Destruction with Purpose

(19) And it came to pass, as soon as he neared the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses became enraged and he cast (hurled) the tables out of his hands, and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. (20) And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

(1) And the LORD said to Moses: ‘Hew two tables of stone like the first; "I (God) will inscribe the words that were on the first tablets asher shibarta (which you shattered).

It was taught elsewhere: If one cut [an oven] into sections (lit. vertebrae), and placed sand between every section - [What is the ruling?] Rabbi Eliezer rules it pure and the Sages rule it impure. This is the “Oven of Achnai.”...

He said, “If the law is like me, the carob tree will prove it”; the carob tree was uprooted from its place one hundred cubits, some say four hundred cubits. They said: “We do not bring proof from a carob tree.”

He came back and said, “If the law is like me, the water channel will prove it”; the water channel flowed in reverse direction. They said: “We do not bring proof from a water channel.”

He came back and said,“If the law is as I say, the walls of the House of Study will prove it”; the walls of the House of Study inclined to fall. Rabbi Joshua protested at them [i.e. the walls], saying to them, “If scholars defeat each other in the law, how does it benefit you?” They did not fall because of the honor of Rabbi Joshua but they did not straighten, because of the honor of Rabbi Eliezer, and still they incline and stand.

[Rabbi Eliezer] came back and said, “If the law is like me, from the Heavens they will prove it”; a heavenly voice came out and said, “What is with you towards Rabbi Eliezer, for the law is like him in every instance?” Rabbi Joshua stood on his feet and said, “[The Torah] is not in heaven,” (Deuteronomy 30:12).

What does "[The Torah] is not in heaven" mean? R. Jeremiah said: “Since the Torah was already given at Sinai, we do not pay attention to a heavenly voice, since You already wrote at Sinai in the Torah, 'After the majority to incline,' (Exodus 23:2).

Rabbi Nathan met the prophet Elijah and said to him, “What did the Holy Bountiful One do in that hour?” He said to him: “He smiled and said, “My children have defeated Me, My children have defeated Me.”

They said: On that day, they burned all the pure things Rabbi Eliezer had declared pure; they voted regarding him and excommunicated him. They asked,“Who will go and let him know?” Rabbi Akiva said,,“I will go, lest an improper person inform him and all the earth will be destroyed.” What did Rabbi Akiva do? He dressed in black and sat before him at a distance of four cubits. Rabbi Eliezer said: “Akiva, what is different today from all days?” He said, “My master, it seems to me that your friends distanced themselves from you.” Rabbi Eliezer too tore his clothes, removed his shoes and sat on the ground, his eyes flowed tears.

The earth was stricken, a third in olives, a third in wheat, a third in barley. Some say: even dough in a woman’s hand spoiled. It was taught: Great was that day that every place Rabbi Eliezer put his eyes was burned.

And even Rabban Gamliel was on a ship; a wave stood upon him to drown him. He said: It appears to me this is only because of Rabbi Eliezer son of Hyrkanos. He stood on his feet and said, “Master of the world, it is revealed and known before You that not for my honor I did, nor for the honor of my father’s house, but for Your honor that controversies not multiply in Israel.” The sea rested from its anger.

Ima Shalom, the wife of Rabbi Eliezer, was Rabban Gamliel’s sister; from then on, she did not allow Rabbi Eliezer to fall to the ground in prayer. One day, the New Moon became miscalculated for her between a twenty-nine or thirty day month. Some say: a poor man came and stood at the gate, she brought out bread to him. She found Rabbi Eliezer fallen in prayer and said, “Get up, you have killed my brother.” Meanwhile a ram’s horn blast went out from Rabban Gamliel’s house [to announce] that he died. [Rabbi Eliezer] asked, “How did you know?” She said,“So I have received a tradition from the house of my father’s father: “All gates are closed but the gates of oppression.”