אמר ההוא סבא טיהר בן יוחי בית הקברות אמר ליה אילמלי (לא) היית עמנו ואפילו היית עמנו ולא נמנית עמנו יפה אתה אומר עכשיו שהיית עמנו ונמנית עמנו יאמרו זונות מפרכסות זו את זו תלמידי חכמים לא כל שכן יהב ביה עיניה ונח נפשיה נפק לשוקא חזייה ליהודה בן גרים אמר עדיין יש לזה בעולם נתן בו עיניו ועשהו גל של עצמות:
A certain Elder said in ridicule and surprise: Ben Yoḥai purified the cemetery. Rabbi Shimon got angry and said to him: Had you not been with us, and even had you been with us and were not counted with us in rendering this ruling, what you say is fine. You could have said that you were unaware of my intention or that you did not agree or participate in this decision. Now that you were with us and were counted with us in rendering this ruling, you will cause people to say that Sages are unwilling to cooperate with one another. They will say: If competing prostitutes still apply makeup to each other to help one another look beautiful, all the more so that Torah scholars should cooperate with each other. He directed his eyes toward him and the Elder died. Rabbi Shimon went out to the marketplace and he saw Yehuda, son of converts,who was the cause of this entire incident. Rabbi Shimon, said: This one still has a place in the world? He directed his eyes toward him and turned him into a pile of bones.
כי הא דא"ר שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן כל כלה שהיא צנועה בבית חמיה זוכה ויוצאין ממנה מלכים ונביאים מנלן מתמר דכתיב (בראשית לח, טו) ויראה יהודה ויחשבה לזונה כי כסתה פניה משום דכסתה פניה ויחשבה לזונה
The Gemara responds: It is in accordance with that which Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Any bride who is modest in the house of her father-in-law merits that kings and prophets will emerge from her. From where do we derive this? From Tamar, as it is written: “When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute; for she had covered her face” (Genesis 38:15). Can it be that because Tamar covered her face he thought her to be a prostitute? On the contrary, a harlot tends to uncover her face.
אלא משום דכסתה פניה בבית חמיה ולא הוה ידע לה זכתה ויצאו ממנה מלכים ונביאים מלכים מדוד נביאים דא"ר לוי מסורת בידינו מאבותינו אמוץ ואמציה אחים היו וכתיב (ישעיהו א, א) חזון ישעיהו בן אמוץ
Rather, because she covered her face in the house of her father-in-law and he was not familiar with her appearance, Judah didn’t recognize Tamar, thought she was a harlot, and sought to have sexual relations with her. Ultimately, she merited that kings and prophets emerged from her. Kings emerged from her through David, who was a descendant of Tamar’s son, Peretz. However, there is no explicit mention that she was the forebear of prophets. This is derived from that which Rabbi Levi said: This matter is a tradition that we received from our ancestors. Amoz, father of Isaiah, and Amaziah, king of Judea, were brothers, and it is written: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz” (Isaiah 1:1). Amoz was a member of the Davidic dynasty, and his son, the prophet Isaiah, was also a descendant of Tamar.
תנו רבנן רחב בשמה זינתה יעל בקולה אביגיל בזכירתה מיכל בת שאול בראייתה אמר רבי יצחק כל האומר רחב רחב מיד ניקרי א"ל רב נחמן אנא אמינא רחב רחב ולא איכפת לי אמר ליה כי קאמינא ביודעה ובמכירה
The Sages taught in a baraita: Rahab aroused impure thoughts by her name, i.e., the mere mention of her name would inspire lust for her; Yael, by her voice; Abigail, by remembering her; Michal, the daughter of Saul, by her appearance. Similarly, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who says Rahab, Rahab, immediately experiences a seminal emission due to the arousal of desire caused by Rahab’s great beauty. Rav Naḥman said to him: I say: Rahab, Rahab, and it does not affect me. Rabbi Yitzchak said to Rav Naḥman: When I said this, I was specifically referring to one who knows her personally and recognizes her beauty. Only for one who has met Rahab in person is the mere mention of her name capable of arousing lust.
