BEN BAG-BAG – An early tanna. At the end of the Mishnah Abot (v. 22, 23) two sentences are given concerning the study of the Torah; one by Ben Bag-Bag, the other by Ben Hê-Hê. Both sentences are also ascribed to Hillel (Ab. R. N. xii.); as...
BEN-BAṬIAḤ – 1. A man, at the time of the teachers of the Mishnah ("'Aruk," s.v. ), whose fist, being about the size of an adult's head, was used as a standard of measurement (Kelim xvii.; Bek. 37b; compare hip-bone of the giant king Og,...
BEN CHANANJA – 1. A periodical published by Leopold Löw at Leipsic in 1844 with the subtitle "Blätter für Israelitisch-Ungarische Angelegenheiten." It was an octavo containing sixty-four pages, including four introductory ones.2. A periodical...
BEN DAMA – Tanna of the beginning of the second century; a nephew of Ishmael b. Elisha. His inclination toward Hellenism and the Judæo-Christians contrasted with the attitude of his uncle, whom he once asked if he should study "Greek...
BEN DAVID – See Messiah.
BEN-DAVID, ABRAHAM – Chief rabbi of Serres, European Turkey, for 16 years (1825-41); born 1788, died 1841; author of a volume of responsa, "Tiferet Adam" (Man's Beauty), Salonica, 1861.S. M. Fr.
BEN-DEKAR – Commissariat officer of Solomon, whose district in northern Dan included Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-Beth-hanan (I Kings iv. 9).J. Jr. G. B. L.
BEN DURAND – Diplomat and intermediary between Abd-el-Kader and the French government; died at Algiers in September, 1839. Clauzel and Valée, French governors of Algeria, also availed themselves of his services.S. M. K.
BEN ELASAH – A rich and prominent Palestinian of about the middle of the second century. He was the son-in-law of R. Judah ha-Nasi I., and is chiefly known in the Talmud as having been made a butt of on various occasions by Bar Ḳappara (Ned....
BEN ELIEZER – See Behrmann, V. L.
BEN-EZRA, SOLOMON – Chief rabbi of the Jewish community of Smyrna, Asia Minor, in the second half of the eighteenth century, having succeeded his father, Abraham Ben-Ezra; died in 1782. He was the author of a series of Hebrew sermons, "Yad...
BEN-HADAD – Biblical Data: A name that would seem to mean simply "the son of Hadad," a well-known appellation of an Aramean and perhaps also of an Edomite deity (see Hadad). As found in the Old Testament, the name is applied to at least two...
BEN HÊ HÊ – See Ben Bag-Bag.
BEN-HESED – Commissariat officer of Solomon with residence in Aruboth in Judah (I Kings iv. 10, R.V.). His district was Hepher and Sochoh. There being several places of the name "Sochoh," it is not easy to decide which one is meant. The...
BEN HINNOM – See Gehinnom.
BEN-HUR – Commissariat officer of Solomon "in the hill country of Ephraim" (I Kings iv. 8, R. V.).J. Jr. G. B. L.
BEN JUDAH, ELIEZER – Palestinian editor; born at Luzhky, government of Wilna, Jan. 7, 1858; son of Judah Perlman—hence his name "Ben Judah." He received his early Talmudic education at the yeshibah of Rabbi Joseph Blücker at Polotzk, afterward was...
BEN KAFRON – One of the three disciples of Menahem ben Saruk (last third of tenth century) who defended the honor of their teacher against his critic, Dunash ben Labrat. Judah ben Sheshet, a disciple of Dunash, wrote a violent polemic...
BEN KALBA SABBUA' – A rich and prominent man of Jerusalem who flourished about the year 70. According to the Talmud (Giṭ. 56a), he obtained his name from the fact that any one that came to his house hungry as a dog (Kalba), went away satisfied...
BEN KOSIBA – See Bar Kokba.
BEN LA'ANAH – Author of an apocryphal book. The name occurs only once in Yer. (Sanh. x. 28a), where it is said that among the apocryphal books ("sefarim ha-ḥiẓonim") mentioned in the Mishnah (Sanh. x. 1) as forbidden to be read, the works of...
BEN LEB B. ZADIK – See Ḥasidim.
BEN MEÏR – Palestinian nasi in the first half of the tenth century. His name was brought to light some twenty years ago by several fragments discovered in various genizoth. The fragments contain an account of a controversy on the calendar...
BEN MELAK – See Solomon ibn Melek.
BEN NAPHTALI – Masorite; flourished about 890-940 C.E., probably in Tiberias. Of his life little is known. His first name is in dispute. Some medieval authorities called him "Jacob"; two Tchufut-Kalè manuscripts have "Moses b. David"; a...