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Eleazar ben-Azaria

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Eleazar ben-Azkari (or Askari)

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a Talmudic teacher of the 1st. century of our sera, belonged to a noble priestly family. When Gamaliel the younger was deposed at Jabneh. Eleazar was elected president of the college, although, only seventeen years of age. One of his first measures was to remove the doorkeeper and give free admission to the college to all, whereas Gamaliel had excluded every disciple who was not "the same inwardly as outwardly." It is added that when anything is recorded as having happened בו ביום on that day," the occasion of Azaria's accession is referred to; and the day is described as one in which all the pending controversies; were decided. When Gamaliel was reinstated, Ben-Azaria acted as vice-president, and, according to the Talmud. matters were so arranged that on three Sabbathsin the month Gamaliel acted as president, whereas the fourth was given to Eleazar. Hence the saying "Whose Sabbath is it? The Sabbath of rabbi Eieazar ben- Azaria." A saying of his is recorded in Aboth, 3:26: "No Torah, no culture; no culture, no Torah; ino wisdom, no fear of God; no fear of God, no wisdom; no knowledge, no discernment; no discernment, no knowledge; no meal, no Torah; no Torah, no meal." See Hamburger, Real-Encyclop. 2:156 sq.; Bacher, in Frankel-Gratz's Monatsschrift, 1883, page 6 sq. (B.P.)