Eleazar ben-Pedat (Lazar)

(3rd century)

   Amora. Eleazar was born in Babylon where he studied under SAMUEL MAR SAMUEL and RAV. He went to the Land of Israel and continued his studies under JOCHANAN BENNAPPACHA in Tiberias.

   Eleazar was extremely poor but refused help even from the patriarch, saying ‘he that hateth gifts shall live’. He himself always shared his goods freely. During Jochanan’s final years Eleazar took his place and as his fame spread, he became known as ‘Master of the Land of Israel’. Problems were sent to him from many places including Babylon, where even the exilarch asked for his advice.

   Eleazar was renowned both as a halachist and an aggadist and his sayings appear in the Midrash and in both Talmuds.