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18-576: Although not killed at the same time (since two of the rabbis listed lived well before the other eight), a dramatic poem (known as Eleh Ezkera ) tells their story as if they were killed together. This poem is recited in the Eastern Ashkenazic rite in Musaf on Yom Kippur (and at other times in the various Western Ashkenazic rite). A different poem about the Ten Martyrs is recited on Tisha B'Av , and still

36-439: A Roman emperor commanded the execution of the ten sages of Israel to expiate the guilt of the sons of Jacob , who had sold their brother Joseph —a crime which, according to Exodus 21:16, had to be punished with death. The names of the martyrs are given here, as in the seliḥah (varying in part from Lamentations Rabbah and Midrash Tehillim), as follows: Although this midrash employs other sources, borrowing its introduction from

54-498: A fourth is contained in the Spanish liturgical work Bet Av . According to Jellinek, "the fourth recension is the oldest, since it has borrowed large portions from the Hekalot ; next to this stand the second and the third; while the youngest is the first, which, nevertheless, has the advantage of real conformity with the spirit of the race and represents this the best of all." The martyrdom of

72-566: A third poem is recited in Western Ashkenazic rites on other occasions. In the poem, the Roman emperor Hadrian decides to martyr ten rabbis as 'punishment' for the ten brothers listed in the Torah who sold their brother Joseph to Ancient Egypt . He justifies this by saying that the penalty for this was death. Though this crime took place almost 2000 years earlier, and Jewish law does not allow for

90-543: Is best known as part of the Yom Kippur mussaf recital in the Eastern Ashkenazic ritual. This was made part of these services because of the impact losing so many pillars of Judaism would have to the masses. As such, it has become one of the 'highlights' of the day, marking a point when the congregation should reflect on their own lives and the sacrifices that were made for their sake. A similar poem Arzei haLevanon

108-486: Is recited in the Eastern Ashkenazic rite (kinot #21) as one of the Kinot on Tisha B'Av ; it was adopted in some Western Ashkenazic communities, but it is not really part of that rite. The Tisha B'av text, which is shorter than Yom Kippur's Eleh Ezkerah Eleh Ezkera Midrash Eleh Ezkerah ( Hebrew : אֵלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה ʾĒlle ʾEzkərā ) is an aggadic midrash , one of the smaller midrashim , which receives its name from

126-576: The Midrash Konen , and the account of the conversation of Rabbi Ishmael with the angels in heaven probably from the Hekalot , it forms, nevertheless, a coherent work. Based on a Hamburg codex, it was edited by A. Jellinek and, according to another manuscript, by S. Chones , in his Rav Pe'alim . A second and a third recension of the midrash were edited, based on manuscript sources, in Jellinek's B. H. , and

144-556: The 25th of Sivan (late spring). Hanina earned his title due to the role he fulfilled - as Deputy to the Kohen Gadol (High priest) in the Temple. Ha-Segan was a position with the responsibility of overseeing the actions of the work of the Temple priest staff, as well as a stand-in position, ready to take the role of High priest in case the incumbent was found unfit to perform his functions on

162-469: The Roman ruler's daughter coveted Rabbi Yishmael for his physical beauty. When she was told that he would have to be executed as well, she asked that the skin of his head be flayed while he was alive, so she could stuff the skin and look at his face. When the servants began to strip away the skin on the forehead where the phylactery is placed, Yishmael cried aloud and died. Next to die was Rabbi Akiva , whose skin

180-607: The Romans, only six of the traditional martyrs seem to have been genuinely martyred. The identities of some of the lesser known martyrs are also inconsistently reported. In some sources, Jose ben Halafta , Rabbi Tarfon , or Elazar ben Ḥarsum  [ he ] are listed in place of Elazar ben Shamua, Simeon ben Azzai is listed in place of Hanina ben Hakinai, and Judah the Baker  [ he ] or Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim are listed in place of Judah ben Dama. The poem Eleh Ezkerah

198-411: The descendants of sinners to be punished, the Roman commander goes ahead with the executions because (he says) there are 'none like you' ten who are capable of rectifying this crime. The poem lists the first two to be executed: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha ha-Kohen Gadol . Rabban Shimon Ben Gamliel was beheaded, and while Rabbi Yishmael grieved, weeping over his severed head,

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216-494: The executions of the ten teachers, the poem Eleh Ezkerah describes their martyrdom as occurring on the same day, probably in order to produce a greater effect upon the mind of the reader. To this end, while certain accounts of the Ten Martyrs' deaths from these sources are more fragmented than others, they seem to preserve a more historically accurate account of the deaths themselves: Ultimately, despite contemporary sources maintaining that ten great scholars had been martyred by

234-640: The fact that a seliḥah for the Day of Atonement , which treats the same subject and begins with the words "ʾĒlle ʾEzkərā," recounts the execution of ten famous teachers in the time of the persecution by Hadrian . The same event is related in a very ancient source, Lamentations Rabbah , and also in Midrash Tehillim . According to the Midrash Eleh Ezkerah, and a brief parallel source in Midrash Mishlei,

252-563: The letters of the sacred Torah "flying up" to heaven. In the poem, the remaining martyrs listed are Hutzpit the Interpreter, Elazar ben Shamua, Hanina ben Hakinai, Yesheivav the Scribe, Judah ben Dama and Judah ben Baba, in that order. In Midrash Eleh Ezkerah, the order is somewhat different. Popular imagination seized upon this episode in Jewish history, and embellished it with various stories relating

270-562: The ten sages is also treated in the additions to the Hekalot and in the qinna for Tisha B'Av . [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Singer, Isidore ; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Smaller Midrashim" . The Jewish Encyclopedia . New York: Funk & Wagnalls. Its bibliography: Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim Hanina [Hananyah] Segan ha-Kohanim ( Hebrew : ר' חנינא (חנניה) סגן הכהנים , lit. "R. Hanina (Hananiah) [the] Segan (Deputy) Ha-Kohanim (High priest)" )

288-586: The virtues of the martyrs and the fortitude shown by them during their execution. These legends became in the Geonic period the subject of a special midrash—the Midrash Asarah Harugei Malkut, or Midrash Eleh Ezkerah . The deaths are described therein as being gruesome. Contrary to the accounts given in the Talmud, Midrash Rabbah, and Midrash Eleh Ezkerah, which clearly state that there were intervals between

306-574: Was of the first Generation of the Jewish Tanna sages. He was the father of Rabbi Simeon ben ha-Segan . He commented on what he had seen occur during the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem . The book Yihusei Tanna'im ve-Amora'im says that he was killed along with Shimon ben Gamliel and Ishmael ben Elisha ha-Kohen . It is also said that he was one of the Ten Martyrs , and was killed on

324-485: Was raked with iron combs. Despite the pain consuming him, he was still able to proclaim God's providence in the world by reciting the Shema , drawing out the final Echad - "One". The next sage martyred was Rabbi Haninah ben Teradion , who was wrapped in a Torah scroll and burned alive. Wet sponges of wool were placed on his chest to ensure he would not die quickly. When he was being burnt, he told his students that he could see

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