Simeon ben Gamliel (I) (Hebrew: שמעון בן גמליאל or רשב"ג הראשון; c. 10 BCE – 70 CE) was a Tanna (sage) and leader of the Jewish people.
In rabbinic literature, he is referred to as "Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder" or "Rashbag the Martyr" to distinguish him from his grandson.
However, at times he appears simply as "Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel," which creates confusion in distinguishing him from his grandson.
According to Josephus, Rabban Shimon supported the revolt, despite being in the moderate camp: "The distinguished men among the people, Gurion ben Joseph and Shimon ben Gamliel, gathered the people for an assembly, implored them to hasten vengeance upon the enemies of freedom, and to cleanse the Temple of bloodshed.
[4] Josephus claims that Shimon did not give up on his efforts and accuses him of a conspiracy: Shimon instructed John's brother to send gifts to Ananus and his faction to change their minds, and they decided to send envoys to Galilee to dismiss Josephus without the government’s knowledge.
"[7] According to tradition, Shmuel HaKatan prophesied Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel's death at the time of his own passing, saying: "Shimon and Yishmael will be killed by the sword, and their companions will be killed by other means, while the rest of the people will be plundered, and great afflictions will come upon the world."
In translation, as explained by Rashi, this refers to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha the Kohen Gadol being killed by the sword, with their fellow rabbis executed by other methods, and great calamities befalling the Jewish people.
According to tradition, he was executed along with Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha on the 25th of Sivan, as recorded in the Arba'ah Turim (Orach Chaim, Siman 580).
[9] Rabbi Aharon Hyman suggests that Rabban Shimon may have been executed by the Zealots due to his opposition to their radical methods, though this view lacks direct support from rabbinic sources.
His companion then asked, "Rabbi, perhaps you were once eating or sleeping when a woman came to inquire about her niddah status, and you told her to wait until you were finished?
"[13]The Romans did not permit his son, Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh, to inherit his position and sought to kill him as well.
The Talmud states: "It was said about Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel that when he rejoiced at the Simchat Beit Ha Shoeva, he would take eight torches of fire and juggle them, tossing one and catching another, and they did not touch one another.
A "ken" (bird offering) consists of a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons, which were required as a sacrifice for a woman after childbirth, for a leper, and in other circumstances.
The Mishnah (Keritot 1:7) recounts: "It once happened that the price of bird offerings in Jerusalem rose to a gold denar."
However, Rabban Shimon leniently ruled in this case based on the principle of "It is time to act for the Lord, they have made void Thy law" (Psalms 119:126), to prevent those obligated to bring offerings from abstaining due to the high prices.
This significant reduction in price made it affordable for the general population to bring their required sacrifices, thereby ensuring that individuals would fulfill their religious obligations without financial hardship.