For the mathematician and Tamil activist see C.J. Eliezer; for the AI researcher and writer on rationality see Eliezer Yudkowsky; for the Levite priest of the Hebrew Bible, see Eleazar. For the great rabbi from the Second Commonwealth period, see Eliezer ben Hurcanus.

Eliezer (Hebrew: אֱלִיעֶזֶר, Modern Eli'ezer Tiberian ʼĔlîʻézer, "Help/Court of my God") was the name of at least three different individuals in the Bible.

The son of Moses[link]

Eliezer was Moses and Zipporah's second son. His name means "God is help" in Hebrew.

The verse in the Book of Exodus (18:4) states:

Both Gershom and Eliezer were born during the time Moses had taken refuge in Midian and had married Jethro's daughter Zipporah.

Isaac's servant trying the bracelet on Rebecca's arm by Benjamin West. The servant in question was possibly Eliezer of Damascus.

Eliezer of Damascus[link]

There is also an Eliezer known as Eliezer of Damascus (Hebrew: דַּמֶּשֶׂק אֱלִיעֶזֶר, Modern Damméseq Eliʿézer Tiberian Damméśeq ʾĔlîʿézer), son of Nimrod,^[1] and head of the patriarch Abraham's household mentioned in the Book of Genesis (15:2).

There is an interpretation in Bereshit Rabbah (43:2), cited by Rashi, that Eliezer went alone with Abraham to rescue Lot, with the reference to "his initiates" stated to be 318 in number (Lech-Lecha 14:14) being the numerical value of Eliezer's name in Hebrew, interpreted in tractate Nedarim (32a) as Abraham not wishing to rely on a miracle by taking only one individual.^[3] According to most interpretations, the unnamed "...slave, the elder of the household, who controlled all that was his" in Chayei Sarah 24:2 who acted as a marriage broker (sharchan) for Isaac was this Eliezer.

Eliezer, prophet[link]

A prophet called Eliezer, son of Dodavah, rebuked King Jehosophat for aligning himself with Ahaziah, the King of Israel. He and Ahaziah built ships in Ezion Geber which were to sail to Tarshish for trade. According to 2 Chronicles (20:37), the ships sank due to his not relying on the Lord:

Eliezer at Yale[link]

Eliezer is the name of the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which supports the activities of the Yale student club at Yale University.

References[link]

1. ^ Targum Jonathan Bereishit, 14:14
2. ^ Scherman, Nosson, TANACH, the Stone Edition, Mesorah Publications, New York, 1996, p.31
3. ^ Herczeg, Y.I.Z, The Torah: with Rashi's commentary, Vol.1, Mesorah Publications, New York, 2000, p.138

Eliezer Yudkowsky
Eliezer Yudkowsky at the 2006 Stanford Singularity Summit
Born	(1979-09-11) September 11, 1979 (age 32)
Citizenship	American
Nationality	American
Fields	Artificial intelligence
Institutions	Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
Known for	Seed AI, Friendly AI, Harry Potter And The Methods Of Rationality
Influences	Judea Pearl, Vernor Vinge, E.T. Jaynes, I. J. Good

Eliezer Shlomo Yudkowsky (born September 11, 1979^[1]) is an American artificial intelligence researcher concerned with the singularity and an advocate of friendly artificial intelligence,^[2] living in Redwood City, California.^[3]

Biography[link]

Yudkowsky did not attend high school and is an autodidact, having no formal education in computer science or artificial intelligence.^[4] He co-founded the nonprofit Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI) in 2000 and continues to be employed as a full-time Research Fellow there.^[5]

Work[link]

Yudkowsky's research focuses on Artificial Intelligence theory for self-understanding, self-modification, and recursive self-improvement (seed AI); and also on artificial-intelligence architectures and decision theories for stably benevolent motivational structures (Friendly AI, and Coherent Extrapolated Volition in particular).^[6] Apart from his research work, Yudkowsky has written explanations of various philosophical topics in non-academic language, particularly on rationality, such as "An Intuitive Explanation of Bayes' Theorem".^[7]

Publications[link]

Yudkowsky was, along with Robin Hanson, one of the principal contributors to the blog Overcoming Bias^[8] sponsored by the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. In early 2009, he helped to found Less Wrong, a "community blog devoted to refining the art of human rationality".^[9] The Sequences^[10] on Less Wrong, comprising over two years of blog posts on epistemology, Artificial Intelligence, and metaethics, form the single largest bulk of Yudkowsky's writing.

