Shmuel haKatan
Encyclopedia
Shmuel Hakatan was a Babylonian Jew
considered a great scholar of the Talmud
, Jewish law and custom
. He was one of the second generation of Tannaim
, who served under the patriarch Gamliel II of Yavneh, during the last two decades of the 1st century CE.
He is known for his great work on the Hebrew calendar
in exilic times, which brought an end to the practice of witnesses testifying to the new moon, and in establishing some texts of the Jewish prayer book, the Siddur
. Particularly, he wrote the Birkat HaMinim
benediction, the 19th blessing in the silent prayer said thrice daily, the Amidah
.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
considered a great scholar of the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, Jewish law and custom
Minhag
Minhag is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. A related concept, Nusach , refers to the traditional order and form of the prayers...
. He was one of the second generation of Tannaim
Tannaim
The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...
, who served under the patriarch Gamliel II of Yavneh, during the last two decades of the 1st century CE.
He is known for his great work on the Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
in exilic times, which brought an end to the practice of witnesses testifying to the new moon, and in establishing some texts of the Jewish prayer book, the Siddur
Siddur
A siddur is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. This article discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how the siddur, as it is known today has developed...
. Particularly, he wrote the Birkat HaMinim
Birkat haMinim
The Birkat ha-Minim, , is a Jewish prayer of blessing on heretics in general, and sometimes Christians, though in this context "blessing" may also be a euphemism for a curse....
benediction, the 19th blessing in the silent prayer said thrice daily, the Amidah
Amidah
The Amidah , also called the Shmoneh Esreh , is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. This prayer, among others, is found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book...
.
External links
- Jeffrey M. Cohen, "Shmuel HaKatan and the political background to Avot 4:19" originally in Judaism, Spring, 1995