שמעון כיפה

Shimon Ben Kipa or Shimeon Cippah, Simon Cippah (שמעון כיפה) is known in the Sefer Hasidim 191 as Shimon Peter Chamor (פטר חמור). He is often confused with Simon Kalpus and even with Simon the Stylite (c.426CE) who was instrumental in establishing the Miaphysite Church. The name the term פטר is also related to another term in halacha: Patur (פטור) which means "exempt" of liability to punishment though an action is forbidden.

He was a Tzadik according to the leader of Germany's twelfth century Hasidei Ashkenaz.

According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica he was referred to as Simon Caiaphas by Rabbeinu Tam who further maintained that Simon was the author of the Nishmat prayer recited on Sabbaths and Festivals.^[1]

Moreover, רב יצחק באר wrote in the Siddur Avodas Yisrael (סדר עבודת ישראל, הרב יצחק בן אריה יוסף דוב (בער), עמ' 206, הוצאת), in name of an old manuscript siddur from the year 1407:

“I heard from Yehuda Bar Yaakov that Shimon Ben Kipa authored Nishmas until the words מִי ידמה לך (Mi Yidmeh Lach)”

כמו כן בפירוש המקובלים לסידור "מלאה הארץ דעה", הרב נפתלי הירץ טריביש (סדור מלאה הארץ דעה, הרב נפתלי הירץ טריביש, פירוש בסוף תפילת ) כותב: "נשמת. מצאתי כי שמעון בן כפה יסדו. י"א שמעון בן שטח" This is because Pavlut came from the school of Shimeon Ben Shetach with whom its story is sometimes confused.

Vetzaruch Iyun (צריך עיון), as elsewhere in Machzor Vitri 325 it states that Shimon Kipa authored the Piyutim of Seder Avoda said on Yom Kippur. Shimon also authored some Yom Kippur liturgy and others while in a cave according to the Machzor Vitri (p. 282 Mahadurah Makitzei Nirdamim) which also confirms his authorship of Nishmas and Rabbeinu Simcha a student of Rashi warns "Vechas Veshalom let it not be so in Israel" to anyone who says of him this "Abomination of Rome" and continues that anyone "who says so will have to bring a fat offering when Moshiach comes.” Although antisemitic propaganda twisted the meaning in translation, the Sefer Hasidim no.191 makes clear that while admitting he was a Tzadik says it is necessary to call any tzadik by something disparaging if pagans take that tzadik as a deity as they do in the case of Shimon Kipah who thus should be called Peter Chamur.

רבינו שמחה, תלמידו של רש"י, מביא את דבריו בחיבורו – "מחזור ויטרי"(מחזור ויטרי, שם, עמ' 282, והערה ה.), ובלשונו: "ויש שאומרים על אותו נבל שמעון פטר חמור שהיא טעות של רומה יסדו אותה תפילה [נשמת]. ושאר תפילות כשהיה על הסלע. וחס ושלום שלא תהיה זאת בישראל. וכל האומר דבר זה, כשיבנה בית המקדש יביא חטאת שמנה".

"And some say about that, a Nabal Shimon IS Peter Hamor -which is a mistake of Rome- who established that prayer [Neshmat] and other prayers when he was on the rock. But peace and blessings that such will not be (said) in Israel. And whoever says this, when the Temple is built, he will bring a fat offering."

Story

The Teliya says he was a Rosh in Herod Agrippa II's Sanhedrin. The Notzrim tried to convert him and he agreed on condition that they stop harassing other Jews. He became a Hermit and sent all the Galilean compositions outside of the Jerusalem Talmud to an Exilarch in Babylon called Nathan.

שמעון כיפה

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