Elisha ben Abuyah

Talmudic Figures

Elisha ben Abuyah was a tannaitic sage who adopted a heretical worldview. He is mentioned twice in tannaitic literature and appears in several stories throughout the Talmud and midrashic literature. Elisha is often referred to as “acher” (“other one”) as a result of his heresy.

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The Perils of the Orchard

TOSEFTA

A rabbinic story recounts how four sages entered an "orchard," often understood as a metaphorical term for a space of esoteric knowledge. The Tosefta, an ancient collection of rabbinic laws and teachings, recounts how each sage came out differently.

Four entered the orchard: Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Acher (i.e., Elisha ben Avuya), and Rabbi Akiva. One looked and died. One looked and was harmed. One looked and cut down the trees. And one went up in peace and went down in peace. Ben Azzai looked and died. Scripture says about him (Ps. 116:15): "Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints". Ben Zoma looked and was harmed. Scripture says about him (Prov. 25:16): "Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee" and the continuation. [Cont. of the verse: "Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it…

Tosefta Chagigah 2:2

A Vision That Challenged Monotheism

TALMUD

Elisha ben Abuyah's vision of the angel Metatron seated in the heavenly realm led him to question the core monotheistic belief of Judaism. The talmudic tractate Chagigah explores complex theological themes, including the story of Elisha ben Abuyah's heresy and how he came to be called "other one."

§ The Gemara stated earlier that Aḥer chopped down the saplings, becoming a heretic. With regard to him, the verse states: “Do not let your mouth bring your flesh into guilt” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Gemara poses a question: What was it that led him to heresy? He saw the angel Mitatron, who was granted permission to sit and write the merits of Israel. He said: There is a tradition that in the world above there is no sitting; no competition; no turning one’s back before Him, i.e…

Chagigah 15a:5

The Song of Heresy

CHASIDUT

Elisha ben Abuyah's heresy is linked to a Greek song that he constantly engaged with, suggesting a connection between his actions and the influences he allowed into his life. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, in his early 19th-century work Likutei Moharan, delves into the spiritual dangers of engaging with heretical influences, using the example of Elisha ben Abuyah.

Even heresy has a melody and song that is particular to heretical wisdom. This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: And Acher, what was his shortcoming? A Greek song never ceased from his lips, and when he would rise from his studies, books of heresy would fall from [his bosom] (Chagigah 15b). For one is dependent upon the other: because of the aforementioned song that did not cease from his lips, the books of the heretics would fall from him. This is because that song was particular to this heresy of his.

Likutei Moharan 64:5:2

The Heresy of Elisha ben Abuyah

TALMUD

As presented in one tradition, Elisha ben Abuyah's heresy was triggered by witnessing an event that contradicted the Torah's promise of reward for fulfilling certain commandments. The Talmud recounts the story of Elisha ben Abuyah encountering a son performing two commandments simultaneously.

Rav Yosef said: Had Aḥer, literally Other, the appellation of the former Sage Elisha ben Avuya, interpreted this aforementioned verse: “That it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16), homiletically, as referring to the World-to-Come, as did Rabbi Ya’akov, son of his daughter, he would not have sinned. The Gemara asks: And what caused Aḥer to sin? There are those who say he saw a case like this, where a son went up to the roof on his father’s command, dispatched the mother bird, and then died…

Kiddushin 39b:13

The Struggle with Divine Justice

JEWISH THOUGHT

Elisha ben Abuyah's story forces Judaism to confront the issue of divine silence in the face of human suffering and injustice. Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Berkovits, in his 20th-century work, explores the theological and existential struggle of Elisha ben Abuyah.

In the Talmud, too, there is a full realization that the question of divine justice presents the Jew with a very serious problem. It is expressed in the terse formula: “A righteous man and it is ill with him; a wicked one and he does well.” Elisha ben Avuyah became a heretic because of this problem and was known thereafter as aḥer, “the changed one.” He looms large in the pages of the Talmud and forces upon the conscience of Judaism the awareness of the seriousness of this issue. The teachers of the Talmud took painful notice of God’s many silences in history at times when his…

With God in Hell, 8 Emunah; Trust 22

Unconditional Love and Repentance

COMMENTARY

Rabbi Meir's belief in unconditional love and respect for his teacher, even after he became a heretic, underscores the Jewish value of repentance and the possibility of returning to God until one's last moment. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his 21st-century work, explores the case of Rabbi Meir and Elisha ben Abuyah.

