## Chagigah Daf 15a

###### Chagigah 15a:1
[Chagigah 15a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:1)

יָכוֹל אֲנִי לִבְעוֹל כַּמָּה בְּעִילוֹת בְּלֹא דָּם. אוֹ דִלְמָא דִּשְׁמוּאֵל לָא שְׁכִיחָא? אֲמַר לְהוּ: דִּשְׁמוּאֵל לָא שְׁכִיחַ, וְחָיְישִׁינַן שֶׁמָּא בְּאַמְבָּטִי עִיבְּרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**I can engage in intercourse several times without blood.** In other words, I can have relations with a woman while leaving her hymen intact. If this is so, it is possible that the assumed virgin had intercourse in this manner and is forbidden to the High Priest. **Or, perhaps** a person who can act like **Shmuel is not common** and the *halakha* is not concerned with this case. **He said to them:** One like **Shmuel is not common, and we are concerned that she may have conceived in a bath.** Perhaps she washed in a bath that contained a man’s semen, from which she became impregnated while remaining a virgin.


###### Chagigah 15a:2
[Chagigah 15a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:2)

וְהָאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כׇּל שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹרֶה כְּחֵץ — אֵינָהּ מַזְרַעַת! מֵעִיקָּרָא נָמֵי יוֹרֶה כְּחֵץ הֲוָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: How could she possibly become pregnant in such a manner? **Didn’t Shmuel say: Any semen that is not shot like an arrow cannot fertilize?** The Gemara answers: This does not mean that it must be shot like an arrow at the moment of fertilization. Even if **initially,** when released from the male, **it was shot as an arrow,** it can **also** fertilize a woman at a later moment.


###### Chagigah 15a:3
[Chagigah 15a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:3)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד עַל גַּב מַעֲלָה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת, וְרָאָהוּ בֶּן זוֹמָא וְלֹא עָמַד מִלְּפָנָיו. אָמַר לוֹ: מֵאַיִן וּלְאַיִן בֶּן זוֹמָא? אָמַר לוֹ: צוֹפֶה הָיִיתִי בֵּין מַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לְמַיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאֵין בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה אֶלָּא שָׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״ — כְּיוֹנָה שֶׁמְּרַחֶפֶת עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְאֵינָהּ נוֹגַעַת. אָמַר לָהֶן רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְתַלְמִידָיו: עֲדַיִין בֶּן זוֹמָא מִבַּחוּץ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to the fate of ben Zoma, **the Sages taught: There was once an incident with regard to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, who was standing on a step on the Temple Mount, and ben Zoma saw him and did not stand before him** to honor him, as he was deep in thought. Rabbi Yehoshua **said to him: From where** do you come **and where are you going, ben Zoma,** i.e., what is on your mind? **He said to him:** In my thoughts **I was looking upon** the act of Creation, at the gap **between the upper waters and the lower waters, as there is only** the breadth of **a mere three fingers between them, as it is stated: “And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters”** (Genesis 1:2), **like a dove hovering over its young without touching** them. **Rabbi Yehoshua said to his students** who had overheard this exchange: **Ben Zoma is still outside;** he has not yet achieved full understanding of these matters.


###### Chagigah 15a:4
[Chagigah 15a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:4)

מִכְּדֵי ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״ אֵימַת הָוֵי — בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הַבְדָּלָה — בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי הוּא דַּהֲוַאי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם״. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: כִּמְלֹא נִימָא. וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: כִּי גוּדָּא דְגַמְלָא. מָר זוּטְרָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב אַסִּי אָמַר: כִּתְרֵי גְלִימֵי דִּפְרִיסִי אַהֲדָדֵי. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: כִּתְרֵי כָסֵי דִּסְחִיפִי אַהֲדָדֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **Now,** this verse: **“And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters,” when was** it stated? **On the first day,** whereas **the division** of the waters **occurred on the second day, as it is written: “And let it divide the waters from the waters”** (Genesis 1:6). How, then, could ben Zoma derive a proof from the former verse? The Gemara asks: **And how much,** in fact, is the gap between them? **Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: Like the thickness of a thread; and the Rabbis said: Like** the gap between **the boards of a bridge. Mar Zutra, and some say** it was **Rav Asi, said: Like two robes spread one over the other,** with a slight gap in between. **And some said: Like two cups placed one upon the other.**


###### Chagigah 15a:5
[Chagigah 15a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:5)

אַחֵר קִיצֵּץ בִּנְטִיעוֹת, עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ״. מַאי הִיא? חֲזָא מֶיטַטְרוֹן דְּאִתְיְהִבָא לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵיתַב לְמִיכְתַּב זַכְווֹתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲמַר: גְּמִירִי דִּלְמַעְלָה לָא הָוֵי לֹא יְשִׁיבָה וְלֹא תַּחֲרוּת, וְלֹא עוֹרֶף וְלֹא עִיפּוּי. שֶׁמָּא, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שְׁתֵּי רְשׁוּיוֹת הֵן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara stated earlier that ***Aḥer* chopped down the saplings,** becoming a heretic. **With regard to him, the verse states: “Do not let your mouth bring your flesh into guilt”** (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Gemara poses a question: **What was** it that led him to heresy? **He saw** the angel **Mitatron, who was granted permission to sit and write the merits** of **Israel. He said:** There is **a tradition** that in the world **above there is no sitting; no competition; no** turning one’s **back before Him,** i.e., all face the Divine Presence; **and no lethargy.** Seeing that someone other than God was seated above, **he said: Perhaps,** the Gemara here interjects, **Heaven forbid, there are two authorities,** and there is another source of power in control of the world in addition to God. Such thoughts led *Aḥer* to heresy.


