Sheshet
Encyclopedia
Rav Sheshet was a Babylonian amora
of the third generation and colleague of R. Naḥman bar Jacob, with whom he had frequent arguments concerning questions of religious law. His teacher's name is not definitely known, but Sheshet was an auditor at Huna
's lectures (Yeb. 64b; Ket. 69a). The name is sometimes pronounced Shishat.
, since sayings of Abba Arika
which did not please him were criticized by him with a disrespect which he would not have shown toward his own teacher. Concerning many of Rab's sayings, Sheshet asserted that "he must have spoken thus when he was asleep" (Yeb. 24b and parallels; comp. also Niddah
69a).
Sheshet lived first at Nehardea
, where he used to study in the synagogue Shaf we-Yatib (Meg. 29a), going thence to Maḥuza (Ned. 78a, b; B. B.
121a), and later to Shilhe, where he founded an academy (Letter of Sherira Gaon
, in Neubauer, M. J. C. i. 29). He was feeble in body (Pes. 108a), but had, nevertheless, an iron will and great energy (Men. 95b), and although he was blind he was compensated by a very retentive memory, for he knew by heart the entire body of tannaitic tradition, as well as its amoraic interpretations (Shebu. 41b). He hired a scholar ("tanna") acquainted with the Mishnah
and the Baraita
to read them to him (Sanh. 86a; Hor. 9a).
R. Ḥisda, when he met Sheshet, used to tremble at the wealth of baraitot and maxims which the latter quoted (Er.
67a). Sheshet also transmitted many sayings of the older tannaim, especially of R. Eleazar b. Azariah (Mak. 23a; Pes. 118a). In his teaching he always took tradition as his basis, and for every question laid before him for decision he sought a mishnah or baraita from which he might deduce the solution of the problem, his extensive knowledge of these branches of literature always enabling him to find the passage he required (Zeb. 96b). His usual answer to a question was: "We have learned it in the Mishnah or in a baraita" (B. M. 90a; Yoma
48b). When he had presented some sentence to the attention of his pupils, he used to ask immediately, "Whence have I this?" and would then add a mishnah or a baraita from which he had derived the decision in question (Ket. 68a; comp. Yeb. 35a, 58a).
's explanation); thus in connection with his application of Eccl. vii. 11, Rami b. Ḥama said of him: "It is good when one possesses a keen understanding in addition to the inheritance of tradition" (Bek. 52b and Rashi ad loc.). He was not so subtle, however, as his colleague R. Ḥisda (Er.
67a), and he appears to have been averse in general to the casuistry
in vogue in the Academy of Pumbedita
. When he heard any one make a quibbling objection he used to observe sarcastically: "Art thou not from Pumbedita, where they draw an elephant through the eye of a needle?" (B. M. 38b). Sheshet was on friendly terms with R. Ḥisda, and the pair respected each other highly (Ber.
47b; Meg. 28b), traveled in company (Ber. 30a), and were together at the exilarch
's (Giṭ. 67b-68a).
, and he himself acknowledged his shortcoming in this respect, saying: "I cannot dispute with Ḥana
on the Aggadah" (Suk. 52b, and Rashi
ad loc.). Some of his haggadic interpretations of Biblical passages, referring for the most part to studies of the Law, have been preserved. Thus, he interpreted Prov. xi. 25 as implying that whoever teaches in this world will have the good fortune to teach in the world to come also (Sanh. 92a); and in Shab. 63a he explains Prov. iii. 16 as meaning that whosoever studies in the right manner receives as his reward length of days in addition to riches and honor, but that he who studies in a fashion not altogether unimpeachable receives riches and honor without length of days. He frequently elucidated Biblical passages by the application of well-known proverbs (Ber.
32a; Sanh. 105a).
Sheshet, who, as stated above, was blind, once mingled with a crowd waiting to see the entry of the king. A heretic
, probably an adherent of Manicheism, against which Sheshet polemized (comp. Bacher Ag. Bab. Amor. p. 78, note 12), taunted him with the remark that he certainly would not be able to see the king. Sheshet, however, put the heretic to shame by recognizing, despite his blindness, when the instant of the king's appearance was at hand. When the unbeliever, in his astonishment, asked Sheshet how he knew it, he received the answer: "The earthly kingdom is like unto the heavenly; God's appearance, however, is announced in I Kings
xix. 12-13 by a deep silence" (Ber.
