Background
He was reputedly born in Bosra, east of the Jordan River, around 200 CE, but lived most of his life in Sepphoris. Nothing is known of his ancestry except his father's name.
He was reputedly born in Bosra, east of the Jordan River, around 200 CE, but lived most of his life in Sepphoris. Nothing is known of his ancestry except his father's name.
He is something of an anomaly among the giants of Torah study as he was supposed to have been in his early youth a bandit and a gladiator, although Tosfos says that he was a Torah scholar before his life of crime.
According to the Talmud, Reish Lakish, like Yochanan, ascribed his knowledge of the Torah to his good fortune in having been privileged to see the patriarch Judah the Prince. According to Halevy, he was a pupil of Judah II, grandson of Judah the Prince, in whose name he transmits many sayings. Bacher supposes that he was a pupil of Bar Kappara, since he often hands down sayings in his name. He appears also to have attended the seminary of Rabbi Hosheiah, whom he cites, questions, and calls the "father of the Mishnah".
It is said that Reish Lakish saw Yochanan bathing in the Jordan, and mistaking him for a woman, at one bound he was beside him in the water. "Thy strength would be more appropriate for studying the Law," said R. Yochanan; "And thy beauty for women," answered Reish Lakish. Rabbi Yochanan promised Reish Lakish his sister's hand in marriage if the latter would rejoin the yeshiva and begin his studies anew. R. Yochanan might be called a teacher of Reish Lakish; but the latter, through his extraordinary talent and his exhaustless diligence, soon attained so complete a knowledge of the Law that he stood on an equal footing with R. Yochanan. They are designated as "the two great authorities". While R. Yochanan was still in Sepphoris, teaching at the same time as Hanina, Reish Lakish stood on an equality with him and enjoyed equal rights as a member of the yeshiva and council.
It is said that Reish Lakish saw Yochanan bathing in the Jordan, and mistaking him for a woman, at one bound he was beside him in the water. "Thy strength would be more appropriate for studying the Law," said R. Yochanan; "And thy beauty for women," answered Reish Lakish. Rabbi Yochanan promised Reish Lakish his sister's hand in marriage if the latter would rejoin the yeshiva and begin his studies anew (Baba Metzia 84a). R. Yochanan might be called a teacher of Reish Lakish; but the latter, through his extraordinary talent and his exhaustless diligence, soon attained so complete a knowledge of the Law that he stood on an equal footing with R. Yochanan. They are designated as "the two great authorities". While R. Yochanan was still in Sepphoris, teaching at the same time as Hanina, Reish Lakish stood on an equality with him and enjoyed equal rights as a member of the yeshiva and council.
In his aggadot Shim‘on frequently makes use of similes, some of which recall the days when he won a livelihood in the circus. In general, he spoke unreservedly of that time; yet an allusion to his earlier calling made by his colleague and brother-in-law Yochanan wounded him so deeply that he became ill and died. This happened as follows: On one occasion there was a dispute as to the time when the different kinds of knives and weapons might be considered in a fit state to be susceptible to ritual uncleanliness. The opinion of Shim‘on ben Lakish differed from that of Yochanan, whereupon the latter remarked, "A robber knows his own tools". Yochanan alluded to Shim‘on's life as a bandit, in which a knowledge of sharp weapons was a matter of course. Reish Lakish responded by supposedly denying any benefit he had received from Yochanan; "When I was a bandit they called me 'master', and now they call me 'master.'" Yochanan retorted angrily that he had brought him under the wings of the Shekhinah. The Talmud relates that due to Yochanan becoming so upset, Reish Lakish became ill and prematurely died.
Struck with guilt, Yochanan was in despair at the death of Shim‘on. When the academy sent another person to act as his study partner, Yochanan accused him of being a yes-man and pined for the times when Shim‘on would argue back-and-forth with him to get to the correct conclusion. It is said that he kept calling, "Where is Bar Lekisha, where is Bar Lekisha?" His despondency was so great, that he is recorded as eventually losing his sanity.
Physical Characteristics: Many stories are told of Shim‘on's gigantic strength and of his corpulence. He was accustomed to lie on the hard ground, saying, "My fat is my cushion" (Gitin 46b-47a). Under the stress of unfavorable circumstances he gave up the study of the Torah and sought to support himself by a worldly calling. He sold himself to the managers of a circus ("Ludus gladiatorius"), where he could make use of his great bodily strength. He worked as a gladiator, where he was compelled to risk his life continually in combats with wild beasts (ib.) According to other sources, Reish Lakish lived for a time in the wilderness where he made his livelihood as a bandit. From this low estate he was brought back to his studies by Rabbi Yochanan.