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SHAMMAI
1. Onam’s son, brother of Jada and the father of Nadab and Abishur from Judah’s tribe (1 Chr 2:28, 32).
2. Rekem’s son and the father of Maon from Caleb’s house (1 Chr 2:44-45).
3. Mered’s son by Bithiah, Pharaoh’s daughter, and a descendant of Caleb (1 Chr 4:17-18).
4. Prominent rabbi whose life spanned the period 50 BC to AD 30. His name is most frequently coupled with that of his equally famous contemporary, Hillel, who was president of the Sanhedrin while Shammai was vice-president. Shammai had the reputation for being strict and rigid in his application of the law and severely literal in his interpretation of the Scriptures, while Hillel was more liberal and humane in applying the law and more imaginative in the use of the Scriptures. Shammai was renowned for his hatred of Roman domination and tried to forbid Jewish people from buying food or drink from Gentiles.
Two schools of interpretation followed these two contemporaries—“the house of Shammai” and “the house of Hillel”—continuing to the time of the compilation of the Mishnah, though the house of Hillel seems to have gradually gained ascendancy over the house of Shammai. The debates and conversations between the two rabbis or the two schools are recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud, pertaining to such matters as offerings, priestly dues, tithes, Levitical cleanness and uncleanness, the observance of the Sabbath, marriage and divorce.
See also Hillel; Judaism; Pharisees; Talmud.
Did Jesus Side with Hillel or Shammai?
According to Matthew 19:3, it is said that some Pharisees approached Jesus and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any and every reason?” They wanted to see whether he would side with the school of Shammai or the school of Hillel. The Shammai school would allow divorce only for immorality, while the school of Hillel allowed a husband to divorce his wife for a variety of lesser reasons. Jesus’ response indicated that he did not affirm any kind of divorce, unless one partner had commited adultery (Mt 19:4-9).