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Two thousand years ago there lived two great Jews who most people have never heard of. Their names were Hillél and Shammai. Both are quoted in the Talmud, including Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers). They lived around in the last century BCE and they both founded schools with tens of thousands of students. They were both members of the Sanhedrin, too... So who were they? Hillel / הִלֵּל (called Hillél the Elder), Hillél Hazaken, was born around 50 BCE and died 10 CE. He was born in Babylon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. We are told he was a very poor man who became learned... As an adult he lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod & Emperor Augustus of Rome. Hillél was so great that for the nearly the next 500 years (15 generations) his descendants were Jewish leaders: 1. Hillél I Hazakén (“the Elder”) — 50 BCE-10 BCE 2. Shim'on I Hazakén (“the Elder”) 10 BCE- 30 CE 3. Gamliy'él I Hazakén (“the Elder”) 30 - 50 CE 4. Shim'on II 50-80 CE 5. Gamliy'él II d'Yavnah (“of Yavneh”) 80 - 120 CE 6. Shim'on III ben Gamliy'él 120-165 CE 7. Y'hudah I Hanasi (“the Nasi” or “Prince”) 65 - 220 CE 8. Gamliy'él III 220 - 230 CE 9. Y'hudah II “N'siy'ah” 230 - 270 CE 10. Gamliy'él IV 270 - 290 CE 11. Y'hudah III 290 - 320 CE 12. Hillél II 320 - 365CE 13. Gamliy'él V 365 - 385 CE 14. Y'hudah IV 385 - 400CE 15. Gamliy'él VI 400 - 415 CE On October 17, 415 CE the Emperors Honorius and Theodosius II passed an edict deposing the Nasi (prince) of the Jewish people. Theodosius would not allow anyone to replace Gamliy'él VI and, fourteen years later, he abolished the office of Nasi altogether. But back to Hillél and Shammai. Hillél the Elder was so great he (along with Shammai) are even listed in the chain of transmission of the Torah from one generation to the next! They are both said to have been the last of the Zugot / זוּגוֹת meaning "pairs." When Shimon HaTzaddik, the last member of the Great Assembly died in 273 BCE the Zugot (two rabbis) were the leaders of the community. For hundreds of years there was a Nasi (the president), and an Av Beit Din (the head of the Sanhedrin). Hillél was the Nasi, and Shammai the Av Beit Din... Hillél was the ancestor of Y'hudah haNasi (Judah the Prince) -- tY'hudah I Hanasihe man who led the completion of the Mishnah -- the first part of the Talmud. Today many of his teachings and his decisions are still followed -- including how we light Chanukah candles! Hillél had some famous sayings which were saved inPirkei Avot: "Hillel would say: Do not separate yourself from the community. Do not believe in yourself until the day you die. Do not judge your fellow until you have stood in his place. Do not say something that is not readily understood in the belief that it will ultimately be understood [or: Do not say something that ought not to be heard even in the strictest confidence, for ultimately it will be heard]. And do not say "When I free myself of my concerns, I will study,'' for perhaps you will never free yourself." and "Be of the disciples of Aaron—a lover of peace, a pursuer of peace, one who loves the creatures and draws them close to Torah." and "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" Hillél disagreed with his contemporary, Shammai only three times (most seem to think they were constantly at loggerheads, but this is not true). Shammai / שַׁמַּאי lived from 50 BCE to 30 CE. "Shammai would say: Make your Torah study a permanent fixture of your life. Say little and do much. And receive every man with a pleasant countenance." Y'vamot 14b tells us "Although Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed... nevertheless .. they behaved with love and friendship toward one another, as it says in Zecharia, "TRUTH and PEACE they loved" (8:19)." Mikdash Melech to Zohar Parshat B'reishit 17b tells us "In the time of the Messiah, we will follow the law according to Shammai. Hillél represents kindness and Shammai severity (hence the rulings of Beit Hillel are almost always more lenient). When the Messiah comes the advantage of the severity will be revealed and therefore the law will be in accordance with Beit Shammai. Beit Shammai comes from such a high level this present world is incapable of withstanding it, and only when the Messiah comes will we be able to do so."
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