Honi HaMe'agel (Hebrew: חוני המעגל|Ḥoni ham-məʿaggēl|Honi the circle-drawer) was a tanna or Jewish scholar of the 1st century BCE, the scholars from whose teachings the Mishnah was derived.
During this period, a variety of religious movements and splinter groups developed amongst the Jews in Judea. Several individuals claimed to be miracle workers in the tradition of Elijah and Elisha, the ancient Jewish prophets. The Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds both provide examples of such Jewish miracle workers, including Honi., such as in Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 3:10, 66d and Babylonian Talmud Taanit 19a; 23a.
His surname is derived from an incident in which, according to the Babylonian Talmud, his prayer for rain was miraculously answered. On one occasion, when God did not send rain well into the winter (in Israel, it rains mainly in the winter), Honi drew a circle in the dust, stood inside it, and informed God that he would not move until it rained. When it began to drizzle, Honi told God that he was not satisfied and expected more rain; it then began to pour. He explained that he wanted a calm rain, at which point the rain calmed to a normal rain.[1]
He was almost put into herem (excommunication) for the above incident in which he showed "dishonor" to God, as if he had imposed himself upon God. However, Simeon ben Shetach, the brother of Salome Alexandra, queen regnant of Hasmonean Judah, excused him, saying that Honi had a special relationship with God.
Two variations of this story appear in the Talmud, in Taanit 19a[2] and 23a.[3]
Two variations of a story are recorded—in the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds—in which Honi fell asleep for decades before awakening. The story provides a Jewish version on the theme of a person or persons (as the Seven Sleepers) sleeping for many decades and waking to find a changed world—a theme originating in the story of Epimenides—found in many divergent cultures and traditions, and in modern times associated especially with the Rip Van Winkle story.
The Babylonian Talmud tells the following story, in which Honi slept for 70 years,[4] before awaking and then dying:
In the Jerusalem Talmud, the circle-drawing story is notably missing (except in the Mishnah), and the sleep theme does not manifest as the carob story. Instead, the story is about Honi sleeping in a cave for seventy years, then returning to see that the Temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt, where he was able to prove his identity:
Unlike the Babylonian Talmud story, the account in the Jerusalem Talmud does not describe Honi's death. This more closely resembles the Epimenides sleep story in which Epimenides can pass on his message. According to one source, this difference could be specifically because of the two pieces this story is based on: Honi's death in Josephus and the Epimenides sleep theme. The idea would be that in the Jerusalem Talmud's case, the author more closely followed the Epimenides story to get their point across, while in the Babylonian Talmud, the author had a more metaphorical approach to his death in Josephus. The story of Honi the Circle-Maker is also quoted in Midrash Tehillim, chapter 126.
According to Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews, Honi met his end in the context of conflict between the Hasmonean brothers Hyrcanus II, backed by the Pharisees and advised by Antipater the Idumaean, and Aristobulus II, backed by the Sadducees. Around 63 BCE, Honi was captured by the followers of Hyrcanus besieging Jerusalem and was asked to pray for the demise of their opponents. Honi, however, prayed: "Lord of the universe, as the besieged and the besiegers both belong to Your people, I beseech You not to answer the evil prayers of either." After this, the followers of Hyrcanus stoned him to death.[5]
The Babylonian Talmud records a different story of his death, as part of the aforementioned carob tree story. Samuel Eidels (d. 1631) explains the discrepancy between the Talmud and Josephus by stating that Honi was "presumed" killed by Hyrcanus II's men, but in reality was put into a deep sleep or coma for 70 years, and only then died.
Honi's grave is found near the town of Hatzor HaGlilit in northern Israel.
His Yahrzeit is 5 Iyar.
"HaMe'agel" in Hebrew means "circle maker". Samuel Klein suggested that the term "circle maker" relates to Honi's profession as a roofer (in Hebrew Me'agel). It was customary for sages in the Talmud to be called by their profession.[6] Rollers for compressing plaster and mud on roofs during the Hellenistic period were found at Mount Gerizim.[7] In the time of Honi, these rollers are the tools of the trade for a me'agel/circle maker/roofer. The Mishna in Maakot 2:1 calls this roofer a "circle maker" ("me'agel"). The term circle maker has a double meaning - profession and a label to describe Honi's drawing circles to interact with God.
Seder HaDoroth however, writes that the name is toponymic, as Honi was from a town named Maglu (see Seder HaTanna'im VehaAmora'im).