Rabbi Elazar ben Arach רבי אלעזר בן ערך
"a spring that gathers strength", disciple of Rabban Yochanan
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai ranked his five disciples, and of the last he said: "Elazar ben Arach is a spring that gathers strength". And when he told them to choose the good way a man should follow, and Rabbi Elazar answered "a good heart", the teacher acknowledged: "I see your words within his words" (Avot 2:8–9).
The Talmud tells how he alone expounded the Chariot before his teacher—Ezekiel's vision—and Yochanan ben Zakkai rose and kissed him on the head (Chagigah 14b).
The sequel is bitter. After the teacher's death his fellows went to Yavne, while Rabbi Elazar followed his wife to Emmaus, where life was pleasanter and there were no students. Tradition says he forgot his learning there, and on returning could not read a simple verse (Shabbat 147b). From this comes the rule cited in his name: go after your fellows and after the place of study—wisdom does not hold alone.
On the timeline
Related
Sources
Chazal: Mishnah, Talmud, midrash, Zohar
- Avot 2:8–9 — «a spring that gathers strength»; «your words within his words»
- Chagigah 14b — expounding the Chariot before his teacher
- Shabbat 147b — the move to Emmaus and the learning forgotten
Basis: Talmud and midrash.