The Talmud relates (Bava Metzia 84b): “Rabbi” and Rabbi Eleazar ben Rabbi Shimeon were studying. Whenever Rabbi was about to raise a question, Rabbi Eleazar would conjecture what it was. He would say to him: ‘This and that, you want to argue against,’ and would explain to him that there was no substance to his objections. “Rabbi” was upset. He told his father, Rabbi Shimeon ben R. Gamliel about it. The latter, who was a very modest man, pacified his son saying: “Don’t feel bad for he is a ‘a lion and the son of a lion.’ (Ari ben Ari—a great scholar and the son of a great scholar.) Rabbi Eleazar’s father was Rabbi Shimeon bar Yohai and you are a ‘a lion, the son of a fox’ (Ari ben shu’al-a great scholar, the son of a mediocre one). See also Jerusalem Talmud, Shabbat 10:5.
Ari ben Ari, Ari ben Shu’al—two expressions denoting two types of scholars.
There is, seemingly, no mention in the Talmud of the phrase “Shu’al ben Ari” (“a fox, the son of a lion”) to designate a man of ordinary learning, whose father was distinguished scholar. One finds, however, this expression in rabbinic literature, especially in the writings of the Sefardim. Scholars used to apply this expression to themselves to indicate that their scholarly achievements did not measure up to those of their fathers.
Following are some examples of the use of this expression:
Rabbi Meir Arama, the son of Rabbi Yitzhak Arama, the author of Akedath Yitzhak, a philosophical-homiletical commentary of the Torah, wrote commentaries on several books of the Bible. In his introduction to his commentary of the Book of Job, called Me’ir Iyyov, which was first printed in Salonica in 1517, he refers to himself as, “I, Shu’al ben Ari, the youngest in the house of my father, my master.”
Rabbi Joel ibn Shuaib, like Rabbi Yitzhak Arama, was active in Spain in the period immediately before the expulsion of Jews from that country. He wrote several books, some of which were published. His commentary on the Book of Psalms, entitled Nora Tehillot, was printed in Salonica in 1569 with an introduction by his son Shmuel. The son commences his introduction as follows: “Shu’al ben Ari, Shmuel, the son of my master, the commentator…” (In the copy of the book before me the first word is erased. It might have read: “Ani”).
Nora Tehillot, which was printed only once, is a very rare book. It was recently reproduced in a very limited edition by Rabbi Chaim Eleazar Reich of Boro Park, Brooklyn.
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Nunes Vais, who resided in Livorno, was one of Italy’s most prominent 18th century rabbis. He was the author of novellae on the Talmud and of other writings. The first part of his Siah Yitzhak, which includes novellae on the tractate Yoma, was published during his life. The second volume, which included novellae on Chagigah was published posthumously by his son Yaakov, who was a great rabbi in his own right. The son opens his foreword to the volume, which also features some of his own writings, with the words,: “Isn’t this my word, Shu’al ben Ari…”
Members of the Israel family of Jerusalem and Rhodes were rabbis and rabbinic emissaries in various countries. One of them Rabbi Eliyahu Israel studied in Jerusalem, went abroad as emissary for the Jerusalem community and later resided in Rhodes. From 1773 until his death in 1784 he was rabbi of Alexandria. His books were published posthumously. His son Shlomo Yedidya Israel wrote a long introduction to his response Kol Eliyahu (Vol. 1, Livorno, 1792), which he signed with expressions of humility including the phrase, Shu’al ben Ari.
By Tovia Preschel The Jewish Press December 4, 1992