[Avodah] Fables and Lies -- The poem Ayleh Ezke'rah

[Arie Folger]

On Tuesday, 27. November 2007 04.41:49 avodah-request at lists.aishdas.org wrote:
> The more serious problem in the poem is that it portrays the kohain gadol
> as lifting the severed head of the nasi and bemoaning his fate.  This is a
> very dramatic scene.  But --- since a skull causes tuma'at meit, how could
> the kohain gadol lift the severed head of the nasi?  
>
<SNIP>
> The more troubling possibility is that the paytan's literary skills
> exceeded his halachic awareness.  It is also surprising how few people seem
> to have noticed this problem (as indeed, I had not for several decades!).

IIRC there are those, amongst the authorities understanding the whole story to 
be set in the Hadrianic period, who believe that he was neither kohen nor 
kohen gadol, but that kohen gadol is euphemism for grand rabbi.

The Talmudim and Midrash Shir haSirim tell us a Rabbi Yishma'el was martyred, 
but there is no mention of a RY Kohen Gado. According to Eikhah Rabbah, he 
wasn't Rabbi Yishma'el, but Rabban Shim'on ben [Raban] Gamliel [haZaqen]. 
(bracketed text only according to those who posit that they died around 
the 'hurban.)

Note that even Rabbi 'aqiva doesn't appear in all accounts (Eikhah Rabbah, 
Midrash Tehillim/Sho'her Tov, Heikhalot Rabbati, Midrash Shir haShirim).
-- 
Arie Folger
http://www.ariefolger.googlepages.com