He contributed two chapters to Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom's and Milan Ćirković's edited volume Global Catastrophic Risks,^[11] and "Complex Value Systems are Required to Realize Valuable Futures"^[12] to the conference AGI-11.

Yudkowsky is the author of the Singularity Institute publications "Creating Friendly AI"^[13] (2001), "Levels of Organization in General Intelligence"^[14] (2002), "Coherent Extrapolated Volition"^[15] (2004), and "Timeless Decision Theory"^[16] (2010).^[17]

Yudkowsky has also written several works^[18] of science fiction and other fiction. His Harry Potter fan fiction story Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality illustrates topics in cognitive science and rationality (The New Yorker described it as "a thousand-page online 'fanfic' text called 'Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality', which recasts the original story in an attempt to explain Harry's wizardry through the scientific method"^[19]), and has been favorably reviewed by authors David Brin^[20][21][22] & Rachel Aaron,^[23][24] Robin Hanson,^[25] Aaron Swartz,^[26] and by programmer Eric S. Raymond.^[27]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Our Molecular Future: How Nanotechnology, Robotics, Genetics and Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Our World by Douglas Mulhall, 2002, p. 321.
• The Spike: How Our Lives Are Being Transformed By Rapidly Advancing Technologies by Damien Broderick, 2001, pp. 236, 265-272, 289, 321, 324, 326, 337-339, 345, 353, 370.

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eliezer Yudkowsky

• Personal web site
• Less Wrong - "A community blog devoted to refining the art of human rationality" co-founded by Yudkowsky.
• Biography page at KurzweilAI.net
• Biography page at the Singularity Institute
• Downloadable papers and bibliography
• Predicting The Future :: Eliezer Yudkowsky, NYTA Keynote Address - Feb 2003
• Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
• Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality - The Podcast

Eliezer Sherbatov
Born	(1991-10-09) 9 October 1991 (age 20) Rehovot, Israel
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shoots	Left
QMJHL team	Baie-Comeau Drakkar
National team	Israel
Playing career	2009–present

Eliezer "Eli" Sherbatov (born 9 October 1991 in Rehovot, Israel) is an Israeli-Canadian ice hockey player, currently on a try-out contract with HC Neuilly-sur-Marne of the French Ligue Magnus.

Sherbatov, who is Jewish,^[1] moved with his family from Israel to Laval, Quebec when he was two years old. His parents were originally from Moscow, Russia and fans of the Montreal Canadiens. According to Sherbatov, his family was permitted entry into Canada by immigration officials because his father said he wanted him to be like Guy Lafleur.^[2][3]

Sherbatov began playing major junior hockey in Canada during the 2009–10 season with the Montreal Junior Hockey Club, playing in 62 games and recording 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists). He played 37 games with Montreal again in 2010–11 before being traded to Baie-Comeau.

In 2008 Sherbatov attending training camp with the Montreal Junior club, and spent the 2008–09 season with Laval-Bourassa Rousseau Sports of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League where he led the team in scoring.^[4]

Even though he has not returned to Israel since moving to Canada, Sherbatov has played extensively for the Israel national ice hockey team, drawing international attention when he played in the World under-18 championship at age 13 at the Division III level in 2005.^[4] He played again with the under-18 team in 2008, and the senior team at the 2010 IIHF World Championship Division II at age 19.^[5] Sherbatov became an internet sensation after scoring a highlight goal against Greece at the 2011 IIHF World Championship Division III.^[6] Sherbatov led the tournament in scoring and was named best forward.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Eliezer Sherbatov's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Eliezer Sherbatov's career stats at Eliteprospects.com
• Eliezer Sherbatov's career stats at Eurohockey.com

This article contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. The purpose of Wikipedia is to present facts, not to train. Please help improve this article either by rewriting the how-to content or by moving it to Wikiversity or Wikibooks. (August 2011)

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Felipe Andreoli (born March 7, 1980 in São Paulo, Brazil) is a heavy-metal bassist known for playing in bands like Angra, Karma and Almah.^[1]

In 2006, along with Angra and Hangar's members, he participated in Fábio Laguna's Freakeys project.

Andreoli is known for having played Brazilian D'Alegria basses, specifically his signature models Dart FA and A-Dart FA, as well as the electric upright Discovery and the Defender JB Deluxe. He is currently using Condor basses.

He is not the same Felipe Andreoli that stars in the Brazilian comedy show CQC.