58a).
Amora
Amoraim , were renowned Jewish scholars who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral law, from about 200 to 500 CE in Babylonia and the Land of Israel. Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara...
of the third generation and colleague of R. Naḥman bar Jacob, with whom he had frequent arguments concerning questions of religious law. His teacher's name is not definitely known, but Sheshet was an auditor at Huna
Rav Huna
Rav Huna , a Kohen, was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the second generation and head of the Academy of Sura; He was born about 216, died in 296-297 ).-Youth:...
's lectures (Yeb. 64b; Ket. 69a). The name is sometimes pronounced Shishat.
Relations to Rab
It is certain that he was not a pupil of RabAbba Arika
Abba Arika was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the 3rd century who established at Sura the systematic study of the rabbinic traditions, which, using the Mishnah as text, led to the compilation of the Talmud...
, since sayings of Abba Arika
Abba Arika
Abba Arika was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the 3rd century who established at Sura the systematic study of the rabbinic traditions, which, using the Mishnah as text, led to the compilation of the Talmud...
which did not please him were criticized by him with a disrespect which he would not have shown toward his own teacher. Concerning many of Rab's sayings, Sheshet asserted that "he must have spoken thus when he was asleep" (Yeb. 24b and parallels; comp. also Niddah
Niddah
Niddah is a Hebrew term describing a woman during menstruation, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh ....
69a).
Sheshet lived first at Nehardea
Nehardea
Nehardea or Nehardeah was a city of Babylonia, situated at or near the junction of the Euphrates with the Nahr Malka , one of the earliest centers of Babylonian Judaism. As the seat of the exilarch it traced its origin back to King Jehoiachin...
, where he used to study in the synagogue Shaf we-Yatib (Meg. 29a), going thence to Maḥuza (Ned. 78a, b; 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...
121a), and later to Shilhe, where he founded an academy (Letter of Sherira Gaon
Sherira Gaon
Rav Sherira Gaon was the head of the Academy of Pumbeditha. He was one of the most prominent Geonim of his period, and the father of Hai Gaon, who succeeded him as gaon.Sherira was born in 906 and died in 1006. Rav Sherira Gaon (Hebrew: רב שרירא גאון or R. Sherira ben Ḥanina Gaon, Hebrew: רב...
, in Neubauer, M. J. C. i. 29). He was feeble in body (Pes. 108a), but had, nevertheless, an iron will and great energy (Men. 95b), and although he was blind he was compensated by a very retentive memory, for he knew by heart the entire body of tannaitic tradition, as well as its amoraic interpretations (Shebu. 41b). He hired a scholar ("tanna") acquainted with 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 the Baraita
Baraita
Baraita designates a tradition in the Jewish oral law not incorporated in the Mishnah. "Baraita" thus refers to teachings "outside" of the six orders of the Mishnah...
to read them to him (Sanh. 86a; Hor. 9a).
R. Ḥisda, when he met Sheshet, used to tremble at the wealth of baraitot and maxims which the latter quoted (Er.
Moed
Moed is the second Order of the Mishnah, the first written recording of the Oral Torah of the Jewish people . Of the six orders of the Mishna, Moed is the third shortest. The order of Moed consists of 12 tractates:# Shabbat: or Shabbath deals with the 39 prohibitions of "work" on the Shabbat...
67a). Sheshet also transmitted many sayings of the older tannaim, especially of R. Eleazar b. Azariah (Mak. 23a; Pes. 118a). In his teaching he always took tradition as his basis, and for every question laid before him for decision he sought a mishnah or baraita from which he might deduce the solution of the problem, his extensive knowledge of these branches of literature always enabling him to find the passage he required (Zeb. 96b). His usual answer to a question was: "We have learned it in the Mishnah or in a baraita" (B. M. 90a; 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...
48b). When he had presented some sentence to the attention of his pupils, he used to ask immediately, "Whence have I this?" and would then add a mishnah or a baraita from which he had derived the decision in question (Ket. 68a; comp. Yeb. 35a, 58a).