גופא אמר רבה נפל מן הגג ונתקע חייב בארבעה דברים וביבמתו לא קנה בנזק בצער בשבת ברפוי אבל בושת לא מיחייב דאמר מר אין חייב על הבושת עד שיתכוון
The Gemara returns to the statement of Rabba cited earlier in order to discuss the matter itself that Rabba addressed. Rabba said: One who fell from a roof and was inserted into a woman due to the force of his fall is liable to pay four of the five types of indemnity that must be paid by one who damaged another, and if she is his yevama he has not acquired her in this manner. He is liable to pay for injury, pain, loss of livelihood, and medical costs. However, he is not liable to pay for the shame he caused her, as the Master said: One is not liable to pay for shame unless he intends to humiliate his victim. Consequently, one who fell from a roof accidentally is not liable to pay for the shame he caused the woman.
אתו חקקו לדמותיה דר' מאיר אפיתחא דרומי אמרי כל דחזי לפרצופא הדין לייתיה יומא חדא חזיוהי רהט אבתריה רהט מקמייהו על לבי זונות איכא דאמרי בשולי עובדי כוכבים חזא טמש בהא ומתק בהא איכא דאמרי אתא אליהו אדמי להו כזונה כרכתיה אמרי חס ושלום אי ר' מאיר הוה לא הוה עביד הכי
They then went and engraved the image of Rabbi Meir at the entrance of Rome where it would be seen by everyone, and they said: Anyone who sees a man with this face should bring him here. One day, Romans saw Rabbi Meir and ran after him, and he ran away from them and entered a brothel to hide. Some say he then escaped capture because he saw food cooked by gentiles and dipped [temash] this finger in the food and tasted it with that other finger, and thereby fooled them into thinking that he was eating their food, which they knew Rabbi Meir would not do. And some say that he escaped detection because Elijah came, appeared to them as a prostitute and embraced Rabbi Meir. The Romans who were chasing him said: Heaven forbid, if this were Rabbi Meir, he would not act in that manner.
והיינו דאמרי אינשי בין קני לאורבני שוילנאי מאי בעיא בהדי קלפי דקני שוילנאי מאי בעיא גפתה לאמה
Her name was Shevilnai; and this is as people say in reference to a famous prostitute: Between reeds and willows, what does Shevilnai seek? Clearly, she seeks licentiousness. There is another adage: Among the peels of the reeds, what does Shevilnai seek? Clearly, she seeks licentiousness. She prostituted her mother. Apparently, Shevilnai became a name popularly used to connote a prostitute. Since everyone refers to her as prostitute, daughter of prostitute, she has implicated her mother with her licentiousness.
אמר רבי אושעיא בממנה זונה על פסחו ורבי היא
Rabbi Oshaya said: The mishna and baraita are referring to one who registers a prostitute for his Paschal lamb, giving her a portion in it as payment for her services, and the mishna and baraitaare in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who holds that a Paschal lamb is considered a person’s personal property for the purposes of allowing additional people to register for it.
