Honi HaM'agel

Honi HaM'agel

Honi HaM'agel (חוני המעגל Khoni, or Choni, HaMe'agel, Hebrew for Honi the Circle-drawer) (First century BCE) was a Jewish scholar prior to the age of the Tannaim, the scholars from whose teachings the Mishnah (the first part of the Talmud) was derived.

During the first century BCE, a variety of religious movements and splinter groups developed amongst the Jews in Judea. A number of individuals claimed to be miracle workers in the tradition of Elijah and Elisha, the ancient Jewish prophets.

The Talmud provides some examples of such Jewish miracle workers. Mishnah Ta'anit 3:8 tells of "Honi HaM'agel"' ("Honi the Circle-drawer") who was famous for his ability to successfully pray for rain. On one occasion when God did not send rain well into the winter (in the geographic regions of Israel, it rains mainly in the winter), he drew a circle in the dust, stood inside it, and informed God that he would not move until it rained. When it began to drizzle, Honi told God that he was not satisfied and expected more rain; it then began to pour. He explained that he wanted a calm rain, at which point the rain calmed to a normal rain.

He was almost put into "cherem" (excommunucation) for the above incident in which he showed "dishonor" to God. However, Shimon ben Shetach, the brother of Queen Shlomtzion, excused him, saying that he was Honi and had a special relationship with God.

The circumstances of Honi's death are described in the Talmud (Taanit 23a): He fell asleep and awoke after 70 years, and when nobody would believe him that he was indeed Honi the Circle-drawer, he prayed to God and God took him from this world.

Josephus, in "Antiquities of the Jews", relates Honi's end in the context of conflict between the Hasmonean brothers Hyrcanus II, backed by the Pharisees and advised by Antipater the Idumaean, and Aristobulus II, backed by the Sadducees. Around 63 BCE, Honi was captured by the followers of Hyrcanus besieging Jerusalem and was asked to pray for the demise of their opponents. Honi, however, prayed: "Lord of the universe, as the besieged and the besiegers both belong to Your people, I beseech You not to answer the evil prayers of either." After this, the followers of Hyrcanus stoned him to death.

The Maharsha (Ta'anit ad loc.) answers the discrepancy between the Talmud and Josephus by stating that Honi was "presumed" killed by Hyrcanus II's men, but in reality was put into a deep sleep for 70 years.

Honi's grave is found near the town of Hatzor HaGlilit in northern Israel.

References

* The Mishnaic source for Honi's circle-drawing is Ta'anit 3:8. ( [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/h/h29.htm Hebrew text at Mechon-Mamre] ) For English text translation see http://www.israelataclick.com/ShowItem.aspx?ItemID=4519&Category=Kivrei%20Tzaddikim&LocationID=24893&ImagePath=ImagesItemImageschonihameagel.jpg


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Honi ha-Me'aguel — Honi haMe aguel Honi HaMe aguel (Honi, le traceur de cercles) fut un Sage d Israël du premier siècle avant l ère commune, contemporain de Shimon ben Sheta h, et antérieur aux Tannaim, les docteurs de la Mishna. Au cours de ce siècle, un grand… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Honi haMe'aguel — (Honi, le traceur de cercles) fut un Sage d Israël du premier siècle avant l ère commune, contemporain de Shimon ben Sheta h, et antérieur aux Tannaim, les docteurs de la Mishna. Au cours de ce siècle, un grand nombre de mouvances et dissidences… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Honi le traceur de cercle — Honi haMe aguel Honi HaMe aguel (Honi, le traceur de cercles) fut un Sage d Israël du premier siècle avant l ère commune, contemporain de Shimon ben Sheta h, et antérieur aux Tannaim, les docteurs de la Mishna. Au cours de ce siècle, un grand… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Honi hame'aguel — (Honi, le traceur de cercles) fut un Sage d Israël du premier siècle avant l ère commune, contemporain de Shimon ben Sheta h, et antérieur aux Tannaim, les docteurs de la Mishna. Au cours de ce siècle, un grand nombre de mouvances et dissidences… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Honi — may refer to:*Honi, fictional daughter in the syndicated comic strip Hägar the Horrible *Honi HaM agel (First century BCE), was a Jewish scholar prior to the age of the Tannaim *Honi Soit, a student newspaper of the University of Sydney,… …   Wikipedia

  • Hatzor HaGlilit — Hebrew transcription(s)  – Hebrew חָצוֹר הַגְּלִילִית  – ISO 259 Ḥaço …   Wikipedia

  • Miracle — For other uses, see Miracle (disambiguation). The Raising of Lazarus, (c. 1410) from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, Musée Condé, France. A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an… …   Wikipedia

  • Khoni — For Khoni the circle drawer, see Honi HaM agel. Khoni ( ka. ხონი, Xoni ) is a town in the Western Georgian region (mkhare) of Imereti with the population of 11,300 (2002 Georgia census). It is situated on the left bank of the Tskhenistkali River… …   Wikipedia

  • Rainmaker — may refer to: Rainmaking, attempting to artificially induce or increase precipitation Rain dancing, a ceremonial dance that is performed in order to invoke rain Cloud seeding, dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or …   Wikipedia

  • Choni — may refer to: Chone Monastery Jonê Town Jonê County Honi HaM agel Xionites An ancient people of the interior of Lucania is southern Italy (Magna Graecia) This disambiguation page lists articles associate …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”