Ancient Standoffs: Five Talmudic Stories of Tense Encounters Between Jews and Romans (Jerusalem Talmud, Terumot 8:4, 11-15) - Pt.1
Story # 1 - Ulla bar Qoshav; R’ Yehoshua ben Levi; Story # 2 - R’ Issi; R’ Yonatan; R’ Shimon ben Lakish; Story # 3 - Zeir bar Ḥinena; R’ Ammi; R’ Shmuel; Queen Zenobia 3
The first part of a two-part series.
Source
Jerusalem_Talmud_Terumot.8.4.11-15
Outline
Story # 1 - Ulla bar Qoshav; R’ Yehoshua ben Levi
Story # 2 - R’ Issi; R’ Yonatan; R’ Shimon ben Lakish
Story # 3 - Zeir bar Ḥinena; R’ Ammi; R’ Shmuel; Queen Zenobia
Story #4 - R’ Yohanan; “Ba’alei Kanyah” (בעלי קנייה); R’ Shimon ben Laqish
Story #5 - Diocletian; R’ Yehudah Nesia; R’ Shmuel bar Naḥman
Story # 1 - Ulla bar Koshav; R’ Yehoshua ben Levi
The story involves an otherwise-unknown person named Ulla bar Koshav, who was marked for arrest by the Roman government and sought refuge with R’ Yehoshua ben Levi in Lod (a town near the modern Tel Aviv). When government forces threatened to destroy Lod unless Ulla was surrendered, R’ Joshua ben Levi convinced Ulla to turn himself in. Following this, Elijah, who regularly appeared to R' Joshua, ceased his visits. In response, R’ Joshua fasted extensively, prompting Elijah to reappear. Elijah rebuked him for his actions, by questioning whether his decision to hand over Ulla (described as being a “moser” - מסור - “one who hands over”) was truly righteous, despite being based on a legal precedent.
עולא בר קושב תבעתיה מלכותא,
ערק ואזל ליה ללוד גבי רבי יושוע בן לוי.
אתון ואקפון מדינתא.
אמרו להן: אין לית אתון יהבון ליה לן, אנן מחרבין מדינתא.
סלק גביה רבי יהושע בן לוי, ופייסיה, ויהביה לון.
והוה אליהו זכור לטוב יליף מיתגלי עלוי, ולא איתגלי.
וצם כמה צומין, ואיתגלי עלוי.
אמר ליה: ולמסורות אני נגלה?!
אמר ליה: ולא משנה עשיתי?
אמר ליה: וזו משנת החסידים?!
Ulla bar Qoshav was proscribed by the government.
He fled and went to Lydda to R' Joshua ben Levi.
They came and surrounded the city.
They said to them, if you do not hand him over to us, we shall destroy the city.
R' Joshua ben Levi went to him and talked him into being handed over to them.
Elijah, may he be remembered for good things, used to appear to him; he stopped appearing.
He fasted many fasts; he appeared to him and said, do I appear to mosrim?!
He said to him, did I not act according to a baraita?
He said to him, is that a statement for the pious?!
Story # 2 - R’ Issi; R’ Yonatan; R’ Shimon ben Lakish
The story recounts the Roman capture of R’ Issi in Safsufa, prompting various reactions from his contemporaries: R’ Jonathan (possibly should say “R’ Yohanan”, mentioned later in the story) reacted cynically, resigned to R' Issi's death. In contrast, R’ Shimon ben Lakish resolved to rescue him, declaring his readiness to either kill or be killed in the effort. He successfully negotiated R' Issi's release. Afterwards, R’ Shimon ben Lakish invited the captors to visit R' Yoḥanan, suggesting that he would pray for them. However, R' Yoḥanan instead declared that the fate they intended for R' Issi should befall them. The captors then perished before reaching “epipseros” ( אפיפסרוס - Translation Guggenheimer, f. 255 - “In the Rome ms., אפיפסרון. Cf. Greek ἄποψις - ápopsis, -εως, ἡ, “outlook, tower from which one looks out”. Perhaps “they did not reach the lookout” or “they had not vanished from sight.””), fulfilling R' Yoḥanan's ominous pronouncement.
רבי איסי איתציד בספסופה.
אמר רבי יונתן: יכרך המת בסדינו.
אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש: עד דאנא קטיל, ואנה מיתקטיל, אנא איזיל ומשיזיב ליה בחיילא.
אזל, ופייסון, ויהבוניה ליה.
אמר לון: ואתון גבי סבין, והוא מצלי עליכון.
אתון גבי רבי יוחנן.
אמר לון: מה דהוה בלבבכון איעבד ליה, יתעביד לון ימטא לההוא עמא.
לא מטון אפיפסרוס, עד דאזלון כולהון.
R' Issi was captured in Safsufa.
R' Jonathan said, may the dead be wrapped in his shroud.
R' Simeon ben Laqish said, even if I should kill or be killed, I shall go and save him by force.
He went and negotiated; they handed him over to him.
He said to them, come to our old man, he shall pray for you.
They came to R' Yoḥanan.
He said to them, what was in your mind to do to him, shall be done to these people.
They did not reach epipseros when all of them were gone.
Story # 3 - Ze’ir bar Ḥinena; R’ Ammi; R’ Shmuel; Queen Zenobia
In the story, Ze’ir bar Ḥinena (זעיר[א] בר חיננא - a person mentioned a few other times in the Jerusalem Talmud) is Safsufa (the same place as mentioned in the previous story, otherwise unknown), prompting R’ Ammi and R’ Shmuel (probably R’ Shmuel ben Nahman) to go and negotiate for his release. During the negotiations, the famous Queen Zenobia (זנביה מלכתא) challenges them by referring to the miraculous deeds often performed by their God, suggesting that they should implore Him to intervene. At that moment, a Saracen (חד סרקיי) appears, wielding a sabre (ספסירא, possibly cognate with the words sword and scimitar, see here) and revealing that Odenathus, Zenobia's renowned late husband, used it to kill his own brother (or maybe the Saracen’s brother). This timely interruption or divine intervention aids in Zeir bar Ḥinena's release.
Zenobia’s husband, Odaenathus, is referred to as [Pappa] Bar Netzer in the Talmud. He’s referred to in the passage.
זעיר בר חיננא איתציד בספסופא.
סלק רבי אימי ורבי שמואל מפייסה עלוי.
אמרה להון זנביה מלכתא: יליף הוא ברייכון, עבד לכון ניסין, מעשיקין ביה.
עלל חד סרקיי, טעין חד ספסר.
אמר לון: בהדא ספסירא קטל בר ניצור לאחוי,
ואישתיזיב זעיר בר חיננא.
Zeir bar Ḥinena was captured at Safsufa.
R' Ammi and R' Samuel went to negotiate for him.
Queen Zenobia said to them, your Creator usually does wonders for you; put Him under pressure!
There came a Saracen carrying a sabre.
He said to them, with this sabre did Odenathus [Zenobia’s husband] kill his brother.
Zeїr bar Ḥinena was saved.