אִיתְחֲמֵי לְרִבִּי אַבָּהוּ. פַּנְטֳקַקָּה יַצְלִי וַאֲתֵי מִיטְרָא. שְׁלַח רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ וְאַייתִיתֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. מָה אוּמְנָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. חָמֵשׁ עֲבֵירָן הַהוּא גוֹבְרָא עֲבִיד בְּכָל־יוֹם. מוֹגַר זַנְייָתָא. מְשַׁפֵּר תֵײַטְרוֹן. מְעִיל מָנֵיהוֹן לְבָנֵי. מְטַפֵּחַ וּמְרַקֵּד קֳדָמֵיהוֹן. וּמַקִּישׁ בְּבַבּוּלִייָא קֳדָמֵיהוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וּמַה טִיבוּ עֲבַדְתָּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. חַד זְמַן הֶוָה הַהוּא גַבְרָא מַשְׁפַּר תֵײַטְרוֹן. אֲתַת חָדָא אִיתָא וְקָמַת לָהּ חוֹרֵי עֲמוּדָא. בַּכְייָא. וְאָֽמְרִת לָהּ. מַה לִיךְ. וְאָֽמְרָה לִי. בַּעֲלָהּ דְּהִיא אִיתְּתַא חֲבִישׁ וַאֲנָא בְעָייָא מֵיחְמֵי מַה מִעֲבַד וּמַפְנִינֵהּ. וְזָֽבְנִית עַרֵסִי וּפְרוֹס עַרְסִי וְיָבִית לָהּ טִימִיתֵיהּ. וְאָֽמְרִית לָהּ. הָא לִיךְ. פְּנַיי בַּעֲלִיךְ וְלָא תֵיחַטִּיי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. כְּדַיי אַתְּ מַצְלַייָא וּמִתְעַנְייָא.
It was seen by Rebbi Abbahu, Pantokaka shall pray and rain will come. Rebbi Abbahu sent and brought him. He asked him, what is your profession? He told him, five sins this man commits every day. He rents out prostitutes, maintains the theater, brings their garments to the baths, claps his hands and dances before them, and plays cymbals before them. They asked him, what good deed did you do? He told them, once I was maintaining the theater, when a woman came and stood behind a pillar, crying. I asked her, what is your problem? She said to me, this woman’s husband is jailed and I have to see what to do to free him. I sold my bed, and my bed-spread, gave her its value, and told her, this is yours; free your husband and do not sin. They told him, you are worthy to pray and be heard.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, שְׁלֹשָׁה מַכְרִיז עֲלֵיהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּכׇל יוֹם: עַל רַוּוֹק הַדָּר בִּכְרַךְ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא, וְעַל עָנִי הַמַּחֲזִיר אֲבֵידָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ, וְעַל עָשִׁיר הַמְעַשֵּׂר פֵּירוֹתָיו בְּצִינְעָה. רַב סָפְרָא רַוּוֹק הַדָּר בִּכְרַךְ הֲוָה, תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא וְרַב סָפְרָא, צָהֲבוּ פָּנָיו דְּרַב סָפְרָא. אָמַר לוֹ רָבָא: לָאו כְּגוֹן מָר, אֶלָּא כְּגוֹן רַב חֲנִינָא וְרַב אוֹשַׁעְיָא דַּהֲווֹ אוּשְׁכָּפֵי בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲווֹ יָתְבִי בְּשׁוּקָא דְזוֹנוֹת, וְעָבְדִי לְהוּ מְסָאנֵי לְזוֹנוֹת, וְעָיְילִי לְהוּ. אִינְהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלִי בְּהוּ, וְאִינְהוּ לָא מַדְלָן עֵינַיְיהוּ לְאִיסְתַּכּוֹלֵי בְּהוּ. וּמוֹמָתַיְיהוּ הָכִי: בְּחַיֵּיהֶן רַבָּנַן קַדִּישֵׁי דִּבְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
Rabbi Yoḥanan further said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, proclaims about the goodness of three kinds of people every day, as exceptional and noteworthy individuals: About a bachelor who lives in a city and does not sin with women; about a poor person who returns a lost object to its owners despite his poverty; and about a wealthy person who tithes his produce in private, without publicizing his behavior. The Gemara reports: Rav Safra was a bachelor living in a city. When the tanna taught this baraitabefore Rava and Rav Safra, Rav Safra’s face lit up with joy, as he was listed among those praised by God. Rava said to him: This does not refer to someone like the Master. Rather, the statement applies to people like Rav Ḥanina and Rav Oshaya, who were cobblers in Eretz Yisrael, and they would sit in the marketplace of prostitutes and fashion shoes for prostitutes. And the prostitutes would enter their shops and look at them. However, due to their piety, these Sages did not raise their eyes to look at the women. And those prostitutes were so impressed with this behavior that when they swore, they would say as follows: By the lives of the holy Sages of Eretz Yisrael. It is this type of bachelor who is praised by Heaven.
