, Hebrew: לוי בר סיסי) was a Jewish scholar, disciple of the patriarch Judah I, and school associate of his son Simeon (Ab. Zarah 19a); one of the semi-tannaim
of the last decades of the 2nd century and of the early decades of the 3rd century.
Levi ben Sisi assisted Judah in the compilation of the Mishnah
and contributed baraitot (Yoma
24a). Many of Levi's baraitot were eventually embodied in a compilation known as Ḳiddushin de-Be Levi (Ḳid. 76b; B. B.
52b). In the Babylonian Talmud Levi is seldom quoted with his patronymic, and neither in that nor in the Jerusalem Talmud
nor in the Midrashim is he quoted with the title of "Rabbi". Keeping this in mind, the student of rabbinics will easily determine whether passages written under the name "Levi" without a patronymic must be credited to Levi bar Sisi or to a younger namesake who is almost always cited as "R. Levi" (see Levi II
). But although Levi bar Sisi is not given the title "Rab," he was highly esteemed among the learned, and in many instances where an anonymous passage is introduced with the statement למדין לפני חכמים (= "it was argued before the sages") it is to be understood that the argument referred to was advanced by Levi before Judah I (Sanh. 17b; comp. Men. 80b; Me'i. 9b; see Rashi
and Tos. ad loc.).
Judah I later spoke of Levi bar Sisi as of an equal. But the latter did not always succeed in impressing the public. At the request of a congregation at Simonias to send it a man who could act at once as lecturer, judge, superintendent of the synagogue, public scribe, and teacher, and attend to the general congregational affairs, Judah I sent Levi. When, however, Levi entered on office he signally failed to satisfy the first requirement. Questions of law and of exegesis were addressed to him, and he left them unanswered. The Simonias congregation charged the patriarch with having sent it an unfit man, but the patriarch assured it that he had selected for it a man as able as himself. He summoned Levi and propounded to him the questions originally propounded by the congregation; Levi answered every one correctly. Judah thereupon inquired why he did not do so when the congregation submitted those questions; Levi answered that his courage had failed him (Yer. Yeb. xii. 13a; comp. Yeb. 105a; Gen. R. lxxxi. 2). A late midrash
speaks of him as a Biblical scholar and good lecturer (Pesiḳ. xxv. 165b).
After Judah's death Levi retired with Ḥanina b. Ḥama from the academy, and when Ḥanina received his long-delayed promotion Levi removed to Babylonia
, whither his fame had preceded him (Shab. 59b; see Ḥanina b. Ḥama). He died in Babylonia, and was greatly mourned by scholars. In the course of a eulogy on him delivered by Abba bar Abba
it was said that Levi alone was worth as much as the whole of humanity (Yer. Ber.
ii. 5c).
Tannaim
The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...
of the last decades of the 2nd century and of the early decades of the 3rd century.
Levi ben Sisi assisted Judah in the compilation of the Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
and contributed baraitot (Yoma
Yoma
Yoma is the fifth tractate of Seder Moed of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. It is concerned mainly with the laws of the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur, on which Jews atone for their sins from the previous year...
24a). Many of Levi's baraitot were eventually embodied in a compilation known as Ḳiddushin de-Be Levi (Ḳid. 76b; B. B.
Bava Batra
Bava Batra is the third of the three tractates in the Talmud in the order Nezikin; it deals with a person's responsibilities and rights as the owner of property. It is part of Judaism's oral law...
52b). In the Babylonian Talmud Levi is seldom quoted with his patronymic, and neither in that nor in the Jerusalem Talmud
Jerusalem Talmud
The Jerusalem Talmud, talmud meaning "instruction", "learning", , is a collection of Rabbinic notes on the 2nd-century Mishnah which was compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century. The voluminous text is also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud de-Eretz Yisrael...
nor in the Midrashim is he quoted with the title of "Rabbi". Keeping this in mind, the student of rabbinics will easily determine whether passages written under the name "Levi" without a patronymic must be credited to Levi bar Sisi or to a younger namesake who is almost always cited as "R. Levi" (see Levi II
Levi II
Levi was a Jewish-Palestinian scholar of the 3rd century , contemporary of Ze'era I and Abba b. Kahana . In a few instances he is quoted as Levi b. Laḥma...
). But although Levi bar Sisi is not given the title "Rab," he was highly esteemed among the learned, and in many instances where an anonymous passage is introduced with the statement למדין לפני חכמים (= "it was argued before the sages") it is to be understood that the argument referred to was advanced by Levi before Judah I (Sanh. 17b; comp. Men. 80b; Me'i. 9b; see Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
and Tos. ad loc.).
Judah I later spoke of Levi bar Sisi as of an equal. But the latter did not always succeed in impressing the public. At the request of a congregation at Simonias to send it a man who could act at once as lecturer, judge, superintendent of the synagogue, public scribe, and teacher, and attend to the general congregational affairs, Judah I sent Levi. When, however, Levi entered on office he signally failed to satisfy the first requirement. Questions of law and of exegesis were addressed to him, and he left them unanswered. The Simonias congregation charged the patriarch with having sent it an unfit man, but the patriarch assured it that he had selected for it a man as able as himself. He summoned Levi and propounded to him the questions originally propounded by the congregation; Levi answered every one correctly. Judah thereupon inquired why he did not do so when the congregation submitted those questions; Levi answered that his courage had failed him (Yer. Yeb. xii. 13a; comp. Yeb. 105a; Gen. R. lxxxi. 2). A late midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
speaks of him as a Biblical scholar and good lecturer (Pesiḳ. xxv. 165b).
After Judah's death Levi retired with Ḥanina b. Ḥama from the academy, and when Ḥanina received his long-delayed promotion Levi removed to Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
, whither his fame had preceded him (Shab. 59b; see Ḥanina b. Ḥama). He died in Babylonia, and was greatly mourned by scholars. In the course of a eulogy on him delivered by Abba bar Abba
Abba bar Abba
Abba bar Abba or Father of Samuel was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, distinguished for piety, benevolence, and learning...
it was said that Levi alone was worth as much as the whole of humanity (Yer. Ber.
Berakhot (Talmud)
Berachot is the first tractate of Seder Zeraim, a collection of the Mishnah that primarily deals with laws relating to plants and farming...
ii. 5c).
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Bacher, Ag. Tan. ii. 536;
- Frankel, Mebo, p. 110b;
- Halevy, Dorot ha-Rishonim, ii. 60a;
- Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii.;
- Weiss, Dor, ii. 192.