Bnei Bathyra

Bnei Bathyra (Hebrew: בני בתירא, lit. "The Sons of Bathyra"; Also referred to in the Jerusalem Talmud as זקני בתירא, lit. "The Elders of Bathyra") were a family of Jewish sages who were religious leaders around the period of the Destruction of the Second Temple. This family is known for its many important Jewish Sages over the course of several generations. Some tannaim are considered to belong to this family; the best known of these is Judah ben Bathyra, who resided in Nusaybin west to Babylon.

According to Heinrich Graetz, the family is named after the city Batira (בטירא), near Mount Hermon, which was settled by Herod and gave its name to the settlers. However, others disagree with this assessment, as the story involving the family and Hillel the Elder (in which the family is already established as leaders in Jerusalem) takes place near the beginning of Herod's reign, leading to a chronological difficulty.^[1]

According to the Talmud, in about 30 BCE^[2] they served as leaders of the Sanhedrin. However, they were unable to remember the law regarding whether the Passover sacrifice is offered when the 14th of Nisan falls out on Shabbat. Hillel the Elder was able to answer the question for them, and as a result they were demoted from their position and Hillel took their place.^[3] As two brothers were not allowed to serve on the Sanhedrin at the same time, this suggests that the phrase "Sons of Bathyra" was not a patronymic, but a family name (nomen gentilicium).

About 100 years later, the sons of Bathyra are recorded disputing with Johanan ben Zakkai whether the shofar should be blown when Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbat.^[4] Since this takes place about 100 years after the story involving Hillel, the sons of Bathyra mentioned here must have been descendants of the earlier leaders of the Sanhedrin, who probably still retained some of their ancestors' reputation.

References

^ Aharon Heimann, Toldot Tannaim veAmoraim, "Hillel haZaken"
^ Based on the statement that Hillel began his leadership 100 years before the destruction of the Temple (Shabbat 15a)
^ Pesachim 66a
^ Rosh Hashana 29b

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Bathyra". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

v t e Zugot Era
Era Commence:	Simeon the Just Antigonus of Sokho
Zugot:	Jose ben Joezer Jose ben Jochanan Joshua ben Perachiah Nittai of Arbela Simeon ben Shetach Judah ben Tabbai Shmaya Abtalion (Bnei Bathyra) Hillel Shammai (Menahem)

v t e Tannaim
Last Generation of Zugot Era	Hillel the Elder Shammai Houses of Hillel and Shammai Bnei Bathyra Menahem Hananiah ben Hezekiah ben Garon Simeon ben Hillel
First Generation	Gamaliel I, the Elder Shimon ben Gamliel (I) Ishmael ben Elisha ha-Kohen Yohanan ben Zakkai Jonathan ben Uzziel Baba ben Buta Hanina ben Dosa Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim Abba Saul ben Batnit Admon Dosa ben Harkinas Judah ben Bathyra Eliezer ben Jacob I Nahum the Mede
Second Generation	Gamaliel II Joshua ben Hananiah Eliezer ben Hurcanus Eleazar ben Arach Nehunya ben HaKanah Nachum Ish Gamzu Abba Hilkiah Rabbi Zadok Akabia ben Mahalalel Simeon HaPakoli Shmuel ha-Katan
Third Generation	Rabbi Akiva Rabbi Tarfon Judah ben Bava Rabbi Ishmael Eleazar ben Azariah Jose the Galilean Eliezer ben Jose Haninah ben Teradion Eleazar ben Perata I Johanan ben Baroka Simeon ben Zoma Simeon ben Azzai Onkelos Hanina ben Antigonus Hanina ben Hakinai Yochanan ben Nuri Eleazar Chisma Elisha ben Abuyah Rabbi Ilai I Eleazar of Modi'im Halafta Haninah ben Ahi R. Joshua Abtolemus Jose ben Kisma Jeshbab the Scribe Aquila of Sinope Johanan ben Torta Eleazar ben Judah of Bartota Matteya ben Heresh Hanan the Egyptian Simeon the Yemenite Abba Jose ben Hanan Judah ben Dama
Fourth Generation	Simeon ben Gamaliel II Judah bar Ilai Jose ben Halafta Shimon ben Halafta Rabbi Jonathan Rabbi Meir (and wife Bruriah) Shimon bar Yochai Eleazar ben Shammua Rabbi Nehemiah Rabbi Nathan Joshua ben Karha Abba Saul Johanan HaSandlar Pinchas ben Yair Simeon Shezuri Hananiah ben Akavia Eliezer ben Jacob II
Fifth Generation	Judah haNasi (Judah I) Huna Kamma Jose ben Judah Ishmael ben Jose Eleazar ben Simeon Simeon ben Eleazar Eleazar ha-Kappar Symmachus ben Joseph Issi ben Judah Bar Kappara Jose ben Zimra Levi ben Sisi Rabbi Bana'ah Simeon ben Menasya Yadua the Babylonian Joshua ben Levi Abba Kohen Bardela

References

See also