Rabbi Meir, who believed in unconditional love, acted in accordance with his view. His own teacher, Elisha ben Abuya, eventually lost his faith and became a heretic, yet Rabbi Meir continued to study with him and respect him, maintaining that at the very last moment of his life he had repented and returned to God.

Studies in Spirituality; A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, Toledot; A Father's Love 18

Greek Tunes

TALMUD

Elisha ben Abuyah is described as humming Greek tunes and reading heretical books. The Talmud in tractate Chagigah discusses the steps that might have contributed toward Elisha's heresy.

The Gemara explains: Aḥer, what was his failing? Greek tunes never ceased from his mouth. He would constantly hum Greek songs, even when he was among the Sages. This shows that from the outset he was drawn to gentile culture and beliefs. Similarly, they said about Aḥer: When he would stand after learning in the study hall, many heretical books, which he had been reading, would fall from his lap. Therefore, he was somewhat unsound even when among the Sages.

Chagigah 15b:14

The Balance of Righteousness and Sin

MIDRASH

Rabbi Meir explains that God created everything with its counterpart, including the righteous and the sinners. The Ein Yaakov, a 16th-century compilation of talmudic stories, presents a conversation between Rabbi Meir and Elisha ben Abuyah about divine conduct.

Acher asked this question of R. Mair, after he had gone forth into the evil courses: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ecc. 7, 14) Also this hath God made in equal measure with the other?" He answered him: "Everything which the Holy One, praised be He! — created. He created with its counterpart. He created mountains and He created hills; He created seas and He created rivers." Acher said to him: "R. Akiba thy teacher did not say so, but he explained it as meaning that He created righteous and He created sinners; He created the garden of Eden and He created Gehenna…

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Khagigah 2:21

The Apostate Sage

REFERENCE

According to some accounts, Elisha ben Abuyah, once a respected sage, became a notorious apostate who actively collaborated with Roman authorities to undermine Jewish practices. Gershom Bader's 20th-century account delves into the life of Elisha ben Abuyah, exploring his transition from a revered sage to a figure of heresy and betrayal.

When Elisha was still a student at the academy, everyone believed that he had no other interests outside of the Torah, but he read many Greek poems and books of philosophy filled his pockets. Years later, when the Roman government sought to suppress the Torah and forced the Jews to break its commandments, Elisha advised the enemy and pointed out to the Romans which labors a Jew may perform on the Sabbath without incurring a sin.

The Jewish Spiritual Heroes, Volume I; The Creators of the Mishna, Elisha ben Avuya "Acher" 2

The End of a Matter is Better Than Its Beginning

COMMENTARY

A verse in Ecclesiastes states that "the end of a matter is better than its beginning." Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French commentator, references a midrash that connects the verse to the story of Elisha ben Abuyah.

Another explanation: Better is the end of a matter than its beginning. When it is good from its beginning, [i.e.,] that they had good intentions when they started it. Rabbi Meir stood and expounded the entire matter as referring to Elisha the son of Avuyah, in Midrash Koheles.

Rashi on Ecclesiastes 7:8:2

A Dream of Acher

TALMUD

Seeing the figure known as Acher in a dream is considered a portent of calamity. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Berakhot discusses the significance of seeing certain rabbinic figures in dreams.

There are three Torah scholars who, despite their greatness in Torah, were never given the title Rabbi, and whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Ben Azzai in a dream should anticipate piety; one who sees Ben Zoma should anticipate wisdom; and one who sees Aḥer, Elisha ben Avuya, should be concerned about calamity, as he strayed from the path of righteousness.

Berakhot 57b:6

Theological Missteps

COMMENTARY

Elisha ben Abuyah's theological error is a cautionary tale about the dangers of misinterpreting the nature of the upper realms. Rabbeinu Bachya’s commentary on Exodus highlights the importance of careful and guided study in Jewish tradition.

You are already aware that this (angel) is the one who was the cause of Elisha ben Avuyah making a grievous error, resulting in his heresy when he formed the opinion that there are two domains of divinity (compare Chagigah 15). The same is liable to happen to anyone who does not exercise extreme care in contemplating these verses. Perhaps the reason that this paragraph has been written immediately after the previous paragraph concluded with the word מוקש, “a trap,” in 23,33, is to warn that this chapter must be read with more than ordinary care…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Shemot 24:1:6