Simeon Shezuri
Encyclopedia
Simeon Shezuri was a Jewish Tanna
sage of the fourth generation. His surname Shezuri, is either a variant of the Hebrew word Shezirah (שזירה), and thus stands for the Hebrew meaning of it and his livelihood: Spinning
Fiber
s , or for the village he resided at: Shezor
. His work is recorded all across the Mishnah
and Talmud
. As for his Halakha
ic rulings in accordance with Halakha
, the Amora
sages are divided;
Some were in the opinion that:
That is, for some practises, and only when his opinion on it is recorded in the Mishnah
, and for some other practises, whenever his opinion is also cited in the Baraita
.
Other Amora
sages, such as R. Jonathan, have ruled that his views are in accordance with the halachah only in two references: Wrtining a gittin
(divorce document) for the dangerously ill , and Terumat hamaaser
(a tithe on produce grown [given to the priests on the temple]) that belong to the "`Am ha-aretz
" - a "Demai
Tithes" , and so was ruled by the Rishonim
sages . Nonetheless, R. Shabbatai ha-Kohen
has revealed inconsistency in the rulings of the Rishonim
sages, because there are additional references where the Rishonim
have ruled in the same manner as Simeon Shezuri have, yet not in all of their references .
He was a pupil of R. Tarfon
, and in one of the disputes over the 'Demai
Tithes', he even cites his own ruling given on the basis of an event that had occurred to him .
The Talmud
did not record anything on his personal life, except for one reference where, according to a version noted in "Dikdukei Soferim", it is storied that the family of R. Simeon Shezuri were "House proprietors in the Upper Galilee
", until they went bankrupt as a heavenly punishment over their heedlessness on "Dinei Mamon" (halachahic Property rights), by herding their sheeps on other people's territory, and by giving rulings on "Dinei Mamon" in the presence of only one "Dayan
" (halachahic Judge).
community "Sajur
", where a tomb site attributed to Simeon Shezuri is located, and in the name of a modern "Shezor
" Moshav
community that was established nearby as well.
The written tradition
concerning this tomb site has started in early 13th century era commence, noted by Menachem ben Peretz of Hebron who visited the area in 1215 (ד'תתקע"ה, Hebrew calendar
).
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...
sage of the fourth generation. His surname Shezuri, is either a variant of the Hebrew word Shezirah (שזירה), and thus stands for the Hebrew meaning of it and his livelihood: Spinning
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
Fiber
Fiber
Fiber is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread.They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together....
s , or for the village he resided at: Shezor
Shezor
Shezor is a moshav in the Galilee in northern Israel. It is located near the similarly named Arab village, Sajur. It belongs to the Merom HaGalil Regional Council....
. His work is recorded all across 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 Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
. As for his Halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
ic rulings in accordance with Halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
, the Amora
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...
sages are divided;
Some were in the opinion that:
That is, for some practises, and only when his opinion on it is recorded in 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 for some other practises, whenever his opinion is also cited in 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...
.
Other Amora
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...
sages, such as R. Jonathan, have ruled that his views are in accordance with the halachah only in two references: Wrtining a gittin
Get (divorce document)
A is a divorce document, which according to Jewish Law, must be presented by a husband to his wife to effect their divorce. The essential text of the is quite short: "You are hereby permitted to all men," i.e., the wife is no longer a married woman, and the laws of adultery no longer apply...
(divorce document) for the dangerously ill , and Terumat hamaaser
Terumat hamaaser
The tithe offering is a rabbinical Hebrew term based on the commandment in the Hebrew Bible to give a tithe maaser of 10% to the Levites. The first term, terumah, means offering...
(a tithe on produce grown [given to the priests on the temple]) that belong to the "`Am ha-aretz
`Am ha-aretz
The term "the people of the Land" is a term found in the Hebrew Bible which, when singular "the people," and where "the land" refers to the land of Israel, refers to Jews. When plural "the peoples of the land " would refer to non-Jews, and when both words are plural The term "the people of the...
" - a "Demai
Demai
Demai is the third tractate of Seder Zeraim of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. There is some debate as to the literal meaning and origin of the word...
Tithes" , and so was ruled by the Rishonim
Rishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
sages . Nonetheless, R. Shabbatai ha-Kohen
Shabbatai ha-Kohen
Shabbatai ben Meir ha-Kohen was a noted 17th Century talmudist and halakhist. He became known as the Shakh, which is an abbreviation of his most important work, Siftei Kohen , and his rulings were considered authoritative by later halakhists.- Biography :Shabbatai ha-Kohen was born either in ...
has revealed inconsistency in the rulings of the Rishonim
Rishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
sages, because there are additional references where the Rishonim
Rishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
have ruled in the same manner as Simeon Shezuri have, yet not in all of their references .
He was a pupil of R. Tarfon
Tarfon
Rabbi Tarfon or Tarphon, , a Kohen, a member of the third generation of the Mishnah sages, who lived in the period between the destruction of the Second Temple and the fall of Bethar .-Origins and character:...
, and in one of the disputes over the 'Demai
Demai
Demai is the third tractate of Seder Zeraim of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. There is some debate as to the literal meaning and origin of the word...
Tithes', he even cites his own ruling given on the basis of an event that had occurred to him .
The Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
did not record anything on his personal life, except for one reference where, according to a version noted in "Dikdukei Soferim", it is storied that the family of R. Simeon Shezuri were "House proprietors in the Upper Galilee
Upper Galilee
The Upper Galilee is a geographical-political term in use since the end of the Second Temple period, originally referring to a mountainous area overlapping the present northern Israel and southern Lebanon, its borders being the Litani river in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the west, the Beit...
", until they went bankrupt as a heavenly punishment over their heedlessness on "Dinei Mamon" (halachahic Property rights), by herding their sheeps on other people's territory, and by giving rulings on "Dinei Mamon" in the presence of only one "Dayan
Beth din
A beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
" (halachahic Judge).
Tomb
The name of the village "Shezor" echoes in the name of the nearby DruzeDruze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
community "Sajur
Sajur
Sajur is a Druze town in the Galilee region of northern Israel, with an area of 3,000 dunams . It achieved recognition as an independent local council in 1992...
", where a tomb site attributed to Simeon Shezuri is located, and in the name of a modern "Shezor
Shezor
Shezor is a moshav in the Galilee in northern Israel. It is located near the similarly named Arab village, Sajur. It belongs to the Merom HaGalil Regional Council....
" Moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
community that was established nearby as well.
The written tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
concerning this tomb site has started in early 13th century era commence, noted by Menachem ben Peretz of Hebron who visited the area in 1215 (ד'תתקע"ה, Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
).