Simlai

Rabbi Simlai ({{langx|he|רבי שמלאי}}) was a talmudic rabbi who lived in Israel in the 3rd century (second generation of amoraim).

He was born in either LodPesachim 62b or Babylonia.Pesachim 5:3 He later moved to the Galilee, where he served as an aide to Rabbi Yannai.Bava Batra 111a He studied in Tzippori under Rabbi YochananYerushalmi Pesachim 5:3 and Hanina bar Hama.Yerushalmi Peah 8:8 He then studied under Rabbi Judah II, the grandson of Judah haNasi. He attempted in vain to induce Judah II to abrogate the prohibition against using bread prepared by pagans.Avodah Zarah 37a Late in life he moved to Babylonia.Avodah Zarah 36; Yerushalmi Shabbat 1:4

He was a famous aggadist, and the calculation of 613 Mitzvot is attributed to him.{{cite book

|title=Judaism |first=Israel|last=Abrahams|year=1907|publisher=Archibald Constable & co. ltd.|url=https://archive.org/details/judaism01abragoog|format=pdf|location=London|page=[https://archive.org/details/judaism01abragoog/page/n40 28]}} According to the Jewish tradition, he frequently debated the Christians.Genesis Rabbah 8:9; Yerushalmi Brachot 9:1