Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair was a Tanna of the 2nd century CE, renowned for his extraordinary piety. The Talmud calls him the son-in-law of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
He is best known for his “ladder” of spiritual growth (Mishnah Sotah 9:15; Avodah Zarah 20b): Torah leads to watchfulness, watchfulness to zeal, zeal to cleanliness, cleanliness to separation, separation to purity, purity to piety, piety to humility, humility to fear of sin, fear of sin to holiness, holiness to the holy spirit, and the holy spirit to the resurrection of the dead. This teaching became the framework of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto’s classic Mesillat Yesharim.
The Talmud (Chullin 7a) tells of the river Ginai that parted for him on his way to redeem captives, and of his donkey that would not eat untithed food.