לֹא תָבִיא אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה, הַזּוֹנוֹת יַעֲשׂוּ בָּאֶתְנָן שֶׁלָּהֶם מִצְוֹת, חוֹשְׁבוֹת לְכַפֵּר עַל חַטָּאתָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיַּזְכִּירוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ויק"ר ג א) בַּמָּשָׁל שֶׁלָּהֶן, גַּיְפָא בְּתַפּוּחַיָּא וּמַפְלְגָא לִבְאִישַׁיָּא. וּלְכָךְ אָסְרָה תּוֹרָה אֶתְנָן לְכָל נֶדֶר, כִּי עַתָּה יוֹסִיפוּ לַחֲטֹא בָּהֶן. וְכֵן עִנְיַן מְחִיר כֶּלֶב, בַּעֲבוּר כִּי הַצָּדִים בִּכְלָבִים וְשׁוֹמְרֵי הַחוֹמוֹת יְגַדְּלוּ כְּלָבִים עַזֵּי נֶפֶשׁ מַזִּיקִים אֶת הָרַבִּים, וְיַדִּירוּ בִּמְחִירֵיהֶם לִהְיוֹת כֹּפֶר לְנַפְשָׁם, וְכֵן הַמִּנְהָג עַד הַיּוֹם בַּפָּרָשִׁים אַנְשֵׁי הַצַּיִד, שֶׁיַּעֲמִידוּ צוּרַת כַּלְבֵיהֶם בְּשַׁעֲוָה לִפְנֵי ע"ז שֶׁיַּצְלִיחוּ בָּהֶם. וְהַמְּפָרְשִׁים אָמְרוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא דֶּרֶךְ בִּזָּיוֹן. וְאָמַר (דברים כג יט):
THOU SHALT NOT BRING THE HIRE OF A HARLOT, [OR THE PRICE OF A DOG, INTO THE HOUSE OF THE ETERNAL THY G-D FOR ANY VOW]. Harlots are wont to do good deeds with their hire, thinking thereby to atone for their sins, as our Rabbis mentioned in their proverb, “She commits illicit sexual intercourse for apples and she divides them among the sick.” Therefore the Torah prohibited a harlot’s gift to be brought for any vow, for now they sin more and more. Similarly the matter of the price of the dog is that hunters using dogs and watchmen of walls raise brazen dogs that harm the public, and the owners vow [to contribute] their value [to a cause which they consider sacred], as an atonement for their soul. Such is still the custom among men who ride to the hunts that they place the waxen image of their dogs before an idol that they may be successful with them. And the commentators [as mentioned by Ibn Ezra] have said [that the reason for the prohibition is] because they [i.e., these payments] came about in a contemptible manner.
לֹא־תָבִיא֩ אֶתְנַ֨ן זוֹנָ֜ה וּמְחִ֣יר כֶּ֗לֶב בֵּ֛ית יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְכׇל־נֶ֑דֶר כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ {ס}
You are not to bring the fee of a whore or the price of a dog to the house of YHWH your God,
for any vow,
for an abomination to YHWH your God are the two-of-them!
for any vow,
for an abomination to YHWH your God are the two-of-them!
