person · P0078
Ben Zoma בן זומא
Ben Zoma was a sage known for compact ethical maxims, scriptural interpretation, and speculative thought. His Mishnah teachings redefine wisdom, strength, wealth, and honor in moral terms. The Pardes narrative says he was harmed, while another account places him on the Temple Mount reflecting on the labor supporting human civilization.
I. Who
- Hebrew
- בן זומא
- Also known as
- Shimon ben Zoma, Simeon ben Zoma
- Era
- tannaim
- Generation
- T3
- Colleagues
- Ben Azzai, Rabbi Akiva
II. When
- Traditional
- c. 3830–3895 AM, in the generation of Rabbi Akiva
- Academic
- fl. early 2nd century CE.
- Lifespan (traditional)
- ≈65 years
- Precision
- approximate
III. Where
- Places
- Jerusalem
V. How do we know
| Claim | Evidence | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Zoma defined the wise person as one who learns from every person, the mighty as one who conquers his inclination, the rich as one who rejoices in his portion, and the honored as one who honors others.
Directly stated in the cited source. |
rabbinic | ★★★★★ | |
| Ben Zoma interpreted "all the days of your life" to include the nights in the obligation to mention the Exodus; the sages interpreted it to include the messianic era.
Directly stated in the cited source. |
rabbinic | ★★★★★ | |
| In the account of the four who entered the Pardes, Ben Zoma gazed and was harmed.
Mystical-aggadic narrative. |
rabbinic | ★★★☆☆ | |
| Seeing a multitude of Israel from a step on the Temple Mount, Ben Zoma blessed the One who knows secrets and thanked God that others performed the many labors required to provide his food and clothing.
The cited source supports this summary; minor wording or identification details are interpretive.
|
rabbinic | ★★★★☆ | |
| The Bavli counts Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma among those who "deliberate before the sages" — advanced students rather than ordained colleagues — consistent with his being known only by his patronymic, without the title Rabbi.
The inference that he was never ordained is the standard reading of this designation, not an explicit statement.
|
rabbinic | ★★★☆☆ | |
| The traditional placement c. 3830–3895 AM, in the generation of Rabbi Akiva, is a schematic Mesorah Atlas reconstruction from his association with Rabbi Akiva's generation and the Pardes circle; the cited sources do not state an absolute AM range.
The cited sources establish relative chronology or regnal duration; they do not state the absolute AM range.
|
tradition reconstruction | ★☆☆☆☆ |