Levi ben Sisi

Alleged tomb of Levi and Yossi Bar Sisi, Sasa, Israel

Levi ben Sisi or Levi bar Sisi (Sisyi, Susyi, Hebrew: לוי בר סיסי) was a Jewish scholar, disciple of the patriarch Judah I, and school associate of his son Simeon (Ab. Zarah 19a); one of the semi-tannaim of the last decades of the 2nd century and of the early decades of the 3rd century.

Levi ben Sisi assisted Judah in the compilation of the Mishnah and contributed baraitot (Yoma 24a). Many of Levi's baraitot were eventually embodied in a compilation known as Ḳiddushin de-Be Levi (Ḳid. 76b; B. B. 52b). In the Babylonian Talmud Levi is seldom quoted with his patronymic, and neither in that nor in the Jerusalem Talmud nor in the Midrashim is he quoted with the title of "Rabbi". Keeping this in mind, the student of rabbinics will easily determine whether passages written under the name "Levi" without a patronymic must be credited to Levi bar Sisi or to a younger namesake who is almost always cited as "R. Levi" (see Levi II). But although Levi bar Sisi is not given the title "Rab," he was highly esteemed among the learned, and in many instances where an anonymous passage is introduced with the statement למדין לפני חכמים (= "it was argued before the sages") it is to be understood that the argument referred to was advanced by Levi before Judah I (Sanh. 17b; comp. Men. 80b; Me'i. 9b; see Rashi and Tos. ad loc.).

Judah I later spoke of Levi bar Sisi as of an equal. But the latter did not always succeed in impressing the public. At the request of a congregation at Simonias to send it a man who could act at once as lecturer, judge, superintendent of the synagogue, public scribe, and teacher, and attend to the general congregational affairs, Judah I sent Levi. When, however, Levi entered on office he signally failed to satisfy the first requirement. Questions of law and of exegesis were addressed to him, and he left them unanswered. The Simonias congregation charged the patriarch with having sent it an unfit man, but the patriarch assured it that he had selected for it a man as able as himself. He summoned Levi and propounded to him the questions originally propounded by the congregation; Levi answered every one correctly. Judah thereupon inquired why he did not do so when the congregation submitted those questions; Levi answered that his courage had failed him (Yer. Yeb. xii. 13a; comp. Yeb. 105a; Gen. R. lxxxi. 2). A late midrash speaks of him as a Biblical scholar and good lecturer (Pesiḳ. xxv. 165b).

After Judah's death Levi retired with Ḥanina b. Ḥama from the academy, and when Ḥanina received his long-delayed promotion Levi removed to Babylonia, whither his fame had preceded him (Shab. 59b; see Ḥanina b. Ḥama). He died in Babylonia, and was greatly mourned by scholars. In the course of a eulogy on him delivered by Abba bar Abba it was said that Levi alone was worth as much as the whole of humanity (Yer. Ber. ii. 5c).

Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

Bacher, Ag. Tan. ii. 536;
Frankel, Mebo, p. 110b;
Halevy, Dorot ha-Rishonim, ii. 60a;
Seder HaDoroth, ii.;
Weiss, Dor, ii. 192.

Tannaim

Last Generation of Zugot Era	Hillel the Elder Shammai Bnei Bathyra Menahem Akabia ben Mahalalel Hananiah b. Hezekiah b. Garon

First Generation	Gamaliel I, the Elder Shimon ben Gamliel (I) Ishmael ben Elisha ha-Kohen Johanan ben Zakai 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 (Destruction of the Second Temple and thereafter)	Gamaliel II Joshua ben Hananiah Eliezer ben Hurcanus Eleazar ben Arach Nehunya ben HaKanah Nahum of Gimzo Abba Hilkiah Rabbi Zadok

Third Generation	Akiva ben Joseph Tarfon Judah ben Bava Rabbi Ishmael Eleazar ben Azariah Jose the Galilean Eliezer ben Jose Haninah ben Teradion Johanan ben Baroka Simon 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

