Simeon ben Zoma

Shim'on ben Soma, mostly Ben Zoma only (Hebrew בן זומא ) called, was a Jewish scholar of antiquity, and belonged to the so-called second generation of the Tannaim (second post-Christian century).

His full name was Simon Ben Zoma; because he had not yet received the title " Rabbi ", he was called only after the famous name of his father " son of Soma ."

He was a student of Yehoshua ben Cononiah; the reputation of his learning was so widespread that it was said, who had seen him in a dream, the scholarship was safe ( BBER 57b). When he died at a young age, it was said, "the last Bibelexeget had died " ( Sota 9:15). He also dealt with mystical questions, lost in the episode but his clarity of thought, which had previously awarded him.

In the Sayings of the Fathers ( IV, 1 ) the following, reproduced even in Barbra Streisand's movie Yentl sayings are handed down from him: