Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim

Who is Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim?

Hanina [Hananyah] Segan ha-Kohanim was of the first Generation of the Jewish Tanna sages. He lived during the destruction of Second Temple of Jerusalem, and had testified, following that event, on what he had seen occur on the Holy Temple. He was the son Rabbi Simeon ben ha-Segan. The book "Yihusei Tanna'im ve-Amora'im" cites that he was killed along with Shimon ben Gamliel and Ishmael ben Elisha ha-Kohen. It is said that he was one of the Ten Martyrs, and was killed on 25th of Sivan month on the Hebrew calendar.

Hanina earned his title due to the role he fulfilled - as Deputy to the Kohen Gadol in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. Ha-Segan was a position with the responsibility of overseeing the actions of the work of the Temple's priests staff, as well as a stand-in position, ready to take the role of High priest in case he will be found unfit to serve the holy work on the temple. In that conjunction, Hanina was considered a "Segan Ha-Kohanim", only second to the High priest, as R. Hanina himself indicates: