Absalom The Elder

A Tanna, the dates of whose birth and death are unknown. A homiletic interpretation of Ex. xiv. 15 is recorded in his name in the Mekilta, Beshallaḥ, 3. There is no certainty about his name, for in a parallel passage (Ex. R. xxi. 8) he is quoted as "Abṭolis," "Abṭelos" (an abbreviation of Abtolmus-Eutolemus). Elijah Wilna corrected his name in accordance with this in the passage of Mekilta, an emendation fully justified considering the fact that copyists were generally not familiar with Greek names.

L. G.