רבי אלעזר המודעי

Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i was a tanna of the generation of Rabbi Akiva, a talmid of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and a contemporary of Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Eliezer. He took his name from Har HaModa’i near Yerushalayim, where he lived. He was a master of aggadah who often took up matters of derash with the great sages of his day; Rabban Gamliel would defer to his readings, saying that they still could not do without the Moda’i.

Few of his rulings in halachah survive, but his words of aggadah are brought in many places. From the verse describing the manna, that the people would gather a day’s portion in its day, he taught that He who creates the day creates its sustenance, and that one who has food for today yet worries what he will eat tomorrow is lacking in emunah. His single teaching in the Mishnah is that one who profanes the sacred things, degrades the festivals, annuls the brit of Avraham Avinu, or shames his fellow in public has no share in olam haba, though Torah and good deeds are in his hand. Once, sitting with Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Yishmael, he expounded that the manna fell to a height of sixty amot, drawing his proof from the verses; when Rabbi Tarfon protested, he answered, “Rebbi, I am expounding Scripture.”

He lived through the Hadrianic persecutions and met his end at the siege of Betar in the Bar Kochba revolt, whose leader was his nephew. As the spiritual head of those trapped in the city he sat in fasting and prayer, and it was held that so long as his merit stood, Betar would not fall. A Kuti crept into the city and spoke with him about small matters, then let it be thought he had passed word to the enemy; Bar Kochba, hearing the suspicion of treachery, questioned him, but Rabbi Elazar — absorbed in his learning — had heard nothing and denied it. Bar Kochba, unpersuaded, struck his uncle, and Rabbi Elazar HaModai fell dead; soon after, Betar was taken. This action, it is said, contributed to the fall of Betar. Some identify him with the “Elazar the Kohen” whose name appears on the coins of the Bar Kochba revolt.