(Mishnah): [We do not expound] about the Merkavah with one.

Assumption: Also this is [only] like R. Akiva.

Rejection: It is like everyone, in order that a person will be concerned for the honor of his Maker. (It is Hash-m's honor to conceal such matters.)

Question: (How can the Mishnah say that we expound about the Merkavah only to a Chacham who understands by himself? How can the Rebbi know this about the Talmid? Didn't Rav say that one may not say a matter in front of his Rebbi, except for what he saw or learned from him? How does [the Rebbi test him]?

Answer: Initially, the Rebbi begins for him the chapter headings, and [the Talmid completes them, and the Rebbi] agrees (that he understood).

(R. Chiyah citing R. Yochanan): Rebbi had an elder Talmid, and he expounded a chapter in Ma'aseh Merkavah, and Rebbi did not agree, and [the Talmid] was afflicted with boils. (MASA D'YERUSHALAYIM - sometimes Tzara'as comes on people, e.g. Miryam and this Talmid, to show them that they are not yet complete.)

This Torah (Ma'aseh Merkavah) resembles two paths - one of fire, and one of snow. If he veered to this, he dies in the fire. If he veered to this, he dies in the snow. What should he do? He walks in the middle.

A case occurred in which R. Yochanan ben Zakai was going on the road, riding on a donkey. R. Elazar ben Arach was going in back of him. He said to him "Rebbi - teach to me a Perek in Ma'aseh Merkavah!''

R. Yochanan ben Zakai: Didn't Chachamim say "and not in Ma'aseh Merkavah, unless he is a Chacham who understands by himself''?

R. Elazar ben Arach asked permission to say something; he granted it. Once R. Elazar began with Ma'aseh Merkavah, R. Yochanan descended from the donkey. He said "it is improper that I hear the honor of my Maker while I ride on a donkey.''

They went and sat under one tree, and fire descended from Shamayim and surrounded them, and serving angels were jumping in front of them like people at a Chupah rejoicing in front of a Chasan.

One angel answered from the fire, and said "like your words, Elazar ben Arach, so is Ma'aseh ha'Merkavah.'' Immediately all the trees opened their mouths and sang Shirah - "Az Yeranenu Kol Atzei Ya'ar.''

Once R. Elazar ben Arach finished Ma'aseh ha'Merkavah, R. Yochanan ben Zakai got up and kissed him on his head, and said Baruch Hash-m Elokei Avraham, Yitzchak and Yakov, who gave to Avraham a Chacham son who knows to expound in the honor of our Father in Heaven.

R. Yochanan ben Zakai: Some expound nicely, but do not fulfill nicely. Some fulfill nicely, but do not expound nicely. Elazar ben Arach expounds nicely and fulfills nicely! Fortunate are you, Avraham Avinu, that Elazar ben Arach came from your loins!

Once R. Yosef ha'Kohen and R. Shimon ben Nesanel heard, they began [expounding] in Ma'aseh Merkavah.

They said that it was the first day of Tekufas Tamuz (summer), and the land made noise, and a rainbow was seen in a cloud (which is not normal in summer), and a Bas Kol came out and said "the place is open for you [in the Heavenly Yeshivah], and the hall is spread out for you. You and your Talmidim are invited to the third class (of seven classes that sit in front of the Shechinah).''

This is like the opinion [that expounds] "Sova Semachos Es Panecha'' - there are seven classes of Tzadikim in the future.

Another case occurred in which R. Yehoshua was going on the road, and Ben Zoma came opposite him. [R. Yehoshua] greeted him; he did not answer. He said "from where [do you come] and to where are you going, Ben Zoma [that you are so distracted that you did not answer me]?''

Ben Zoma: I was looking into Ma'aseh Bereishis, and the distance between the upper and lower waters is only a Tefach.

It says here Richuf (Merachefes), and it says below "k'Nesher Ya'ir Kino Al Gozalav Yerachef.'' Just like Richuf below [almost] touches and does not [truly] touch, also Richuf here touches and does not touch.

R. Yehoshua (to his Talmidim): Ben Zoma lost his mind. (HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA - he learns from a verse written about day one, before the upper and lower waters were divided!) It was only a few days until Ben Zoma died.

(R. Yudah bar Pazi citing R. Yosi bei R. Yehudah): [A chain of] three expounded [in Ma'aseh Merkavah] in front of their Rebbi (and later someone expounded in front of them) - R. Yehoshua in front of R. Yochanan ben Zakai, R. Akiva in front of R. Yehoshua, and Chananyah ben Chakinai in front of R. Akiva. After this, [Chachamim's] minds were not clear enough [to understand properly].

