This particular story explores whether atoning for the sin of illicit sexual relations also requires the sinner's death!? The second Talmud tale portrays a thief who considers renouncing his profession. At the heart of both stories is the question, "Do we need to make sacrifices in order to experience atonement?"
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.
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.
Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya (REbD) sacrifices a great deal of money as well as risks traveling across seven rivers to sleep with a legendary prostitute. What are people willing to sacrifice to indulge in sin? Do they have to make an equally significant sacrfice to atone for that sin? How can we objectively judge how great the sacrifice is?
REbD is a rabbi, a person dedicated to Torah study, and presumably honored for his learning. Is an esteemed person more culpable for his sin than the average person? Is a greater sacrifice required of him in order to make ammends?
In the middle of having sex, the legendary courtesan breaks wind. After disrupting the mood of their rendezvous by farting she prophesies that just as a fart can't return to the body so too REbD can't return to his place meaning his repentance won't be accepted. What does it mean to not have our repentance accepted?
REbD is a rabbi, a person dedicated to Torah study, and presumably honored for his learning. Is an esteemed person more culpable for his sin than the average person? Is a greater sacrifice required of him in order to make ammends?
In the middle of having sex, the legendary courtesan breaks wind. After disrupting the mood of their rendezvous by farting she prophesies that just as a fart can't return to the body so too REbD can't return to his place meaning his repentance won't be accepted. What does it mean to not have our repentance accepted?
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״.
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).
REbD appeals to the hills, heavens, sun, moon and stars to pray for mercy on his behalf. Why does he turn to them for help? Why doesn't he ask sages or healers or angels to seek mercy for him instead? Why does REbD hope the natural world will help him?
REbD wants someone else to ask for mercy on his behalf. Is asking for help a form of sacrifice or shirking responsibility?
The natural elements respond to REbD's request that they need to ask for mercy for themselves before they can ask for him. What does it mean that the natural elements recognize their need to ask for mercy personally while REbD doesn't? How does REbD's lack of ownership for his sins make it likely the prostitute's prediction will come true, that his repentance will not be accepted?
REbD wants someone else to ask for mercy on his behalf. Is asking for help a form of sacrifice or shirking responsibility?
The natural elements respond to REbD's request that they need to ask for mercy for themselves before they can ask for him. What does it mean that the natural elements recognize their need to ask for mercy personally while REbD doesn't? How does REbD's lack of ownership for his sins make it likely the prostitute's prediction will come true, that his repentance will not be accepted?
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.
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...
Eventually, REbD demonstrates his culpability in three ways. He admits the need to personally ask for mercy, assumes a physical position of supplication and weeps. Is each act of culpability for his sins necessary? What does each step contribute to REbD's act of tshuva?
What is the connection between atonement and sacrifice? Is sacrifice necessary for atonement? If yes, how much sacrifice is neededf
What is the connection between atonement and sacrifice? Is sacrifice necessary for atonement? If yes, how much sacrifice is neededf
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בִּימֵי רַבִּי נִשְׁנֵית מִשְׁנָה זוֹ. דְּתַנְיָא: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, אָמְרָה לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ: רֵיקָה! אִם אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה, אֲפִילּוּ אַבְנֵט אֵינוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ! וְנִמְנַע וְלֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמְרוּ: הַגַּזְלָנִין וּמַלְוֵי רִבִּיּוֹת שֶׁהֶחְזִירוּ – אֵין מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶם, וְהַמְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם – אֵין רוּחַ חֲכָמִים נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This mishna, i.e., the statement of the Tosefta, was taught in the days of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, as it is taught in a baraita: There was an incident with regard to one man who desired to repent after having been a thief for many years. His wife said to him: Empty one [reika], if you repent you will have to return all the stolen items to their rightful owners, and even the belt that you are wearing is not yours, and he refrained and did not repent. At that time, the Sages said: With regard to robbers or usurers that returned either the stolen item or the interest to the one from whom they took it, one should not accept it from them. And concerning one who does accept it from them, the Sages are displeased with him.
Over the course of a lifetime thieves habituate themselves to taking what doesn't belong to them. How easy will it be to change for this thief to change his ways? There are lots of sins. How might theft be a metaphor for all sins? What does sin take away from ourselves and others?
The wife admonishes her husband, "Even the belt you are wearing isn't yours!" If an insignificant item like a belt isn't his, which of his other possessions do you imagine he stole? There are other insignificant items she could use to illustrate her point. Why choose a belt in particular? What purpose does a belt serve both in life and as a metaphor?
After his wife admonishes him, the thief chooses not to repent. Perhaps, he determines the sacrifice of returning many of his material possessions is too great. How do we determine if the sacrifice of doing tshuva is too great for us? If the sacrifice of doing tshuva feels too great, should we attempt to do it anyway?
What surprises you about the sage's response that thieves shouldn't return stolen goods and usuers shouldn't return interest? What problem or stumbling block do you imagine the sages are trying to avoid with this decree?
What surprises you about the sage's response that thieves shouldn't return stolen goods and usuers shouldn't return interest? What problem or stumbling block do you imagine the sages are trying to avoid with this decree?