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The Talmud (Berachot 8A) seems to indicate that Shimi Ben Geira was King Shlomo's teacher:

ואמר רבי חייא בר אמי משמיה דעולא לעולם ידור אדם במקום רבו שכל זמן ששמעי בן גרא קיים לא נשא שלמה את בת פרעה

Soncino Translation:

R. Hiyya b. Ammi further said in the name of 'Ulla: A man should always live in the same town as his teacher. For as long as Shimei the son of Gera was alive Solomon did not marry the daughter of Pharaoh.

However, there doesn't seem to be any indication in Nach that Shimi ben Geira was King Shlomo's teacher.

In Melachim 2:8-9, David tells Shlomo to find a way to kill Shimi ben Geira for cursing David, since David swore he would not kill Shimi ben Geira.

In Melachim 2:36-44, we see how Shlomo puts Shimi ben Geira under house arrest, waits for him to violate it, and then kills him.

There is no mention of him being Shlomo's teacher.

How do we know that Shimi ben Geira was Shlomo's teacher? Is the source this Gemara, or is there some other source?

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  • @msh210 Why Sefer Shmuel?
    – Double AA ♦
    May 10, 2012 at 23:17
  • @DoubleAA, because if he taught him, it would probably have been during the events of Sh'muel. No?
    – msh210 ♦
    May 10, 2012 at 23:42
  • @msh210 More likely during the time between Shemuel and Melachim. There is some gap during which David gets old. How old was Shlomo at the end of Shmuel?
    – Double AA ♦
    May 10, 2012 at 23:44

1 Answer 1

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In verse (Melachim 2:8), King David tells Shlomo:

וְהִנֵּה עִמְּךָ שִׁמְעִי בֶן-גֵּרָא בֶן-הַיְמִינִי, מִבַּחֻרִים

In the Zohar Mishpatim (דף קז עמוד ב):

כתיב והנה עמך שמעי בן גרא, מאי והנה עמך, זמין הוא עמך תדיר, רבו הוה, ... אבל שמעי דא דאשתכח עמיה תדיר, אמר והנה עמך.‏

Translation - the Zohar learns from the verse "with you" to mean that he is always available - you and him are always together. It fits to say that they are Rabbi and student.

The Radak and Metzudot David also learn it out from the word "עמך" (Radak says it is a Drush).

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  • Did Ulla have the access to the Zohar?
    – Double AA ♦
    May 11, 2012 at 6:22
  • i dont think, the Zhoar was found in the 13-14 century
    – Haim Evgi
    May 11, 2012 at 7:22
  • Then the Gemara quoted above is still the most original source.
    – Double AA ♦
    May 11, 2012 at 7:49
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    @DoubleAA: on the other hand, if the Zohar was written by Rashbi or his disciples, then it predates Ulla.
    – Alex
    May 11, 2012 at 16:10
  • @Alex Yes But I know it certainly wasn't available for a certain period of time. I didn't know if Ulla was included in that time period. That's what I was asking about.
    – Double AA ♦
    May 11, 2012 at 16:10

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