Hillel

A pharisaic teacher from about the time of Christ who, in opposition to Shammai, upheld a liberal interpretation of the law. He remains a legend among Jews and is considered—together with his two famous successors, Yohanan ben-Zakkai and Akiba—the ideal scholar of the Torah.

Hillel's fame made it impossible to ascertain the facts of his life, because everything about him is so encrusted with adoration so that it is near impossible to pare the facts from the traditions. He seemed to have been born in Babylon, coming to Jerusalem when he was a young man, with some traditions claiming that he was descended from David as well as having arrived in the city already possessing great learning. He rose to prominence quickly, and was soon appointed the nasi, prince/leader, of the rabbinic movement. Christians remember him almost exclusively for his ruling that a man may divorce his wife on any grounds, including something as simple of being displeased with her. He was, of course, more than that. He is also known for a saying that reflects Jesus's '"golden rule,' "Do not do to another what you would not wish done to you; that is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary; go and study" (cf., Matt 7:12). More important than his sayings is the list of rules for proper exegesis (known in Hebrew as middot) that is attributed to him.