Objects to Quibbling
In addition to his learning and his knowledge of tradition, Sheshet possessed much acuteness, and knew how to deduce conclusions from the teachings of tradition (Men. 95b, according to RashiRashi
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...
's explanation); thus in connection with his application of Eccl. vii. 11, Rami b. Ḥama said of him: "It is good when one possesses a keen understanding in addition to the inheritance of tradition" (Bek. 52b and Rashi ad loc.). He was not so subtle, however, as his colleague R. Ḥisda (Er.
Moed
Moed is the second Order of the Mishnah, the first written recording of the Oral Torah of the Jewish people . Of the six orders of the Mishna, Moed is the third shortest. The order of Moed consists of 12 tractates:# Shabbat: or Shabbath deals with the 39 prohibitions of "work" on the Shabbat...
67a), and he appears to have been averse in general to the casuistry
Casuistry
In applied ethics, casuistry is case-based reasoning. Casuistry is used in juridical and ethical discussions of law and ethics, and often is a critique of principle- or rule-based reasoning...
in vogue in the Academy of Pumbedita
Pumbedita
Pumbedita was the name of a city in ancient Babylonia close to the modern-day city of Fallujah....
. When he heard any one make a quibbling objection he used to observe sarcastically: "Art thou not from Pumbedita, where they draw an elephant through the eye of a needle?" (B. M. 38b). Sheshet was on friendly terms with R. Ḥisda, and the pair respected each other highly (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...
47b; Meg. 28b), traveled in company (Ber. 30a), and were together at the exilarch
Exilarch
Exilarch refers to the leaders of the Diaspora Jewish community in Babylon following the deportation of King Jeconiah and his court into Babylonian exile after the first fall of Jerusalem in 597 BCE and augmented after the further deportations following the destruction...
's (Giṭ. 67b-68a).
His Haggadah
Sheshet devoted much time to Biblical exegesis, and whenever he recapitulated his studies, as was his custom at the end of every thirty days, he used to say: "Rejoice, my soul! rejoice, my soul! For thy sake have I read the Holy Scriptures; and for thy sake have I studied the Mishnah and the baraitot" (Pes. 68b). He took comparatively little interest, on the other hand, in the AggadahAggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
, and he himself acknowledged his shortcoming in this respect, saying: "I cannot dispute with Ḥana
Hana
Hana as a given name may have several origins. It is a variant transliteration of Hannah, meaning Grace in Hebrew associated with God feminine which is the Jewish and Christian form, as well as an Arabic female name meaning happiness , a Persian female name meaning a type of flower , and a Kurdish...
on the Aggadah" (Suk. 52b, and 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...
ad loc.). Some of his haggadic interpretations of Biblical passages, referring for the most part to studies of the Law, have been preserved. Thus, he interpreted Prov. xi. 25 as implying that whoever teaches in this world will have the good fortune to teach in the world to come also (Sanh. 92a); and in Shab. 63a he explains Prov. iii. 16 as meaning that whosoever studies in the right manner receives as his reward length of days in addition to riches and honor, but that he who studies in a fashion not altogether unimpeachable receives riches and honor without length of days. He frequently elucidated Biblical passages by the application of well-known proverbs (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...
32a; Sanh. 105a).
Sheshet, who, as stated above, was blind, once mingled with a crowd waiting to see the entry of the king. A heretic
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
, probably an adherent of Manicheism, against which Sheshet polemized (comp. Bacher Ag. Bab. Amor. p. 78, note 12), taunted him with the remark that he certainly would not be able to see the king. Sheshet, however, put the heretic to shame by recognizing, despite his blindness, when the instant of the king's appearance was at hand. When the unbeliever, in his astonishment, asked Sheshet how he knew it, he received the answer: "The earthly kingdom is like unto the heavenly; God's appearance, however, is announced in I Kings
Books of Kings
The Book of Kings presents a narrative history of ancient Israel and Judah from the death of David to the release of his successor Jehoiachin from imprisonment in Babylon, a period of some 400 years...
xix. 12-13 by a deep silence" (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...
58a).
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii. 379-381;
- Weiss, Dor, iii. 181-182;
- Grätz, Gesch. iv. 299-300;
- Bacher, Ag. Bab. Amor. pp. 76–79.