״לַעֲלוּקָה שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת הַב הַב״. מַאי ״הַב הַב״? אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא: [קוֹל] שְׁתֵּי בָּנוֹת שֶׁצּוֹעֲקוֹת מִגֵּיהִנָּם, וְאוֹמְרוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה ״הָבֵא הָבֵא״. וּמַאן נִינְהוּ? מִינוּת וְהָרָשׁוּת. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא, קוֹל גֵּיהִנָּם צוֹעֶקֶת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: הָבִיאוּ לִי שְׁתֵּי בָּנוֹת שֶׁצּוֹעֲקוֹת וְאוֹמְרוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה ״הָבֵא הָבֵא״. ״כׇּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן וְלֹא יַשִּׂיגוּ אׇרְחוֹת חַיִּים״, וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא שָׁבוּ, הֵיכָן יַשִּׂיגוּ? הָכִי קָאָמַר: וְאִם יָשׁוּבוּ — לֹא יַשִּׂיגוּ אוֹרְחוֹת חַיִּים. לְמֵימְרָא, דְּכׇל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִמִּינוּת מָיֵית? וְהָא הָהִיא דַּאֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב חִסְדָּא, וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ: קַלָּה שֶׁבַּקַּלּוֹת עָשְׂתָה בְּנָהּ הַקָּטָן מִבְּנָהּ הַגָּדוֹל, וַאֲמַר לַהּ רַב חִסְדָּא: טְרַחוּ לַהּ בִּזְוָודְתָּא, וְלָא מִתָה. מִדְּקָאָמְרָה קַלָּה שֶׁבַּקַּלּוֹת עָשְׂתָה, מִכְּלָל דְּמִינוּת [נָמֵי] הָוְיָא בַּהּ! הָהוּא דְּלָא הָדְרָא בַּהּ שַׁפִּיר, וּמִשּׁוּם הָכִי לֹא מֵתָה. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: מִמִּינוּת — אִין, מֵעֲבֵירָה — לָא? וְהָא הָהִיא דַּאֲתַאי קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב חִסְדָּא, וַאֲמַר לְהוּ [רַב חִסְדָּא: זַוִּידוּ לַהּ זְוַודְתָּא], וּמִתָה! מִדְּקָאָמְרָה ״קַלָּה שֶׁבַּקַּלּוֹת״, מִכְּלָל דְּמִינוּת נָמֵי הַוְיָא בַּהּ. וּמֵעֲבֵירָה לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דּוּרְדְּיָא, שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחַ זוֹנָה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא בָּא עָלֶיהָ. פַּעַם אַחַת שָׁמַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ זוֹנָה אַחַת בִּכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם, וְהָיְתָה נוֹטֶלֶת כִּיס דִּינָרִין בִּשְׂכָרָהּ. נָטַל כִּיס דִּינָרִין וְהָלַךְ וְעָבַר עָלֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה נְהָרוֹת. בִּשְׁעַת הֶרְגֵּל דָּבָר הֵפִיחָה, אָמְרָה: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֲפָיחָה זוֹ אֵינָהּ חוֹזֶרֶת לִמְקוֹמָהּ, כָּךְ אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דּוּרְדְּיָא אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ בִּתְשׁוּבָה. הָלַךְ וְיָשַׁב בֵּין שְׁנֵי הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת, אָמַר: הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶינָה״. אָמַר: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה״. אָמַר: חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ, נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה״. אָמַר: כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ, נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָמַקּוּ כׇּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם״. אָמַר: אֵין הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי אֶלָּא בִּי. הִנִּיחַ רֹאשׁוֹ בֵּין בִּרְכָּיו וְגָעָה בִּבְכִיָּה עַד שֶׁיָּצְתָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דּוּרְדְּיָא מְזֻומָּן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא! [וְהָא הָכָא בַּעֲבֵירָה הֲוָה וּמִית], הָתָם נָמֵי, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲבִיק בַּהּ טוּבָא, כְּמִינוּת דָּמְיָא. בָּכָה רַבִּי וְאָמַר: יֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּכַמָּה שָׁנִים, וְיֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת. וְאָמַר רַבִּי: לֹא דַּיָּין לְבַעֲלֵי תְשׁוּבָה שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן, אֶלָּא שֶׁקּוֹרִין אוֹתָן ״רַבִּי״.
