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44-682: This article is about the given name and the surname. For Jewish sage, see Hillel the Elder . For the Jewish student services organisation, see Hillel International . Hillel (Hebrew: הלל , lit.   'praise') is a Jewish masculine given name and a surname. It may refer to: Given name [ edit ] Hillel the Elder (110 BC–10 AD), Babylonian sage, scholar, and Jewish leader Hillel, son of Gamaliel III (3rd century), Jewish scholar Hillel II , Jewish communal and religious authority and Nasi of

88-593: A Jewish prayer [REDACTED] Name list This page or section lists people that share the same given name or the same family name . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hillel&oldid=1253393245 " Categories : Given names Surnames Jewish masculine given names Masculine given names Hidden categories: Articles containing Hebrew-language text Articles with short description Short description

132-430: A bet on the question of whether Hillel could be made angry. Though they questioned him and made insulting allusions to his Babylonian origin, they were unsuccessful. From the doctrine of man's likeness to God, Hillel deduced man's duty to care for his own body. According to Midrash Leviticus rabbah he said "As in a theater and circus the statues of the king must be kept clean by him to whom they have been entrusted, so

176-459: A part of the whole, thereby showing that love of man Hillel taught. The feeling of love for one's neighbor shows itself also in his exhortation (Avot 2:4). How far his love of man went may be seen from an example that shows that benevolence must be given with regard to the needs of the poor. Thus, Hillel provided a riding horse to a man of good family who became poor, in order that he not be deprived of his customary physical exercise; he also gave him

220-573: 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

264-459: A slave, that he might be served. The many anecdotes according to which Hillel made proselytes, correspond to the third part of his maxim: "Bring men to the Law." A later source ( Avot of Rabbi Nathan ) gives the following explanation of the teaching: Hillel stood in the gate of Jerusalem one day and saw the people on their way to work. "How much," he asked, "will you earn to-day?" One said: "A denarius ";

308-706: A source of analysis, as well a source of decided law . Mordechai's knowledge of halakhic literature was extensive. He quotes the works, and written or verbal responsa , of about 350 authorities ; in fact, Mordechai is now the only source for many Ashkenazi authors. He frequently quotes his teacher, Meir ben Baruch, and much of the Mordechai is written in support of the Tosafists , the last of whom were Mordechai's teachers. The Ashkenazi authorities, as well as those in Italy , were great admirers of Mordechai, and assiduously studied

352-616: A very celebrated family, 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. Hillel lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod and the Roman emperor Augustus . In the Midrash compilation Sifre ,

396-567: A whole Mordechai literature came into existence. The Mordechai , although linked textually with the Halakhot of Rabbi Isaac Alfasi , is, in fact, an independent work. The connection with Alfasi is partly an external one: single sentences, sometimes even single words, of the Halakhot serve as "catchwords" introducing the relevant material found in the Jerusalem Talmud , the tosafot , as well as other codices and compendiums. Another connection

440-556: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Hillel the Elder He is popularly known as the author of three sayings: He came from Babylon to Israel, although he was descended from David . His descendent Judah haNasi traced his lineage through both the female lineage of the Tribe of Benjamin and the family of David . When Josephus speaks of Hillel's great-grandson, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel I , as belonging to

484-460: Is the extensive quotations from Rabbi Alfasi in the body of the text. This second connection is, however, not always apparent, for reasons explained in the second next paragraph. The Mordechai is published in two forms: glosses to Alfasi's "Halakhot" in various manuscripts, and also as an appendix to the "Halakhot" - the standard form in today's editions of the Talmud . As early critics pointed out,

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528-605: Is used for the maror instead of lettuce or endive, the maror cannot be dipped in the charoset, so it is the custom to spread the bottom piece of matzah with horseradish maror, cover it with a pile of charoset, and top it with another piece of matzah to make a hot-sweet sandwich. Hillel's reputation is such that his influence extends beyond Judaism and has entered into popular culture. Mordechai ben Hillel Mordechai ben Hillel HaKohen ( Hebrew : "המָּרְדֳּכַי" ,רבי מרדכי בן הלל הכהן ; c. 1250–1298), also known as The Mordechai or, by some Sephardic scholars, as The Mordechie ,

