The Martyrdom of R. Simeon ben Gamaliel and R. Ishmael ben Elisha

The story of the martyrdom of R. Simeon and R. Ishmael integrates a narrative of martyrdom into wisdom literature. The episode appears as a comment to one of the so-called numerical sayings of the Mishnah: “Seven kinds of suffering come into the world because of seven kinds of transgression. [ . . . ] The sword comes into the world because of the delay of justice, because of the perversion of justice, and because of those who teach the Torah not in accordance with the halakhah” (m. Avot 5:8). In the commentary of Avot de-Rabbi Natan, the story of execution, or God bringing “the sword” into the world, affirms divine power absolutely and teaches that the rabbis die not because of Roman power but rather owing to their own small personal failures vis-à-vis God. The story upholds rabbinic morals, including the instruction to “let the poor be members of your household” (m. Avot 1:5) and a focus on humility. It also protests against the divine actions that bring martyrdom. The last line may even be read subversively.