Four [used Hash-m's name, and it is as if they ascended and] entered the Pardes. One looked [towards the side of the Shechinah] and died. One looked and was hurt (went crazy, i.e. Ben Zoma). One looked and cut the saplings (sinned). One entered b'Shalom and left b'Shalom;

Ben Azai looked and was hurt. It says about him "Devash Matzasa Echol Dayeka.'' Ben Zoma looked and died. It says about him "Yakar b'Einei Hash-m ha'Mavsah la'Chasidav'';

Acher looked and cut the saplings. Who is Acher? It is Elisha ben Avuyah, who used to kill people great in Torah;

They say that any Talmid who was succeeding in Torah, Acher would kill him. (ALEI TAMAR - he informed the Romans when they decreed against learning Torah.)

Not only this - rather, also, he would enter the Beis Midrash and see [his] children learning from a Rebbi, and say "what are these doing sitting here? This one will be a builder, this one will be a carpenter, this one will be a hunter, this one will be a tailor.''

Once they heard this, they abandoned [their Rebbi] and went away. It says about him "Al Titen Es Picha Lachati Es Besarecha...''

Even at a time of decrees [against Mitzvos], they used to put loads [on Yisrael on Shabbos], and [Yisrael] coordinated that two carry one load, so it would be two who did one Melachah (to avoid an Isur Torah. Acher) told [the Nochrim] to load them individually;

Note: If the Nochrim intend to make Yisrael transgress, one must be Moser Nefesh! Perhaps the "decree'' was merely to force Yisrael to do work that the Nochrim needed, and Acher persuaded the Nochrim that it is better for them that Yisrael carry in a way that is an Isur Torah.

[Yisrael] coordinated to unload in Karmelis, lest they take from Reshus ha'Yachid to Reshus ha'Rabim. [Even though afterwards they take it from Karmelis to Reshus ha'Rabim, this is not a Torah Isur. Acher] told [the Nochrim] to load them with light loads (and then they would not let them unload in the middle). They loaded them with light loads. (We explained this like SHA'AREI TORAS ERETZ YISRAEL.)

R. Akiva entered b'Shalom and left b'Shalom. It says about him "Mashcheni Acharecha Narutzah...''

R. Meir was sitting and expounding in the Beis Midrash of Tiverya. His Rebbi Elisha (Acher) passed by riding on a horse on Shabbos. They told him 'your Rebbi is outside.'' He ceased expounding and went outside.

Acher asked "what were you expounding?'' He said "va'Shem Berach Es Acharis.'' How did you explain it? "Va'Yosef Hash-m Es Kol Asher l'Iyov l'Mishneh'' - he doubled all his money;

Acher: Woe to those who died, and are not found now! (Your Drashah does not teach anything. The latter verse explicitly says so!) Akiva your Rebbi did not expound so. Rather, "va'Shem Berach Es Acharis Iyov me'Reishiso'' - in the merit of Mitzvos and good deeds that he had initially. What else did you expound?

R. Meir: [I expounded] "Tov Acharis Davar me'Reishiso.'' How did you explain it? If a man had children in his youth, and they died, and he had children in his old age, and they lived, this is Tov Acharis Davar me'Reishiso;

If a man did business in his youth, and he lost money, and he did business in his old age, and he profited, this is Tov Acharis Davar me'Reishiso. If a man learned Torah in his youth, and he forgot it, and he learned Torah in his old age, and he retained it, this is Tov Acharis Davar me'Reishiso.

Acher: Woe to those who died, and are not found now! Akiva your Rebbi did not expound so. Rather, Tov Acharis Davar me'Reishiso - when it was good from the beginning;

Acher: This was my episode (my beginning was bad). My father Avuyah was one of the Gedolim of Yerushalayim. On the day of my Bris, he called all of the Gedolim of Yerushalayim, and seated them in one house, and R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua in another house.

While [in the first house] they ate, drank, sang, clapped and danced, R. Eliezer said to R. Yehoshua "while they engage in their [desires], we will engage in ours!''

They sat and engaged in Divrei Torah - from Torah to Nevi'im, and from Nevi'im to Kesuvim. Fire descended from Shamayim and surrounded them. Avuyah said to them "my Rebbeyim! Did you come to burn my house?!''

R. Eliezer and Yehoshua: Heaven forbid! Rather, we were sitting and reviewing Divrei Torah, from Torah to Nevi'im and from Nevi'im to Kesuvim, and the words were joyful like when they were given from Sinai, and the fire was licking them, like it licked them on Sinai! (Fire of Shechinah does not burn.)

At the initial giving [of the Torah] from Sinai, was it not given amidst fire - "veha'Har Bo'er ba'Esh Ad Lev ha'Shamayim''!