572-412: Is worthy of death; whoever exploits for his own use the crown (of Torah) perishes" (Avot 1:13). Only a few halachic decisions have been handed down under Hillel's name; but much of the oldest anonymous traditional literature is attributed directly to him or to the teachings of his masters. The fixation of the hermeneutical norms for Midrash and halakhic scripture exposition was first made by Hillel, in

616-473: The Enlightenment Age and Kant 's categorical imperative is practised to this day. The exhortation to love peace emanated from Hillel's most characteristic traits—from that proverbial meekness and mildness—as in the saying: "Let a man be always humble and patient like Hillel, and not passionate like Shammai". Hillel's gentleness and patience are illustrated in an anecdote that describes how two men made

660-454: The Mordechai and recognized its authority as a source of Halakha. Moses Isserles lectured on the Mordechai in his yeshivah, and many of his responsa are devoted to questions regarding difficult passages of the book. Its status was such, that the Mordechai is one of the sources of the Shulchan Aruch of Joseph Caro . In Italy and Poland, where the Mordechai was especially studied,

704-491: The Mordechai was not issued in its final form by the Mordechai. He collected the material, but the work was in fact arranged and published by his pupils, partly during his lifetime and partly after his death. Thus within two generations after Mordechai's death there were two entirely different versions of his work, respectively designated as the "Rhenish" and the "Austrian" versions. These two versions are also respectively known as

748-550: The "Short Mordechai" (מרדכי הקצר Mordekhai haKetzar ) and "Long Mordechai" (מרדכי הארוך Mordekhai ha'Arokh ), due to their varying length. These are essentially two copies of the Mordechai , but whereas the Austrian Mordechai is undoubtedly the original form of the work, the Rhenish version has been extensively, almost drastically, abridged, including the removal of most references to Rabbi Alfasi's work. The version published in

792-444: The "seven rules of Hillel," which, as is told in one source, he applied on the day on which he overcame the Bnei Bathyra . On these seven rules rest the thirteen of R. Ishmael ; they were epoch-making for the systematic development of the ancient Scripture exposition. Hillel's disciples are generally called the "House of Hillel", in contrast to Shammai 's disciples, the "House of Shammai". Their controversies concern all branches of

836-611: The Elder Mordechai ben Hillel c. 1250–1298), German rabbi and posek Abraham Hillel (1820–1920), Iraqi rabbi Yehoshua Bar-Hillel (1915–1975), Israeli philosopher, mathematician, and linguist Shlomo Hillel (1923-2021), Iraqi-born Israeli diplomat and politician Ayin Hillel (1926–1990), Israeli poet and children's author Stéphane Hillel (born 1955) French actor Gili Bar-Hillel (born 1974) Israeli English-Hebrew translator See also [ edit ] Hallel ,

880-1191: The Irgun Hillel Seidel (1920–1999), Israeli politician Hillel Schwartz (1923–2007), Egyptian Jewish founder of the Iskra party Hillel Kristal, birth name of Hilly Kristal (1931–2007), American musician and owner of club CBGB in New York City Hillel Zaks (1931–2015), Polish-Israeli founder and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Knesses Hagedolah Hillel Jonathan Gitelman (1932-2015), American nephrologist who described Gitelman Syndrome Hillel Furstenberg (born 1935), American-Israeli mathematician Hillel Ticktin (born 1937), South African Marxist theorist and economist now at Glasgow University Hillel Halkin (born 1939), American-born Israeli translator, writer, and literary critic Hillel Weiss (born 1945), Israeli professor of literature and Neo-Zionist Hillel Schwartz (1948-2007), American cultural historian, poet and translator Hillel Cohen (born 1961), Israeli historian Hillel Slovak (1962–1988), Israeli-American guitarist and founding member of

