25 Sivan · Yahrzeit
Yahrzeit/Hillula of Raban Shimon ben Gamliel - "Asara Harugei Malchut"
Raban Shimon ben Gamliel - the 4th Nasi [President] of the Sanhedrin - a direct descendant of Hillel HaZaken. Rabbi Shimon was the first to be killed among the "Asara Harugei Malchut" (the Ten Martyrs killed by the Romans).
Yahrzeit - 25 Sivan
Burial place - Kafar Kanna
His son was Rav Gamliel of Yavne. His daughter, Imma Shalom, married Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, one of the greatest students of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai.
His name — Shimon — is the same as that of his grandfather, Shimon ben Hillel, as well as that of his grandson, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel (the second). In the Torah he is called "Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder" or "the martyred Rashbag," to distinguish him from his grandson. However, he also appears under the name "Raban Shimon ben Gamliel" without any addition, which sometimes causes confusion.
Very few of Raban Gamliel's teachings are recorded in his own name; many of them were recorded in the name of the School of Hillel.
He said: "All my days I grew up among the Sages, and I found nothing better for the body than silence; not study, but practice, is the main thing; whoever talks too much brings about sin." (Mishnah Pirkei Avot 1:17)
During the celebration of Simchat Beit HaShoeivah ("the Celebration of the Water-Drawing") on the festival of Sukkot, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel "would juggle eight lit torches, and none of them would fall to the ground, and when he prostrated himself, he would place a finger on the ground, bow, kiss the ground, and immediately rise up straight." (Tosefta Sukkah 4:4; Sukkah 53a)
When there was a significant rise in the price of certain birds brought as offerings by women after childbirth, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel vowed that he would not go to sleep that night until the price was lowered. (Mishnah Keritot 1:7)
Rabbi Shimon had two sons and one daughter named Imma Shalom, who married Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (the teacher of Rabbi Akiva). (Bava Metzia 59)
"Asara Harugei Malchut"
Lupinus, the Roman emperor, was at that time studying Torah and asked ten of the great sages of the time: "According to your Torah, what is the law for a Jew who sells another into captivity?" (referring to the sale of Yosef by his brothers).
"The death penalty," answered Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. "But Yosef's brothers were never punished for their crime!" the Roman protested, and then began to set his deadly trap. "Justice must be restored, and there have not been ten leaders among you to take their place!"
When Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKanah heard of this decree, he instructed his student Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha to ascend to Heaven to determine whether this was the result of a heavenly decree.
Rabbi Yishmael purified himself, pronounced the secret Name of G-d, and ascended to Heaven.
He asked the angel Gavriel about the decree, and Gavriel answered: "Accept this upon yourselves, righteous and beloved ones, for I heard from behind the curtain that this will be your fate," and Rabbi Yishmael was told that the ten sages would be handed over to the evil angel Samael as punishment for the sale of Yosef. Rabbi Yishmael reported to his colleagues what he had been told, and they accepted the heavenly decree.
Rabbi Yishmael and Raban Shimon ben Gamliel were imprisoned together, and Rabbi Shimon wept. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: "Soon you will be among the holy ones in the World to Come. Why are you weeping?" Rabbi Shimon answered: "I am not weeping because I am about to die, but because I am being executed as though I were a desecrator of Shabbat, or an idolater, or... a murderer."
Rabbi Yishmael suggested that perhaps, while he was eating or sleeping, a woman came to ask whether she was considered a niddah, and his servants did not let her in to disturb him... or a beggar might have knocked at the door while Raban Shimon was eating, and was not let in...
Rabbi Shimon insisted that he had been extremely careful in these matters. Rabbi Yishmael suggested that perhaps he had felt pride while teaching... and Rabbi Shimon again stated that he
had guarded against prideful thoughts after his sermons.
When Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yishmael were led out for execution, Rabbi Yishmael fell at the executioner's feet and pleaded: "I am the Kohen Gadol, son of Kohanim Gedolim; kill me first, so that I need not see the death of my companion."
Rabbi Shimon pleaded: "I am the Nasi, son of a Nasi; kill me first, so that I need not see the death of my companion."
The executioner cast lots, and the lot fell upon Rabbi Shimon, that he should be killed first. The executioner immediately beheaded Rabbi Shimon.
Rabbi Yishmael pressed the head to himself, and placed his eyes against Rabbi Shimon's eyes, and his mouth against Rabbi Shimon's mouth.
In a loud voice he cried out: "O holy mouth, you never spoke anything but the secrets of the Torah. How can you be made to lick the dust?"
When Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava (or Bateira) heard of the deaths of Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yishmael, they arose, put on sackcloth, tore their garments in mourning, and said: "If there was anything good in the world, it was for the merit of Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yishmael. Great calamities will now befall the world."
Their deaths had earlier been foretold by Shmuel HaKatan, who predicted before his death (before the Temple was destroyed): "Shimon and Yishmael are destined for the sword, and their colleagues are destined to be killed..." (Sotah 48)
According to the Arizal, Rabbi Shimon was a reincarnation of one of the brothers of Yosef HaTzadik who had sold him. Rabbi Shimon's death was an atonement for this sin.
May the merit of this great tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
(https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/31-The-Tana-Raban-Shimon-Ben-Gamliel)