person · P0010
Shimon HaTzaddik שמעון הצדיק
Kohen Gadol and one of the last members of the Great Assembly — the bridge from the corporate assembly to named individual sages. Taught that the world stands on three things: Torah, avodah, and gemilut chasadim.
I. Who
- Hebrew
- שמעון הצדיק
- Also known as
- Simon the Just
- Era
- second-temple
- Received the mesorah from
- Ezra, Anshei Knesset HaGedolah
- Transmitted the mesorah to
- Antigonus Ish Sokho
II. When
- Traditional
- c. 3420–3500 AM
- Lifespan (traditional)
- ≈80 years
- Precision
- approximate
V. How do we know
| Claim | Evidence | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Received the Oral Torah from Ezra and his court — for "the court of Ezra, they are the ones called the Men of the Great Assembly" — per the Rambam's enumeration of the chain of transmission.
This identifies the corporate Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (Anshei Knesset HaGedolah) with the named court of Ezra (Ezra) — the two parallel chains on the map are the same transmission described corporately (Avot 1:1) and by named carriers (Rambam).
|
rabbinic tradition | ★★★★★ | |
| Was of the remnants of the Great Assembly, and said: on three things the world stands — on the Torah, on the service, and on acts of lovingkindness. | rabbinic | ★★★★★ | |
| Served as Kohen Gadol for forty years, during which miraculous signs accompanied the Temple service; they ceased after his death.
Aggadic account. |
rabbinic | ★★★☆☆ | |
| A Bavli narrative says Shimon HaTzaddik met Alexander the Great in priestly garments; Alexander descended and bowed, explaining that Shimon's image appeared before him in battle.
Legendary rabbinic account; it should not be treated as direct contemporary historiography.
|
rabbinic tradition | ★★★☆☆ | |
| Traditional placement c. 3420–3500 AM; identification with a specific historical high priest (Simon I or Simon II of the Oniad line, per Josephus and Ben Sira) is debated.
Schematic traditional dating; historical identification disputed. |
tradition reconstruction | ★★☆☆☆ |