- A tanna who lived in the early part of the second century, after the destruction of the second temple.
- Also referred to as Simeon ben Azzai.
- Unlike many of the sages quoted in Mishnah, Ben Azzai was not a rabbi, but one of the top talmidei hakhamim / students of the wise. Specifically, he studied under Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Akiva.
- He supposedly met a very mystical demise, never returning after having attempted to enter Pardes.
Mishnah Yoma Chapter 2 Mishnah 3 Pt. 5
אָמַר בֶּן עַזַּאי לִפְנֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דֶּרֶךְ הִלּוּכוֹ הָיָה קָרֵב Ben Azzai said before Rabbi Akiva in…