The Ten Martyrs: Jewish Heroism in the Face of Roman Cruelty

A Decree of Death: Why They Were Killed

The "Ten Martyrs" were ten leading Tannaim (Torah sages) who were brutally executed by the Roman Empire for defying Roman decrees and continuing to teach Torah. These martyrs represent the enduring Jewish commitment to Torah and spiritual resistance in the face of persecution.

The sages were:

• Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder

• Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha the High Priest

• Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon

• Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef

• Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava

• Rabbi Yehuda ben Dama

• Rabbi Chutzpit the Translator

• Rabbi Chanina ben Chachinai

• Rabbi Yeshvav the Scribe

• Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua

One Midrash (Midrash Mishlei) attributes their deaths to a Roman scheme to punish the ancient crime of Yoseph's sale by his brothers. The Roman Caesar summoned ten sages and asked what the penalty for kidnapping is. When they replied that the Torah mandates death, he declared that since Joseph’s ten brothers had never been punished, these ten sages would die in their place.

Rabbi Yishmael ascended to the heavenly realm to confirm whether this decree was divinely sanctioned. According to the piyut Eleh Ezkerah (recited on Yom Kippur), an angel confirmed it: "Accept it, beloved righteous ones, for this is your fate."

Liturgical Lament: How We Remember Them

The tragic deaths of these ten martyrs are commemorated in multiple Jewish liturgical texts. The most famous is Eleh Ezkerah, recited on Yom Kippur by Ashkenazic communities and on Tisha B’Av by Sephardic ones. Another lament, Arazai HaLevanon, is recited on Tisha B’Av in many Ashkenazic communities.

Stories of the Martyrs: Ten Lives of Sanctity and Sacrifice

Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yishmael:
They sat together awaiting execution. A lottery chose Rabbi Shimon to be killed first. After his death, Rabbi Yishmael wept over his companion’s passing, but his fate was soon sealed in an even more horrifying way.

The Roman emperor’s daughter happened to see Rabbi Yishmael and was captivated by his radiant appearance. According to tradition, he was one of the seven most beautiful people in the world, and his face was said to resemble that of an angel.

Overcome with desire, she pleaded with her father: “Grant me one request.” The emperor, indulging her, replied, “Anything but Rabbi Yishmael and his companions, as I have sworn to execute them.” She then asked for something chilling: “If you will not spare his life, at least preserve his beauty. Order that the skin of his face be removed intact, so I may gaze upon it.”

The emperor consented, and the executioners carried out her horrific wish. They flayed Rabbi Yishmael’s face while he was still alive. His final moments were spent in unspeakable agony, not only for his physical pain but also for the profound desecration of human dignity. Even in death, Rabbi Yishmael's holiness and nobility shone through the barbarity inflicted upon him

Rabbi Akiva:
Executed for publicly teaching Torah, he was tortured with iron combs. As he recited the Shema, he prolonged the word “Echad” until his soul departed. His death is central to the Yom Kippur Eleh Ezkerah.

Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon:
Rabbi Chanina was burned alive with a Torah scroll wrapped around him. Wet wool was placed on his chest to prolong his suffering. He saw the parchment burn while the letters “flew away.” His executioner, moved by his faith, hastened his death by removing the wet wool and leapt into the flames, earning a place in the World to Come.

Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava:
Rabbi Yehuda had ordained five students despite Roman bans. When soldiers came, he urged his students to flee. Pierced with iron spears, he died a martyr. According to a midrash, he was allowed to make kiddush before his death on a Friday, dying as he recited the word “Elokim.”

Rabbi Yehuda ben Dama:
Also called Elazar ben Dama in some texts, he asked to recite kiddush on the festival of Shavuot before dying, but was denied. In a debate with the emperor about the World to Come, he affirmed his belief, thus angering the emperor. In punishment, he was tied by his hair to a horse and dismembered.

Rabbi Chutzpit the Translator:
Rabbi Chutzpit was captured while hiding in a cave. Little else is known about him.

Rabbi Chanina ben Chachinai:
Rabbi Chanina fasted from age 12 to 95. He asked not to eat before his death and began reciting kiddush but was killed before he could finish.

Rabbi Yeshvav the Scribe:
At age 90, he encouraged his students to uphold peace and justice before being executed after provoking the emperor in a discussion on the afterlife.

Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua:
Rabbi Elazar died on Yom Kippur at age 105. A heavenly voice declared his soul departed in purity.

Conclusion
The Ten Martyrs exemplify the Jewish ideals of faith, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Torah. Their stories remain an eternal testament to spiritual courage in the face of unthinkable cruelty.