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Eleazar B. Azariah

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Mishnaic scholar of the second generation (first century C.E.); junior contemporary of Gamaliel II., Eliezer b. Hyrcanus, and Joshua b. Hananiah, and senior of Akiba (Sifre, Deut. 32; Sanh. 101a). He traced his pedigree for ten generations back to Ezra (Ber. 27b; Yer. Yeb. 1:3b), and was very wealthy (Shab. 54b; Beẓah 23a; compare Ḳid. 49b). These circumstances, added to his erudition, gained for him great popularity. When Gamaliel II., in consequence of his provoking demeanor, was temporarily deposed from the patriarchate, Eleazar, though still very young, was elevated to that office by the deliberate choice of his colleagues. He did not, however, occupy it for any length of time, for the Sanhedrin reinstated Gamaliel. He was retained as vice-president ("ah bet din"), nevertheless, and it was arranged that Gamaliel should lecture three (some say two) Sabbaths, and Eleazar every fourth (or third) Sabbath (Ber. 27b et seq.; Yer. Ber. 4:7c et seq.; Yer. Ta'an. 4:67d).

Journey to Rome.

In company with Gamaliel, Joshua, and Akiba, he journeyed to Rome (Kallah R.; Derek Ereẓ R. ). Neither the object of the journey nor the result of the mission is stated; but that affairs important as pressing were involved is apparent from the season at which the journey was undertaken: they celebrated the Feast of Booths aboard the ship (Sifra, Emor, 16:2; Suk. 41b). With the same companions Eleazar once visited the ruins of the Temple at Jerusalem (Sifre, Deut. 43). On a visit to the aged Dosa b. Harkinas the latter joyfully exclaimed, "In him I see the fulfilment of the Scriptural saying (Psalms 37:25): 'I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread'" (Yeb. 16a; Yer. Yeb. 1:3c et seq.), by which he probably alluded to Eleazar's great learning and his proverbial wealth. The latter was amassed by dealing in wine, oil (Tosef., 'Ab. Zarah, 5:1; B. B. 91a), and cattle (Shab. 54b; Beẓah 23a). Subsequent generations entertained the belief that dreaming of Eleazar b. Azariah presaged the acquisition of wealth.

His Exegetic Principle.

With Eleazar's accession to the patriarchate the portals of the academy were opened wide to all who sought admittance. It is said that three hundred benches had to be added for the accommodation of the eager throngs which pressed into the halls of learning. Under his presidency, too, a review of undecided points of law was undertaken. To Eleazar rabbinic homiletics owes the introduction of the rule called (= "contiguous"), by which one Scriptural passage is explained or supplemented by another immediately preceding or succeeding it. Thus, Eleazar declares that the slanderer and the listener and the false witness deserve to be thrown to the dogs. He derives this idea from the juxtaposition of the expression (Exodus 22:30 [A. V. 31]), "Ye shall cast it to the dogs," and (ib. 23:1) the prohibition against raising false reports, bearing false witness, and associating with the false witness (Pes. 118a; Mak. 23a).

In his homilies he generally aims to bring out some ethical or practical lesson. With reference to the Day of Atonement the Bible says (Leviticus 16:30), "On that day . . . ye may be clean [Hebr. = "ye shall cleanse yourselves"] from all your sins before the Lord." Therefrom Eleazar draws the lesson that the efficacy of the day extends only to sins against God, while sins against man are not forgiven unless the offended party has first been reconciled (Yoma 8:9; Sifra, Aḥare Mot, 8:2). The Bible says (Deuteronomy 23:8 [A. V. 7]), "Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian . . . because thou wast a stranger in his land." Thereupon Eleazar remarks,"The Egyptians admitted the Israelites out of self-interest; nevertheless God accounts their act as one of merit. Now, if he who unintentionally confers a favor is accorded a token of merit, how much more so he who intentionally does a good deed" (Sifre, Deut. 252; compare Ber. 63b). Similar is his deduction from Deuteronomy 24:19, which says, "When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands." "Here," argues Eleazar, "the Bible promises blessings to him by whom a good deed is done unintentionally; hence if one unwittingly loses money, and a needy one finds it and sustains life thereon, God will bless the loser for it" (Sifra, Wayiḳra [Ḥoba], 12:13; Sifre, Deut. 183).

Biblical Interpretations.

Eleazar was independent in his Biblical interpretations. He often rejected Akiba's opinions, remarking, "Even if thou persist the whole day in extending and limiting [see See HERMENEUTICS], I shall not harken to thee" (Sifra, Ẓaw, 11:6; Men. 89a), or, "Turn from the Haggadah and betake thee to the laws affecting leprosy and the defilement of tents" ( ; Ḥag. 14a. Sanh. 38b). Above all, he strove to be methodical. When one applied to him for information on a Biblical topic, he furnished that; was he called upon to explain a mishnah, a halakah, or a haggadah, he explained each point. Eleazar was opposed to frequent sentences of capital punishment. In his opinion a court that averages more than one execution in the course of seventy years is a murderous court (Mak. 1:10; CAPITAL PUNISHMENT).

In the following few sentences is comprised Eleazar's practical philosophy:

Wisdom.

While he lived he enjoyed the encomiums of his famous colleagues, who said, "That generation in which Eleazar b. Azariah flourishes can not be termed orphan" (Ḥag. 3b; Mek., Bo, ); and when he died the learned said, "With the death of R. Eleazar b. Azariah was removed the crown of the sages" (Tosef., Soṭah, 15:3; Soṭah 49b; Yer. Soṭah 9:24c).