Chagigah 14b (יד:) — the Talmud in English

This

that the trustworthy people have not ceased

in matters of Torah.

This

that they did not find a trustworthy person

in business dealings.

In matters of Torah, be

trustworthy people, whereas

in business dealings, do not be

seekers of trustworthiness.

The Sages taught:

There was an incident involving Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, who was riding on a donkey and leaving Jerusalem.

As he was traveling along the road, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh

his student

was driving the donkey behind him in order to learn Torah from his mouth.

Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh

said to Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai:

My teacher, teach me one chapter of the Account of the Chariot.

Rabban Yohanan

said to him:

My son!

And

did I not teach you thus: One does not

expound

on

the matter of

the Chariot to an individual, [

as we explained above: to an individual],

unless he is a sage who understands the matter on his own?!

Rabbi Elazar

said to him:

My teacher, permit me to say one thing before you

from the Account of the Chariot

that you taught me.

Rabban Yohanan

said to him:

Speak!

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai immediately descended from the donkey, wrapped himself, and sat on a stone beneath the olive tree.

Rabbi Elazar

said to him:

My teacher, why did you descend from the donkey?

Rabban Yohanan

said to him:

Is it possible

that

you are expounding the Account of the Chariot, and the Divine Presence is with us, and the ministering angels are accompanying us, while I—

should ride on the donkey?!

Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh immediately began expounding the Account of the Chariot, and as he expounded, fire descended from heaven and encircled [some versions read: “and scorched”]

the

all the trees in the field,

and

all the trees opened their mouths and sang praise.

What song did they sing?

“Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all depths, fruit trees and all cedars.

And so they concluded the entire chapter, until

Hallelujah.”

And some say: This was the song

that

the trees

sang:

“Then the trees of the forest shall sing for joy.”

And even an angel responded from within the fire and said: Indeed, this is truly the Account of the Chariot.

This is indeed the Account of the Chariot!

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai stood and kissed him on the head

of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, and

Rabban Yohanan

said:

Blessed is the Lord, God of Israel, who has given Abraham our forefather a son who knows how to understand, investigate, and expound the Account of the Chariot like Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh.

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai continued and said:

There is one who is pleasing in expounding but not pleasing in practice,

and there is

one who is pleasing in practice but not pleasing in expounding. But you, Elazar ben Arakh, are pleasing in expounding and pleasing in practice. Fortunate are you, Abraham our forefather, that Elazar ben Arakh emerged from your loins!

When these matters were related [

the incident was recounted]

before Rabbi Yehoshua, he and Rabbi Yosei the koen were traveling along the road.

They said: We too shall expound the Account of the Chariot.

Rabbi Yehoshua began expounding the Account of the Chariot, and on that day

during

the summer solstice

—when it is not usual for the heavens to become covered with clouds—

the heavens became covered with clouds, and something resembling a rainbow appeared.

And the ministering angels gathered and came to hear the Account of the Chariot, like human beings who gather and come to watch the entertainments of a bridegroom and bride [

various forms of amusement performed before them].

Rabbi Yosei the koen went and related the matters before Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai.

And

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai

said: Fortunate are you, and fortunate is the one who gave birth to you.

Fortunate are the

eyes

that saw this [

the reading of the Rashash]

in this manner.

And in my dream, you and I were also reclining on Mount Sinai, and a Divine Voice issued forth concerning us from heaven

and

the one who heard the Divine Voice

said:

Come up here! Come up here! Large reception halls are prepared for you, and beautiful couches are spread for you.

You, your students, and your students’ students are invited to

sit in the

third

of

row

of the groups seated before the Divine Presence.

The Gemara raises an objection to the statement that Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh expounded the Account of the Chariot:

Is that so?

But was it not taught in a beraita: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: There were three expositions

of the Account of the Chariot

in all:

a.

Rabbi Yehoshua expounded matters before Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai.

b.

Rabbi Akiva expounded

matters

before Rabbi Yehoshua.

c.

Hanania ben Hakhinai expounded matters before Rabbi Akiva.

And the Gemara infers:

But Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh—

he is not counted [

he is not mentioned] among those who expounded the Account of the Chariot. How, then, can you say that Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh expounded the Account of the Chariot?!