Fourth Generation	Shimon ben Gamaliel (II) Judah bar Ilai Jose ben Halafta Rabbi Jonathan Rabbi Meir (and wife Bruriah) Simeon bar Yochai Eleazar ben Shammua Rabbi Nehemiah Rabbi Nathan Joshua ben Karha Abba Saul Yochanan HaSandlar Phinehas ben Jair Simeon Shezuri

Fifth Generation	Judah I Huna Kamma Jose b. Judah Ishmael ben Jose Eleazar b. 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 b. Menasya Yadua the Babylonian Joshua ben Levi

Amoraim

Amoraim of Eretz Israel

First Generation (until 250 CE):	Gamaliel III R. Hiyya Rabbi Yannai Hoshaiah Rabbah Epes the Southerner Joshua ben Levi Hanina bar Hama Levi ben Sisi Bar Kappara Jeremiah (I)

Second Generation (until 280 CE):	Judah II (Nesi'ah I) Johanan bar Nappaha Shimon ben Lakish Eleazar ben Pedat Jose b. Hanina Rav Kahana II Jacob b. Idi Hezekiah Judah b. Hiyya Abba of Jaffa

Third Generation (until 310 CE):	Gamaliel IV Rabbi Ammi Rabbi Assi Abbahu Abin I Hiyya bar Abba Ulla Rav Zeira Rabbah bar bar Hana Rabbi Ilai II Rab 'Awira Hanina b. Papi Jose of Yokereth Jeremiah (II) Hoshaiah Hanina Abba bar Memel Tachlifa the Palestinian Avdimi of Haifa

Fourth Generation (until 340 CE):	Hasa of Eshtemoa Judah III (Nesi'ah II) Jeremiah (III) Rabbi Aha Rabbi Berekiah Jose b. Zevida Rav Jonah Rabbi Hilkiah Zerika Isaac b. Eliashib

Fifth Generation (until 380 CE):	Hillel II Gamaliel V Jose ben Abin Rabbi Mana II

Sixth Generation (until 410 CE):	Judah IV (Nesi'ah III) Tanhuma bar Abba Hanina of Sepphoris Samuel b. Jose b. Boon

Amoraim of Babylon

First Generation (until 250 CE):	Abba Arika Samuel of Nehardea Mar Ukva Karna Rav Shela Rav Assi

Second Generation (until 280 CE):	Rav Huna Judah bar Ezekiel Rabbah b. Abuha Jeremiah b. Abba Rav Kahana II Rav Berona Hiyya b. Joseph Rav Giddel Hiyya b. Ashi Raba Bar Jeremiah (Abba) Adda bar Ahavah

Third Generation (until 310 CE):	Rav Nachman Sheshet Rav Chisda Rabbah bar Nahmani Rav Yosef b. Hiyya Raba bar Rav Huna Joseph b. Hama Ammi b. Abba Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah

Fourth Generation (until 340 CE):	Abaye Rava Rami bar Hama Aha b. Jacob Rav Safra Rav Kahana III Idi b. Abin Naggara Hiyya b. Abin Naggara Rav Shizbi Isaac b. Judah Rabbah b. Shela

Fifth Generation (until 380 CE):	Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak Rav Papa Huna ben Joshua Rav Zevid Rav Papi Amemar Mar Zutra Rav Mesharshiya

Sixth Generation (until 430 CE):	Ravina I Rami b. Abba Rav Ashi Huna ben Joshua Rav Kahana IV

Seventh Generation (until 465 CE):	Rav Yemar Mar bar Rav Ashi Rafram II Aha b. Raba Judah b. Meremar

Eighth Generation (until 500 CE):	Rabbah Tosafa'ah Ravina II Rabbah Jose

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Levi b. Sisi". Jewish Encyclopedia. 1901–1906.

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