924-978: The Jewish Sanhedrin, 320–385 Hillel ben Eliakim (11th–12th century), Greek rabbi and Talmud scholar Hillel ben Samuel (c. 1220–1295), Italian physician, philosopher, and Talmudist Hillel ben Naphtali Zevi (1615–1690), Lithuanian rabbi Hillel Rivlin (1758–1838), Lithuanian rabbi Hillel Paritcher (1795–1864), Russian Chabad rabbi Hillel Lichtenstein (1814–1891), Hungarian rabbi and writer Hillel Noah Maggid (1829–1903), Russian-Jewish genealogist and historian Hillel Yaffe (1864–1936), Russian Jewish physician and Zionist leader Hillel Zeitlin (1871–1942), Russian writer in Yiddish and Hebrew Hillel Poisic (1881–1953), Ukrainian communal worker and Torah scholar Hillel Oppenheimer (1899–1971), German-Israeli botanist Hillel Kook (1915–2001), Russian-Jewish Zionist activist, politician, and leader of

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968-679: The Jewish law. During the Passover Seder (the annual commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt), one re-enacts ancient customs in the Haggadah . In the section of Korech , or ' sandwich ', participants are instructed to place bitter herbs between two pieces of matzo and eat them after saying in Hebrew: This is a remembrance of Hillel in Temple times—This is what Hillel did when the Temple existed: He enwrapped

1012-512: The Mordechai was also an expert on Hebrew grammar . About 1291 the family moved to Goslar . But his right of residence there was disputed by a certain Moses Tako (not the famous Moses Taku ); although the suit was decided in Mordechai's favor, it was conducted with such bitterness that Mordechai left Goslar and settled at Nuremberg . For the next seven years, he operated a Yeshiva there which attracted students from all over Europe. The Mordechai

1056-515: The Paschal lamb, the matzo and the bitter herbs to eat them as one, in fulfillment of the verse, "with matzot and maror they shall eat it." (Numbers 9:11). This sandwich apparently refers to traditional soft matzot rather than modern crisp matzot, and so would have borne a striking resemblance to a modern shawarma . In modern times, when there is no paschal lamb , the Babylonian Talmud requires

1100-573: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Hillel Horowitz (born 1964), Israeli rabbi and politician Hillel Roman (born 1975), American-Israeli visual artist Hillel Fendel , Israeli journalist Hillel Frisch , Israeli political scientist Hillel Neuer , Canadian human-rights lawyer and executive director of UN Watch Hillel Schenker , Israeli editor Hillel Steiner , Canadian political philosopher Surname [ edit ] Simeon ben Hillel (1st century), son of Hillel

1144-531: The Torah be explained to him while he stood on one foot, illustrates the character differences between Shammai and Hillel. Shammai dismissed the man. Hillel gently chided the man: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." This rule is commonly called the Golden Rule , which has been practiced by a wide range of peoples, and through Christianity,

1188-404: The bathing of the body is a duty of man, who was created in the image of the almighty King of the world." In this work, Hillel calls his soul a guest upon earth, toward which he must fulfill the duties of charity. In Avot, Hillel stated "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And being for my own self, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" The third part contains the admonition to postpone no duty,

1232-554: 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. 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 . Several of Hillel 's teachings are explained by comparison to what Shammai ( Hillel's principal adversary, rival or disputant ) taught on

1276-413: The first letter is "Tav", the next letter is "shin", etc. (the alphabet backwards). The convert said that this was different to what he had been taught the previous day. Hillel replied that in the same way you need an oral teaching to learn the written alphabet, so you need an oral explanation to understand the written Torah. The comparative response to the challenge of a prospective convert who asked that

1320-447: The great model to be imitated in his love of peace, in his love for his fellow man, and in his leading mankind to a knowledge of the Law (Pirkei Avoth 1:12). In mentioning these characteristics, which the aggadah attributes to Moses' brother, Hillel stated his own prominent virtues. He considered "love of his fellow man" the kernel of Jewish teaching. A gentile came to Shammai and asked how many Torahs there were. Shammai answered "two":

