HILLEL, senior, of Babylon, president of the
sanhedrim of Jerusalem. He formed a celebrated school there, in which he maintained the oral traditions of the Jews against Shamai, his colleague, whose disciples adhered only to the written law; and this controversy gave rise to the sects of Pharisees and Sadducees. He was likewise one of the compilers of the Talmud. He also laboured much at giving a correct edition of the sacred text; and there is attributed to him an ancient manuscript bible, which bears his name. He flourished about 30 years B. C. and died in a very advanced age.