Eleazar Chisma (Ḥisma; , "Eleazar Chasma", or אלעזר בן חסמא, "Eleazar ben Chasma") was a tanna (sage) of the second and third generations (2nd century). He was a disciple of Joshua ben Hananiah and Gamaliel II.Ḥagigah 3a; Horayot 10a
Etymology
He is sometimes referred to as "Eleazar Chisma" and sometimes as "Eleazar ben Chisma";see Geiger, "Schriften," iv. 343, and Strack, "Einleitung in den Thalmud," 2d ed., p. 81 however, the insertion of the word "ben" seems justifiable.Jewish Encyclopedia, ELEAZAR (ELIEZER) B. HISMA "Ḥisma" is not an adjectival cognomen (like the similar nickname acquired by Eleazar ben Shammua), but an indication of location, the place probably being Hizma;See Luncz, "Jerusalem," vi. 67; hence "ben Ḥisma" means "son of [= "native of"] Ḥisma".Compare Rosh Hashana 17a; Megillah 19a; Kiddushin 2:3
Teachings Several halakhot are preserved under Eleazar's name in the Mishnah.Terumot 3:5; Bava Metzia 7:5 He takes part in halakhic disputes with Eleazar ben Azariah and Rabbi AkivaNegaim 7:2; Sifra, Tazria', 1:2 and with Eliezer ben Jacob I.Pesachim 32a; Yalḳ., Leviticus 638 To him is ascribed the economic rule that the employee is not entitled to a proportion of his employer's produce greater than the amount of his wages.Bava Metzia 7:5, 92a; Sifre, Deuteronomy 266
Some aggadot also are ascribed to him.Mekhilta, Beshallaḥ Vayasa, 4; Mekhilta, Amalek, 1; Yoma 19b Together with Rabbi Joshua, he gives an allegorical reason for why Amalek's attack on IsraelExodus 17:8 et seq. occurred when it did. Citing Job 8:11, "Can a rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?" he remarks, "Even so is it impossible for Israel to flourish without the Law; and since they had neglected the Law,see Exodus 17:1-7 an enemy was ordered out to war against them."Compare Yalḳ. to Exodus l.c., § 262; anonymous in Yalḳ. to Job l.c., § 904 Elsewhere, he cites Isaiah 43:22, "But thou hast not called on me, O Jacob," and applies it to those who are not devout in their prayers, but communicate with their neighbors by sign language while reciting the Shema.Compare Yalḳ. to Isaiah l.c., § 318
Scientific knowledge Not only was Chizma possessed of wide rabbinic learning, but he was also an adept in the sciences. Joshua, introducing him and Johanan ben Nuri to the notice of Patriarch Gamaliel II, remarked of them that they could approximately calculate the number of drops contained in the ocean.Horayot 10a As they were very poor, Gamaliel appointed them to remunerative offices in the academy.Sifre, Deuteronomy 14; Yalḳ. Deuteronomy 902; Horayot 10a Probably it was here—because the academicians sought from him instruction in secular science—that Eleazar remarked, "The laws concerning birds' nests and those concerning the incipient uncleanness of women are elements of the Law, while astronomy and geometry are only condiments of wisdom".Pirkei Avot 3:18; Avot of Rabbi Natan 27:2
References
It has the following bibliography: Bacher, Ag. Tan. i. 374; Brüll, Mebo a-Mishnah, i. 149; Frankel, Darke a-Mishnah, p. 134; Geiger, Schriften, iv. 343; Heilprin, Seder a-Dorot, ii., s.v.; Weiss, Dor, ii. 122; Zacuto, Yuḥasin, ed. Filipowski, p. 41b.