1364-515: The least of whom was Yohanan ben Zakkai . 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 ensured the repayment of loans. The motive for this institution was the " repair of the world ", i.e., of

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1408-456: 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 . Some time later, Hillel succeeded in settling

1452-507: 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 . 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

1496-451: The practice of emulating Hillel's example by making a sandwich of matzo and maror (the "bitter herbs": either lettuce, endive, or horseradish). The maror, if lettuce or endive, is dipped in the meal's traditional charoset (a finely chopped sweet mixture of fruits and nuts; among Ashkenazi Jews it is typically made of apples, walnuts, red wine, cinnamon, and honey) just before the sandwich is made. In Ashkenazi families where grated horseradish

1540-500: The same admonition he gave with reference to study: "Say not, 'When I have free time I shall study'; for you may perhaps never have any free time." The precept that one should not separate oneself from the community, Hillel paraphrases (referencing Ecclesiastes 3:4 ) in the following saying: "Appear neither naked nor clothed, neither sitting nor standing, neither laughing nor weeping." Man should not appear different from others in his outward deportment; he should always regard himself as

1584-457: The same subject. Some of Hillel the Elder's teachings remain commonly known. However, at least two other notable Hillels came after him, and some scholars have suggested that some sayings attributed to "Hillel" may have originated from them. The saying of Hillel that introduces the collection of his maxims in the Mishnaic treatise Pirkei Avot mentions Aaron HaKohen (the high priest ) as

1628-419: The second: "Two denarii." "What will you do with the money?" he inquired. "We will provide for the necessities of life." Then said he to them: "Would you not rather come and make the Torah your possession, that you may possess both this and the future world?" This narrative has the same points as the epigrammatic group of Hillel's sayings (Avot 2:7) commencing: "The more flesh, the more worms," and closing with

1672-477: 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

1716-446: The words: "Whoever has acquired the words of the Law has acquired the life of the world to come." In an Aramaic saying Hillel sounds a warning against neglect of study or its abuse for selfish purposes: "Whoever would make a name (i.e. glory) loses the name; he who increases not [his knowledge] decreases; whoever learns not [in Avot of Rabbi Nathan 12: "who does not serve the wise and learn"]

1760-557: The written Torah and the Oral Torah. The gentile did not believe him and asked to be converted on condition he only had to learn the written Torah. Shammai sent him away. The gentile went to Hillel who converted him and then started teaching him the Torah(s). He started with teaching him the Hebrew alphabet : the first letter is "Aleph", the next letter is "bet", etc. The next day, Hillel taught him:

1804-546: Was a 13th-century German rabbi and posek . His chief legal commentary on the Talmud , referred to as The Mordechai , is one of the sources of the Shulchan Aruch . He was killed in the Rintfleisch massacres in 1298. Little is known of Mordechai's early life. He belonged to one of the most prominent families of scholars in Germany: his grandfather Hillel, on his mother's side, was a grandson of Eliezer ben Joel ha-Levi , who

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1848-470: Was in turn a grandson of Eliezer ben Nathan . Mordechai was also a relative of Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel . He was a son-in-law of R' Yechiel of Paris . He was married to Zelda, with whom he had five children. His principal teacher was Meir ben Baruch of Rothenburg ; he was also taught by Perez ben Elijah of Corbeil , Ephraim ben Nathan, Abraham ben Baruch (Meir of Rothenburg's brother), and Dan Ashkenazi . In addition to his knowledge of Talmud and Halakha,

1892-644: Was murdered, along with his wife and children, in the Rintfleisch Massacres ; see Nuremberg: Middle Ages . Mordechai is a prominent legal (Halachic) work, which acquired wide authority, and was one of the sources of the Shulchan Aruch of Joseph Caro ; it has also been printed as an appendix to the Talmud , since the Soncino edition of 1482. The work is written as a compilation of existing halakhic material, and also provides conclusions and results of long discussions in other works . It thus serves as both

1936-472: 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

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