§ In connection to the earlier mention of heresy and the ruling authorities, the Gemara cites a verse: “The horseleech has two daughters: Give, give” (Proverbs 30:15). What is meant by “give, give”? Mar Ukva says: This is the voice of the two daughters who cry out from Gehenna due to their suffering; and they are the ones who say in this world: Give, give, demanding dues and complete allegiance. And who are they? They are heresy and the ruling authority. There are those who say that Rav Ḥisda says that Mar Ukva says: The voice of Gehenna cries out and says: Bring me two daughters who cry and say in this world: Give, give. The following verse in Proverbs makes reference to a foreign woman, which according to the Sages is a euphemism for heresy: “None that go to her return, neither do they attain the paths of life” (Proverbs 2:19). The Gemara asks: Since those that are drawn to heresy do not return, from where would they attain the path of life? Why is it necessary for the verse to add that they do not attain the paths of life? The Gemara explains that this is what the verse is saying: In general, those who go to her do not return, and even if they return, they do not attain the paths of life, i.e., the pain of their regret will shorten their lives. The Gemara asks: Is this to say that anyone who separates himself from heresy and returns from his mistaken ways must die? But what about that woman who came before Rav Ḥisda to confess to him, and she said to him: The lightest of the light, i.e., the least of the sins that she committed, is that she conceived her younger son from engaging in intercourse with her older son. And Rav Ḥisda said to her: Prepare funeral shrouds for her, i.e., yourself, as you will certainly die soon, but she did not die. The above incident refutes the claim that anyone who repents for the sin of heresy must die, as from the fact that she said that the lightest of the light of her sins was that she conceived one son from engaging in intercourse with another son, by inference one can learn that she was also involved in heresy, and yet she did not die. The Gemara answers: That is a case where the woman did not repent properly, and due to that reason she did not die. There are those who say there is a different version of the objection to the Gemara’s statement that those who repent for the sin of heresy must die: Is that to say that if one repents for the sin of heresy, yes, the result is death, whereas if one repents for the sin of forbidden sexual intercourse he does not die? But what about that woman who came before Rav Ḥisda to confess to him and Rav Ḥisda said to those present: Prepare funeral shrouds for her, and she died? The Gemara answers: From the fact that she said: The lightest of the light, by inference one can learn that she was also involved in heresy. The Gemara asks: And is it correct that one who repents of the sin of forbidden sexual intercourse does not die? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: They said about Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya that he was so promiscuous that he did not leave one prostitute in the world with whom he did not engage in sexual intercourse. Once, he heard that there was one prostitute in one of the cities overseas who would take a purse full of dinars as her payment. He took a purse full of dinars and went and crossed seven rivers to reach her. When they were engaged in the matters to which they were accustomed, a euphemism for intercourse, she passed wind and said: Just as this passed wind will not return to its place, so too Elazar ben Durdayya will not be accepted in repentance, even if he were to try to repent. This statement deeply shocked Elazar ben Durdayya, and he went and sat between two mountains and hills and said: Mountains and hills, pray for mercy on my behalf, so that my repentance will be accepted. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed” (Isaiah 54:10). He said: Heaven and earth, pray for mercy on my behalf. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6). He said: Sun and moon, pray for mercy on my behalf. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed” (Isaiah 24:23). He said: Stars and constellations, pray for mercy on my behalf. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “And all the hosts of heaven shall molder away” (Isaiah 34:4). Elazar ben Durdayya said: Clearly the matter depends on nothing other than myself. He placed his head between his knees and cried loudly until his soul left his body. A Divine Voice emerged and said: Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya is destined for life in the World-to-Come. The Gemara explains the difficulty presented by this story: And here Elazar ben Durdayya was guilty of the sin of forbidden sexual intercourse, and yet he died once he repented. The Gemara answers: There too, since he was attached so strongly to the sin, to an extent that transcended the physical temptation he felt, it is similar to heresy, as it had become like a form of idol worship for him. When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard this story of Elazar ben Durdayya, he wept and said: There is one who acquires his share in the World-to-Come only after many years of toil, and there is one who acquires his share in the World-to-Come in one moment. And Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi further says: Not only are penitents accepted, but they are even called: Rabbi, as the Divine Voice referred to Elazar ben Durdayya as Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya.