1 Tishrei · Yahrzeit
Tana Bar Kappara
Elazar Bar Kappara
Yahrzeit - 1 Tishrei;
Burial place - Karmiel, Givat Ram area
Bar Kappara was the son of Rabbi Elazar HaKappar. He lived in the fifth generation of the Sages of the Mishnah, the transitional generation between the Tannaim and the Amoraim. He was a student of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and a teacher of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and Rabbi Hoshaya Rabbah. He was one of the authors of the collection "The Teaching of Rabbi Hoshaya and Bar Kappara," which was used to explain the Mishnah.
He lived in the settlement of Parod. He is buried in Karmiel together with his father. His Hillula is commemorated on the 1st of Tishrei.
He was known as a brilliant storyteller. Once he was invited to a feast at the home of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and he told the guests fables and stories until the food grew cold. It is said that he told no fewer than 300 fables on that occasion.
He was close to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and his family, and allowed himself to voice rather sharp criticism toward them, which angered the Rabbi. Once he sent to the Rabbi a very wealthy but not very clever man, Bar Elasa, the Rabbi's son-in-law, with a riddle-like question.
The Rabbi, realizing who had authored the riddle, refused to grant Bar Kappara semicha for the rest of his life. Nevertheless, Bar Kappara was present at the Rabbi's passing and was the first to announce it to the people: "The angels and the beings of flesh struggled over the Ark, and the angels prevailed."
The Jerusalem Talmud brings a prayer he composed, as an example of his poetic talent:
"The prayer of Bar Kappara (he would recite it during the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei, during the blessing of Modim):
"To You we bow, to You we offer homage, before You we kneel, before You our mouths swear and our knees bend, Yours is the greatness, and the power, and the splendor, and the eternity, and the radiance. You reign and are exalted above all, Yours is the honor and the wealth, and You rule over all, and in Your hands are strength and might, and You can strengthen and exalt anyone. And now, L-rd our G-d, we thank You and praise Your Glorious Name, with all our heart and all our soul we bow to You. All my bones declare: "Who is like You, saving the weak from one stronger than him, and the poor from the robber. Blessed are You, G-d, to whom thanks are due."
May the merit of this tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
(Zoya Chaya Tigay - Source: "Daat Yehudit" Encyclopedia)