Shammai

[ shah-mahy ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

flourished 1st century b.c., Hebrew rabbi: founder of Beth Shammai, school of hermeneutics.

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Swarthmore Hillel may need to take a new name (I suggest the obvious “Shammai”).

But Shammai was not of a gloomy or misanthropical disposition; indeed, he encouraged friendliness in demeanor towards every one.

Hillel and Shammai did not live to see the catastrophe which made Juda a province of Rome.

The school of Shammai had a large number of adherents in the Synhedrion, as well as among the people.

He was disinherited by his father in favor of Shammai, probably from displeasure at his having joined the school of Hillel.

He was well versed in the Law, and belonged to the strict school of Shammai, which generally agreed with the Zealots.

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