And we answer: In reality, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh also expounded matters concerning the Account of the Chariot. The reason the tanna does not mention him is that he counts only those

who expounded, and before whom others expounded—

he counts

the tanna.

For the tanna lists in the beraita only those who expounded before others and before whom others also expounded. But Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh

only

and before him they did not lecture [

expounded [

gave an exposition] before others,

and before him no one expounded [

no one gave an exposition before him]—

he is not counted.

And we challenge this:

Is that so? But Hanania ben Hakhinai had no one expound before him [

no one gave an exposition before him],

and

nevertheless

he is counted

in the beraita?!

And we answer: Hanania ben Hakhinai was mentioned as well because

he did at least expound before one who had expounded—

since he gave an exposition before one who had given an exposition.

In other words, there was no need to mention Hanania ben Hakhinai either, since no one had expounded before him. Rather, his exposition before Rabbi Akiva was mentioned to teach you that Rabbi Akiva had expounded before him, and that he himself expounded before others.

The Sages taught: Four entered the Pardes,

they ascended to the firmament by means of the Divine Name [Rashi],

and these are they: Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Aḥer [

Elisha ben Avuya],

and Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Akiva said to them: When you arrive

in the firmament

at the stones of pure marble [

which shine like clear water],

take care that you do not say:

There are

two waters

here, so how shall we proceed?

For it is stated: “One who speaks lies shall not stand before My eyes!”

It only appears that there is water; in fact, there is no water.

The Gemara explains what happened to these four sages after they ascended:

Ben Azzai gazed

toward the Divine Presence

and died,

and

concerning him the verse says: “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones.”

It was grievous in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, that Ben Azzai died while still young; nevertheless, it was impossible for him not to die, since the Torah says: “For no man shall see Me and live.”

Ben Zoma gazed

toward the Divine Presence,

and was stricken!

He became insane because of the terrifying visions, which his mind was unable to endure [Rabbeinu Hai in Ein Yaakov].

And concerning

Ben Zoma

the verse says:

If

you have found honey—

eat only your fill,

for it is sufficient for you to eat only part of it.

Lest you become sated with it and vomit it up!

He corrupted and distorted when he entered the orchard and cut down the shoots; and since at the beginning of the matter they compared them to one entering an “orchard,” it used the expression “he cut down the shoots.”

Aḥer—

he mutilated the shoots!

He corrupted and perverted matters when he entered the Pardes and mutilated the shoots. Since at the beginning of the passage they were compared to one who enters an orchard, it uses the expression “he mutilated the shoots.”

Rabbi Akiva [

entered in peace and]

departed in peace, [Ein Yaakov],

for he was more complete than all of them: he gazed properly and perceived appropriately, and his mind was able to contain those mighty and terrifying visions. The Holy One, blessed be He, granted him life, and concerning everything he perceived, he formed a correct thought with sound understanding [Rabbeinu Hai in Ein Yaakov].

They asked Ben Zoma: What is the ruling with regard to castrating a dog [

is it permitted to castrate a dog]?

He said to them: It is written: “That which is crushed, or maimed, or torn, or cut, you shall not offer to the Lord,”

“and in your land you shall not do”

[

this act, to castrate any domesticated animal or wild animal, Rashi in his commentary on the Chumash], teaching you:

Tosafot explained in tractate Shabbat 110b in the name of the She’iltot: Since this is a bodily obligation and not a land-related obligation, why did the Torah say, “In your land you shall not do”? It applies everywhere, even outside Eretz Yisrael. Rather, this teaches: Anything that you may not do in your land, Everything that

you have

in your land,

even a dog,

you shall not do

this act to it, castrating it.

The following passage is explained according to Rashi’s second interpretation.

Further,

they asked Ben Zoma:

A High Priest, who is prohibited from marrying a woman who has previously had intercourse, married a woman presumed to be a virgin and even found blood of virginity when he had intercourse with her, and it subsequently became clear to him that she was

a pregnant virgin,

having conceived before he had intercourse with her—

what is the ruling

as to whether he may be permitted

for the High Priest

to remain married to her? Must he be concerned that, since she became pregnant, she certainly had intercourse despite the fact that her virginity was not impaired, or perhaps she became pregnant without having intercourse, as will be explained?

The Gemara explains the sides of the doubt:

Who—is he prohibited from remaining married to her because

we are concerned

about Shmuel’s ruling—