Avuyah: My Rebbeyim - if this is the power of Torah, if this son will survive, I will separate him for Torah!

Acher: Since his intent was not [l'Shem] Shamayim, it (Torah) did not endure in that man (me).

Acher asked "what were you expounding?'' R. Meir said "Lo Ya'archenah Zahav u'Zechuchis.'' How did you explain it?

R. Meir: Divrei Torah are as hard to acquire as gold Kelim, and as easy to lose as glass Kelim. Just like gold Kelim and glass Kelim, if they are broken, one can return to make them Kelim like they were, also a Chacham who forgot his learning can return to learn like at the beginning.

Acher: Meir, [you followed me] enough - until here is Techum Shabbos. R. Meir asked how he knew. He said that he was counting the steps of his horse.

R. Meir: You have such Chachmah, and you do not repent?!

Note: It seems that "such Chachmah'' refers to being able to count the horse's steps. Even a child could do so! Perhaps the Chidush is that he was able to do so while having a conversation and bringing Drashos.

Acher said that he cannot repent. R. Meir asked why. He said, once I passed by the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim while riding on a horse on Yom Kipur that fell on Shabbos, and I heard a Bas Kol leave the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim saying "repent children, except for Elisha ben Avuyah, who knew My strength and rebelled against Me.''

Question: How did [Acher] come to such a state?

Answer #1: Once, he was sitting and learning in the valley of Ginosar, and he saw a man ascend to the top of a date tree and take the mother [bird] from on her chicks (or eggs), and he descended safely. The next day he saw a man ascend to the top of a date tree and take the young [after] he sent away the mother, and he descended and a snake bit him and he died;

He said, it says "Shale'ach Teshalach Es ha'Em v'Es ha'Banim Tikach Lach Lema'an Yitav Lach v'Ha'arachta Yamim'' - where is the length of days of this one?!

He did not know that R. Yakov expounded before him "Lema'an Yitav Lach'' - in the world to come, which is totally good. "V'Ha'arachta Yamim'' - in the future, which is totally long (endless).

Answer #2: He the tongue of R. Yehudah ha'Nachtom in the mouth of a pig, dripping blood;

He said, this is Torah and this is its reward?! This is the tongue that used to give out words of Torah - this is the tongue that toiled in Torah all his days - this is Torah and this is its reward?! It seems that there is no reward and no Techiyas ha'Mesim.

Answer #3: When his mother was pregnant with him, she passed by houses of idolatry and smelled that species (an offering to idolatry). She ate, and that species penetrated in her body like snake venom.

Days later, Elisha fell sick. They came and told R. Meir "your Rebbi is ill.'' He came to visit him and found him ill. He said to him, do you not repent?

Acher: If I repent [amidst illness], will they accept it?!

R. Meir: Will it not be accepted?! It is written "Tashev Enosh Ad Daka'' - until the Nefesh is crushed (about to die), they accept!

At that time, Elisha cried and died. R. Meir was happy in his heart, and said "it seems that Rebbi died amidst Teshuvah!''

After they buried him, fire descended from Shamayim and burned his grave. They told R. Meir that his Rebbi's grave was burning. He went out to see it, and found it burning. What did he do? He spread his garment over it and said "Lini ha'Laylah...'';

I.e. spend the night here in this world, which resembles night, and in the morning, in the world to come, which is totally morning, "Im Yig'alech Tov Yig'al'' - this is ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu, who is Tov, for it says "Tov Hash-m la'Kol v'Rachmav Al Kol Ma'asav'';

He said "v'Im Lo Yachpotz Lega'alech u'Ge'altich Anochi Chai Hashem'' (if He does not want to redeem you, I will redeem you). The fire extinguished.

Citation (cont.): They said to R. Meir "if they will tell you in that world (to come), whom do you want to draw close to you (to benefit him), your father or your Rebbi [what will you say]''?

R. Meir: I will first draw close my Rebbi, and then my father.

They asked him "will Shamayim agree?'' He said "we learn this from a Mishnah! We save [from a fire on Shabbos] the case of a Sefer with the Sefer, the case of Tefilin with the Tefilin. [Likewise,] we save Elisha, Acher in the merit of his Torah.''

Days later, [Acher's] daughters came to take Tzedakah from Rebbi. Rebbi decreed and said "Al Yehi Lo Moshech Chesed v'Al Yehi Chonen li'Ysomav''!

His daughters: Rebbi - do not look at his deeds. Look at his Torah!

At that time, Rebbi cried and decreed that they be financed. He said, if this one who engaged in Torah Lo l'Shem Shamayim, see what he established (his Talmid R. Meir, or his daughters, who had Chachmah) - one who engages in Torah l'Shem Shamayim, all the more so!