Eliezer ben Jacob I

Not to be confused with Eliezer ben Jacob II, a disciple of R. Akiva of the 2nd century.

Eliezer ben Jacob I (Hebrew: אליעזר בן יעקב) was a Tanna of the 1st century; contemporary of Eleazar Chisma and Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, and senior to Judah ben Ilai.^[1]

Of his personal history nothing is known, except that he had seen the Temple at Jerusalem and was familiar with the specific purposes of its many apartments, a subject on which he was considered an authority.^[2] Some of the details, however, he eventually forgot, and was reminded of them by Abba Saul ben Batnit.^[3]

Simon ben Azzai, Rabbi Akiva's contemporary, relates that he had discovered a genealogical roll wherein was stated, "The Mishnah of R. Eliezer ben Jacob is only a kab [small in proportion], but clean [of all deficiencies]";^[4][5] as a result, subsequent generations generally adopted Eliezer's views as law.^[6]

In the aggadah, too, he is mentioned. According to him, Deuteronomy 11:13 ("To serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul") is an admonition to the priests that, when officiating, they shall entertain no thought foreign to their duty.^[7]

Eliezer ben Jacob bequeathed to Israel many agrarian laws, such as the laws concerning the bringing of the Bikkurim to Jerusalem and who is eligible to recite the Avowal,^[8] as well as the laws concerning Kil'ayim grown in a vineyard.^[9]

He is buried near the old Kefar Hanaiah, in Galilee.^[10]

References

1. Pesachim 32a, 39b; Yalkut Shimoni Leviticus 638
2. Yoma 16b
3. Middot 2:5, 5:4
4. Yebamot 49b
5. Avoth deRabbe Nathan 18:3, ed. Shmuel Yerushalmi, Machon Masoreth: Jerusalem 1976
6. Yebamot 60a; Bechorot 23b
7. Sifre Deuteronomy 41
8. Mishnah Bikkurim 1:5
9. Mishnah Kil'ayim 5:3; 6:2
10. Levi-Nahum, Yehuda (ed.), Sefer ṣohar le-ḥasifat ginzei teiman (ספר צהר לחשיפת גנזי תימן), Tel-Aviv 1986, s.v. chapter: Tombs of the forefathers and righteous [3], p. 252 (Hebrew)

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Solomon Schechter; S. Mendelsohn (1901–1906). "ELIEZER (LIEZER-ELEAZAR) B. JACOB". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.