References[link]

External links[link]

• (Portuguese) Official Site
• D'Alegria Custom Made

This article on a Brazilian musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Eliezer ben Hurcanus or Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (the surname coming from the father's Hellenized name)^{[citation needed]} (Hebrew: אליעזר בן הורקנוס‎), a Kohen,^[1] was one of the most prominent tannaim of the 1st and 2nd centuries, disciple of R. Johanan ben Zakkai^[2][3][4] and colleague of Gamaliel II, whose sister he married (see Imma Shalom), and of Joshua ben Hananiah.^[4][5][6] He is the sixth most frequently mentioned sage in the Mishnah.^[7]

Introduction to Torah[link]

His earlier years are wrapped in myths, but from these latter it may be inferred that he was somewhat advanced in life when a desire for learning first seized him, and impelled him, contrary to the wishes of his father, to desert his regular occupation and to depart to Jerusalem to devote himself to the study of the Torah. Here he entered Johanan's academy and for years studied diligently, notwithstanding the fact that he had to cope with great privations. It is said that sometimes many days elapsed during which he did not have a single meal. Johanan, recognizing Eliezer's receptive and retentive mind, styled him "a cemented cistern that loses not a drop".^[5] These endowments were so pronounced in him that in later years he could declare, "I have never taught anything which I had not learned from my masters".^[8]

His father in the meantime determined to disinherit him, and with that purpose in view went to Jerusalem, there to declare his will before Johanan ben Zakkai. The great teacher, having heard of Hyrcanus' arrival and of the object of his visit, instructed the usher to reserve for the expected visitor a seat among those to be occupied by the elite of the city, and appointed Eliezer lecturer for that day. At first the latter hesitated to venture on Johanan's place, but, pressed by the master and encouraged by his friends, delivered a discourse, gradually displaying wonderful knowledge. Hyrcanus having recognized in the lecturer his truant son, and hearing the encomiums which Johanan showered on him, now desired to transfer all his earthly possessions to Eliezer, but the scholar, overjoyed at the reconciliation, declined to take advantage of his brothers, and requested to be allowed to have only his proportionate share.^[9][10] He continued his attendance at Johanan's college until near the close of the siege of Jerusalem, when he and Joshua assisted in smuggling their master out of the city and into the Roman camp.

Subsequently Eliezer proceeded to Jamnia,^[11][12] where he later became a member of the Sanhedrin under the presidency of Gamaliel II,^[13][14] though he had established, and for many years afterward conducted, his own academy at Lydda.^[15] His fame as a great scholar had in the meantime spread, R. Johanan himself declaring that Eliezer was unequaled as an expositor of traditional law;^[9] and many promising students, among them Akiba,^[4][16] attached themselves to his school.

Eliezer became known as "Eliezer ha-Gadol" ("the Great";^{[17][18][19][20][21]} generally, however, he is styled simply "R. Eliezer"), and with reference to his legal acumen and judicial impartiality, the Scriptural saying "That which is altogether just [literally "Justice, justice"] shalt thou follow,"^[22] was thus explained: "Seek a reliable court: go after R. Eliezer to Lydda, or after Johanan ben Zakkai to Beror Hel," etc.^[23] Once he accompanied Gamaliel and Joshua on an embassy to Rome.^[24][25]

Eliezer's conservatism[link]

Rabbi Eliezer was very severe and somewhat domineering with his pupils and colleagues,^{[26][27][28][29]} a characteristic which led occasionally to unpleasant encounters. The main feature of his teaching was a strict devotion to tradition: he objected to allowing the Midrash or the paraphrastic interpretation to pass as authority for religious practice. In this respect he sympathized with the conservative school of Shammai, which was also opposed to giving too much scope to the interpretation. Hence the assertion that he was a Shammaite, though he was a disciple of Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai, who was one of Hillel's most prominent pupils. This brought Eliezer into conflict with his colleagues and contemporaries, who realized that such conservatism must be fatal to a proper development of the oral law. It was also felt that the new circumstances, such as the destruction of the Temple and the disappearance of the national independence, required a strong religious central authority, to which individual opinion must yield.

