Hillel the Elder
Hillel (Hebrew: הִלֵּל Hīllēl; variously called Hillel the Elder, Hillel the Great, or Hillel the Babylonian;[1][2] died c. 10 CE) was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and the founder of the House of Hillel school of tannaim. He was active during the end of the first century BCE and the beginning of the first century CE.[3]
Hillel
He is popularly known as the author of three sayings:[4]
Biography[edit]
Hillel was born in Babylon. According to the Talmud, he descended from the Tribe of Benjamin on his father's side, and from the family of David on his mother's side.[5]
When Josephus speaks of Hillel's great-grandson, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel I, as belonging to a very celebrated family,[6] he probably refers to the glory the family owed to the activity of Hillel and Rabban Gamaliel Hazaken. Only Hillel's brother Shebna is mentioned; he was a merchant, whereas Hillel devoted himself to studying the Torah whilst also working as a woodcutter.[7]
Hillel lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod and the Roman emperor Augustus. In the Midrash compilation Sifre, the periods of Hillel's life are made parallel to those in the life of Moses. At the age of forty Hillel went to the Land of Israel; forty years he spent in study; and the last third of his life he was the spiritual head of the Jewish people.[8] A biographical sketch can be constructed that Hillel went to Jerusalem in the prime of his life and attained a great age. His 40 years of leadership likely covered the period of 30 BCE to 10 CE.
According to the Mishnah, Hillel went to Jerusalem with the intention of studying biblical exposition and tradition at the age of 40 in 70 BCE. The difficulties Hillel had to overcome to gain admittance to the school of Sh'maya and Abtalion, and the hardships he suffered while pursuing his aim, are told in the Talmud.[9] Some time later, Hillel succeeded in settling a question concerning the sacrificial ritual in a manner that showed his superiority over the Bnei Bathyra, who were at that time the heads of the Sanhedrin. On that occasion, it is narrated, they voluntarily resigned their position as Nasi (President) in favor of Hillel. After their resignation, Hillel was recognized as the highest authority among the Pharisees (predecessors to Rabbinic Judaism). Hillel was the head of the great school, associated at first with Menahem the Essene (who might be the same Menahem the Essene as the one mentioned by Flavius Josephus in relation to King Herod), and later with Shammai (Hillel's peer in the teaching of Jewish Law).
According to the Jerusalem Talmud (Nedarim 5:6), Hillel the Elder had eighty pairs of disciples, the greatest of whom being Jonathan ben Uzziel, while the least of whom was Yohanan ben Zakkai.[10]
Whatever Hillel's position, his authority was sufficient to introduce those decrees handed down in his name. The most famous of his enactments was the Prozbul, an institution that, in spite of the law concerning cancellation of debts in the Sabbatical year[11] ensured the repayment of loans. The motive for this institution was the "repair of the world", i.e., of the social order, because this legal innovation protected both the creditor against the loss of his property, and the needy against being refused the loan of money for fear of loss. A similar tendency is found in another of Hillel's institutions, having reference to the sale of houses. These two are the only institutions handed down in Hillel's name, although the words that introduce the prozbul show that there were others. Hillel's judicial activity may be inferred from the decision by which he confirmed the legitimacy of some Alexandrians whose origin was disputed, by interpreting the marriage document (ketubah) of their mother in her favor.[12] No other official acts are mentioned in the sources.
According to the Midrash Hillel lived to be 120 years old, like Moses, Yohanan ben Zakkai, and Rabbi Akiva.[13][14][15][16]
Hillel's reputation is such that his influence extends beyond Judaism and has entered into popular culture.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the : Schechter, Solomon; Bacher, Wilhelm (1901–1906). "Hillel". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
