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HILLEL
1. Father of Abdon, one of the judges (Jgs 12:13-15).
2. Jewish teacher and scholar (c. 60 BC–AD 20) who helped to develop the oral law and may have founded rabbinic Judaism. Hillel was called “the Elder,” a title that indicates a person holding a position of honor, generally given to those who stood at the head of the community. Born in Babylonia, he moved to Palestine for more advanced studies under two outstanding scholars, Shemaiah and Abtalyon. He first gained recognition when the sons of Bathyra, the chief interpreters of the Law at the time, could not decide on an answer to an important legal problem, namely, whether or not the offering of the paschal lamb overrode the Sabbath prohibitions. Having heard that there was a man living in Jerusalem who had studied under Shemaiah and Abtalyon, they sent for Hillel and told him the problem. Hillel’s answer was that the paschal offering took precedence over the Sabbath, and he argued his point so successfully that his ruling was accepted. He was then appointed to replace the sons of Bathyra. It has been argued, however, that Hillel’s appointment can hardly be attributed solely to this one incident.
Hillel was one of the first persons to apply advanced principles of interpretation in determining practical law and action. Thus he is especially important for the development of the Talmud and the oral law. These rules provided the basis for later rabbinic interpretation.
There are many stories describing Hillel’s character, picturing him as a man of great humility and extreme patience, pursuing peace even at the expense of truth. He is usually contrasted with his colleague Shammai, who is portrayed as impatient and ill-tempered. The most famous tale tells of a heathen who came to Shammai to be converted on the condition that he teach him the entire Law while he stood on one foot. Shammai snubbed him, and so the heathen went to Hillel. Hillel replied, “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor; this is the entire Law, all the rest is commentary. Now go and learn it.” Hillel thus became a model for Jews throughout history.
See also Judaism; Shammai #4; Talmud.