שמעון כיפה

Shimon Ben Kipa or Shimeon Cippah (שמעון כיפה) better known as Simon the Stylite (c.426CE) is known in the Sefer Hasidim 191 as Shimon Peter Chamor (פטר חמור). He is often confused with Simon Peter and Simon Kalpus and it is sometimes difficult to identify which parts of his story apply to him or to one of the other two. The word 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 the last leader of Pavlut's Sanhedrin. Some time after 224CE, Judaizers from among the Ishmaelim began to attack Ishmaelim as well as Notzrut. The Notzrim came to him for help to which he agreed on condition that they stop harassing other Jews. He became a Stylite and was instrumental in establishing the Miaphysite Church. He also sent all the Galilean compositions outside of the Jerusalem Talmud to the Exilarch in Babylon where the Babylonian Talmud was being composed.

After the Sassanids came to power, many who had been deceived into the anti-mishnah heresies of the Judaizers were retrieved to Noahism by Simon Cippah. Those Judaizers who Simon failed to retrieve became the true Nestorians.

שמעון כיפה

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Further reading