ELEAZAR (Eliezer) HA-KAPPAR

ELEAZAR (Eliezer ) HA-KAPPAR (late second century c.e.), Palestinian tanna, sometimes referred to as Eleazar ha-Kappar Beribbi (i.e., the descendant of eminent scholars). It is occasionally difficult to distinguish between the statements of Eleazar and those of *Bar Kappara, who was probably his son, and who was also called Eleazar ha-Kappar Beribbi. It is improbable, as some scholars believe, that the two were identical, since the son is sometimes specifically referred to as "Eleazar ben Eleazar ha-Kappar Beribbi" (e.g., Tosef., Beẓah 1:7). The father was apparently a member of *Judah ha-Nasi's bet ha-midrash (Tosef., Oho. 18:18), while the son was Judah's pupil. Some of the halakhic and aggadic remarks contained in the Mishnah and the beraitot perhaps should be attributed to the father. Eleazar ha-Kappar (the first) may be the author of the maxim "Envy, cupidity, and the craving for honor take a man out of the world" (Avot 4:21), and of the aggadic statement: "Great is peace for all the blessings conclude with the word shalom [peace]" (Sif. Num. 42), since it is followed immediately by another tradition brought in the name of his son. In 1969 a stone, which was apparently the lintel over the main entrance to a bet midrash, was found in the Golan area, inscribed with the words: "This is the bet midrash of Rabbi Eliezer ha-Kappar." It is unclear whether this inscription refers to the father or to the son.

bibliography:

Frankel, Mishnah, 213; Kahana, in: Ha-Asif (1886), 330–3; Hyman, Toledot, 215–7; Bacher, Tann; Hadashot Archeologiyot (April 1969), 1–2. add. bibliography: D. Urman, in: iej 22 (1972), 16–23; idem, in: Beer-Sheva, 2 (1985) (Hebrew), 7–25.

[Shmuel Safrai]