“It is the honor of your student so dear to thee as thine own, for the honor of your partner as the fear of thy master, and the fear of your teacher as the fear of Heaven.”
(Pirkei Avot 4:12)

Rabbi Elazar ben Shamúa (s. II EC) — Tana fourth generation

Identity and chronology

Rabbi Elazar ben Shamúa (also cited simply as “Rabbi Elazar”) was a tana of fourth generation active after the revolt of Bar Kojbá (132-136 CE). Classical sources describe it as kohén and great fortunewidely quoted in the Mishnah, the Tosefta, and midrashim halájicos. He was a disciple featured Rabbi Akiva and, according to tradition, teacher of Rabbi Yehuda hanassi (editor of the Mishnah).

Historical context

During the persecutions hadriánicasAkiva could not give semijá. After the death of Akiva, Yehuda ben Bavá ordered a group of scholars —among them Meir, Yose ben Jalafta, Yehuda bar Ilai, Shimon bar Yojái and Elazar ben Shamúa— in a place between Usha and Shefar'am; the buyer was executed by the romans, while the ordained escaped and became the main transmitters of the Torah in that generation.

Teachers and colleagues

Though he ended up as a faithful disciple of Rabbi Akivasources listed teachers before (e.g., Rabbi Tarfon and other), and placed him in intensive interaction halachic with Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai, as well as with Rabbi Shimon bar Yojái. These names are placed on the circle south of followers of Akiva, responsible to “revive” the study after the death of the pupils of Akiva.

Discipleship and school

Sources amóricas emphasize the prestige of his bet midrash: it is said that he was so busy that six students shared the space of a cubit, and that Rav he called it “the most excellent among the wise”, while Rabbi Yochanan he praised the breadth of his heart. It is considered that many of their mishnaiot passed on the final corpus by the hand of Yehuda hanassi. Among his students quote Yehuda hanassi e Issí haBavlí.

“I never used the house of prayer as a shortcut, or spent on the heads of the public, nor I lifted my hands to bless without uttering first blessing.”
(Talmud Bavlí, Meguilá 27b)

Personal traits and anecdotes

• Longevity and merits: when asked why they deserved to long life, he replied with three practices: do not use the synagogue as a shortcut, do not pass over the heads of the public (coming in late and stepped between the rows of students), and do not raise the hands for the priestly blessing without reciting before the previous blessing.
• Learning tefillah: a midrash tells that initially refused to officiate for modesty or lack of expertise; after learning with Akiva, he turned and led the prayer with solvency. The public commented that “he broke out the muzzle” (a play with ḥasam, “enmordazar”).

Ethical teachings (Agadá)

• Pirkei Avot 4:12: “It is the honor of your student so dear to thee as thine own; for the honor of your colleague as the fear of thy master; and the fear of your teacher as the fear of Heaven”. This synthesizes its ethics kavod (honor) in the string, the master–fellow–disciple.
• Study and benevolence: recommended Torah and guemilut jasadim as protection from the trials and tribulations premesiánicas.
• The foundation of the world: “The world is sustained on a single column called Tzadik (‘the fair’)”, reading linked to Prov 10:25.

Contributions halájicas selected

in the literature tanaíta there are confusion recurring between “Elazar” and “Eliezer” (e.g., with Eliezer ben Hyrcanus). Sources scholars warn that this phenomenon; what follows is presented with that caution

• Guitín 9:4 — ‘Edéi mesirá kartei’: Tradition which associates to Rabbi Elazar with the thesis that the witnesses of the delivery validate the document (e.g., the get), even if the document lacks signatures; a position of great weight in the right documents.
• Kohanim and the liturgy: your condition kohén appears in the framework of standards on Birkat Kohanim (Sotah 39a), and their practice staff (above) is cited as a model of reverence liturgical.

Geography, travel, and attachment to the Land of Israel

A tradition relates that Elazar and Yochanan haSandlar embarked on the road to Nisibis (Mesopotamia) to study with Yehuda ben Betera; to reach Sidon returned, proclaiming: “Living in Eretz Israel is the equivalent of all the mitzvot of the Torah”. The story underscores its sionidad ritual and the value of living in the Land.

Status between the Wise

Sources amóricas place it in the pantheon of reference the tanaím late; some midrashim late arriving to include it in the Ten Martyrs era hadriánica (list, which varies according to tradition).

Where quoted

• Mishnah / Tosefta / Midrashei Halachah: in numerous passages, often next to Meir, Shimon bar Yojái and Yochanan haSandlar. Several dictates were integrated in the Mishnah end.
• Pirkei Avot 4:12: maximum core ethic (text in Sefaria).
• Stories, reviews and ratings in Eruvín 53a, Ketubot 40a, Meguilá 27b, Sotah 39a (via abstracts academic).

“Great is the one who honors others, because the honor is the crown before God.”

Profile doctrinal condensate

1. Chain of transmission: direct link Akiva and paper bridge to Yehuda hanassi.
2. Ethics of respect: prioritizes the kavod vertical and horizontal in the community of study (student–colleague–master–Sky).
3. Liturgy and worship: model awe in the synagogue, and the priestly blessing.
4. Halachah of documents: associated with the rule of witnesses delivery as the core of evidence, with lasting impact on Guitín.
5. Attachment to Eretz Israel: idealized residence on earth as it is equivalent to the precepts.

Phrases and key sources

• “It is the honor of your student so dear as yours...” (Avot 4:12).
• “Torah and acts of kindness protect them from the pain messianic” (summary of Sanhedrin 98b).
• Three merits for longevity: do not tackle the synagogue, not to step on heads, do not raise hands without a blessing upon (Meguilá 27b; Sotah 39a).

“The study of the Torah, along with acts of kindness preserves the man of sorrows of the Messiah.”
(Sanhedrin 98b)

To further investigate

• Encyclopaedia Judaica (input “Eleazar ben Shammua”) with notes on biography, corpora and problems of attribution.
• Jewish Encyclopedia (Schechter & Mendelsohn), a story of the sort clandestine, sayings and valuation america.
• Sefaria: Hebrew text and translations Avot 4:12 and collections of primary sources on Rebbi Elazar b. Shamúa.

Synthesis

Rabbi Elazar ben Shamúa emerges as pillar of continuity between the school of Akiva and the wording of the Mishnahwith an ethic of respect that sorts the life of the study, a piety liturgical copy and a contribution halachic —especially in documents and divorces— that marked the case-law rabbinic later. His figure combines legal authority, moral sensitivity and devotion to Eretz Israel, leaving an imprint that amoraím recognized as exceptional.

“Whoever lives in the Land of Israel, but not to do more than walk by her, she fulfills a mitzvah which is equal to all others.”
(A tradition narrated in Ketubot 110b)