At last the rupture came. The Sanhedrin deliberated on the susceptibility to Levitical uncleanness of an 'akhnai-oven (an oven consisting of tiles separated from one another by sand, but externally plastered over with cement). The majority decided that such an oven was capable of becoming unclean, but Eliezer dissented. As he thus acted in direct opposition to the decision of the majority (though, according to the Talmud, God, a tree, a nearby stream, and the walls of the house of study all agreed with Eliezer's interpretation), it was deemed necessary to make an example of him, and he was excommunicated. Still, even under these circumstances great respect was manifested toward him, and the sentence was communicated to him in a very considerate manner. Akiba, dressed in mourning, appeared before him and, seated at some distance from him, respectfully addressed him with "My master, it appears to me that thy colleagues keep aloof from thee." Eliezer readily took in the situation and submitted to the sentence. According to the Talmud, because Akiba broke the news gently, Eliezer (who had the power to destroy the world) annihilated no more than one-third of crops worldwide and burned only those things that were within his field of view; the tsunami that Eliezer raised that day was easily calmed by Rabbi Gamaliel.^[30][31] Thenceforth Eliezer lived in retirement, removed from the center of Jewish learning, though occasionally some of his disciples visited him and informed him of the transactions of the Sanhedrin.^[32]

Charge of heresy[link]

Eliezer was charged for being a heretic, and was summoned before the penal tribunal. Being asked by the Roman governor, "How can a great man like thee engage in such idle things?" he simply replied, "Blessed is the True Judge". The judge, thinking that Rabbi Eliezer was speaking about him, released him, while Rabbi Eliezer understood by "judge" God, justifying the judgment of God which had brought this trial upon him. That he should be suspected of apostasy grieved him sorely, and though some of his pupils tried to comfort him, he remained for some time inconsolable. At last he remembered that once, while at Sepphoris, he had met a Christian who communicated to him a singular halakhah in the name of Ben Pandera, (Jesus) that he had approved of the halakhah and had really enjoyed hearing it, and, he added, "Thereby I transgressed the injunction,^[33] 'Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house,' which the Rabbis apply to sectarianism as well as to heresy".^[34][35] The suspicion of apostasy and the summons before the dreaded tribunal came, therefore, as just punishment. This event in his life may have suggested to him the ethical rule, "Keep away from what is indecent and from that which appears to be indecent".^[36] It is suggested that his sayings, "Instructing a woman in the Law is like teaching her blasphemy",^[37] "Let the Law be burned rather than entrusted to a woman",^[37] and "A woman's wisdom is limited to the handling of the distaff",^[38] also date from that time, he having noticed that women were easily swayed in matters of faith.

The term heresy has been interepreted by Christians as a reference to Christianity. The Keraits, a mongolian tribe of Nestorian Christians, recognise Eliezer ben Hurcanus as one of the Apostles like Luke mentioned in their Lectionary.

Censured[link]

Separated from his colleagues and excluded from the deliberations of the Sanhedrin, Eliezer passed his last years of life unnoticed and in comparative solitude. It is probably from this melancholy period that his aphorism dates:^[39][40]

When asked how one can determine the one day before his death, he answered: "So much the more must one repent daily, lest he die tomorrow; and it follows that he must spend all his days in piety".^[41][42]

His death[link]

When his former colleagues heard of his approaching dissolution, the most prominent of them hastened to his bedside at Cæsarea. When they appeared before him he began to complain about his long isolation. They tried to mollify him by professing great and unabated respect for him, and by averring that it was only the lack of opportunity that had kept them away. He felt that they might have profited by his teaching. Thereupon they besought him to communicate to them laws concerning certain points, particularly touching Levitical purity and impurity. He consented, and answered question after question until all breath left him. The last word he uttered was "tahor" ("pure"), and this the sages considered as an auspicious omen of his purity, whereupon they all rent their garments in token of mourning, and Joshua ben Hananiah revoked the sentence of excommunication.

Eliezer died on a Friday, and after the following Sabbath his remains were solemnly conveyed to Lydda, where he had formerly conducted his academy, and there he was buried. Many and earnest were the eulogies pronounced over his bier. R. Joshua is said to have kissed the stone on which Eliezer used to sit while instructing his pupils, and to have remarked, "This stone represents Sinai, and he who sat on it represented the Ark of the Covenant".^[43] R. Akiba applied to Eliezer the terms which Elisha had applied to Elijah,^[44] and which Joash subsequently applied to Elisha himself,^[45] "O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof".^[46]

Though excommunicated, Rabbi Eliezer is quoted in the Mishnah, the Baraita, and the Talmud more frequently than any one of his colleagues. He is also the putative author of a work known as The Ethics of Rabbi Eliezer.

See also[link]

References[link]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  Jewish Encyclopedia. 1901–1906. 

External links[link]

• ELIEZER (LIEZER) BEN HYRCANUS at jewishenyclopedia.com