###### Chagigah 15a:6
[Chagigah 15a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:6)

אַפְּקוּהּ לְמֶיטַטְרוֹן ומַחְיוּהּ שִׁיתִּין פּוּלְסֵי דְנוּרָא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזִיתֵיהּ לָא קַמְתְּ מִקַּמֵּיהּ? אִיתְיְהִיבָא לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמִימְחַק זַכְווֹתָא דְאַחֵר. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״ — חוּץ מֵאַחֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: **They removed Mitatron** from his place in heaven **and smote him** with **sixty rods [*pulsei*] of fire,** so that others would not make the mistake that *Aḥer* made. **They said** to the angel: **What is the reason** that **when you saw** Elisha ben Avuya **you did not stand before him?** Despite this conduct, since Mitatron was personally involved, he **was granted permission to erase the merits of *Aḥer*** and cause him to stumble in any manner. **A Divine Voice went forth saying: “Return, rebellious children”** (Jeremiah 3:22), **apart from *Aḥer*.**


###### Chagigah 15a:7
[Chagigah 15a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:7)

אֲמַר: הוֹאִיל וְאִיטְּרִיד הָהוּא גַּבְרָא מֵהָהוּא עָלְמָא, לִיפּוֹק לִיתְהֲנֵי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. נְפַק אַחֵר לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה. נְפַק, אַשְׁכַּח זוֹנָה תַּבְעַהּ, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: וְלָאו אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן אֲבוּיָה אַתְּ? עֲקַר פּוּגְלָא מִמֵּישְׁרָא בְּשַׁבָּת וִיהַב לַהּ, אָמְרָה: אַחֵר הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Upon hearing this, Elisha ben Avuya **said: Since that man,** meaning himself, **has been banished from that world, let him go out and enjoy this world. *Aḥer* went astray. He went** and **found a prostitute** and **solicited her** for intercourse. **She said to him: And** are **you not Elisha ben Avuya?** Shall a person of your stature perform such an act? **He uprooted a radish from a patch** of radishes **on Shabbat and gave it to her,** to demonstrate that he no longer observed the Torah. The prostitute **said: He is other** than he was. He is not the same Elisha ben Avuya, he is *Aḥer*, other.


###### Chagigah 15a:8
[Chagigah 15a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:8)

שָׁאַל אַחֵר אֶת רַבִּי מֵאִיר לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״גַּם אֶת זֶה לְעוּמַּת זֶה עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים״? אָמַר לוֹ: כׇּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּרָא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. בָּרָא הָרִים — בָּרָא גְּבָעוֹת, בָּרָא יַמִּים — בָּרָא נְהָרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: ***Aḥer* asked Rabbi Meir** a question, **after he had gone astray. He said to him: What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “God has made even the one as well as the other”** (Ecclesiastes 7:14)? Rabbi Meir **said to him: Everything that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created, He created** a similar creation **corresponding to it. He created mountains, He created hills; He created seas, He created rivers.**


###### Chagigah 15a:9
[Chagigah 15a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:9)

אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רַבְּךָ לֹא אָמַר כָּךְ, אֶלָּא: בָּרָא צַדִּיקִים בָּרָא רְשָׁעִים, בָּרָא גַּן עֵדֶן בָּרָא גֵּיהִנָּם. כׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, אֶחָד בְּגַן עֵדֶן וְאֶחָד בְּגֵיהִנָּם. זָכָה צַדִּיק — נָטַל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן, נִתְחַיֵּיב רָשָׁע — נָטַל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ בְּגֵיהִנָּם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
*Aḥer* **said to him: Rabbi Akiva, your teacher, did not say so, but** explained the verse as follows: Everything has its opposite: **He created the righteous, He created the wicked; He created the Garden of Eden, He created Gehenna. Each and every** person **has two portions, one in the Garden of Eden and one in Gehenna.** If he **merits** it, by becoming **righteous, he takes his portion and the portion of his** wicked **colleague in the Garden of Eden;** if he is found **culpable** by becoming **wicked, he takes his portion and the portion of his colleague in Gehenna.**


###### Chagigah 15a:10
[Chagigah 15a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:10)

אָמַר רַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא: מַאי קְרָאָה — גַּבֵּי צַדִּיקִים כְּתִיב: ״לָכֵן בְּאַרְצָם מִשְׁנֶה יִירָשׁוּ״, גַּבֵּי רְשָׁעִים כְּתִיב: ״וּמִשְׁנֶה שִׁבָּרוֹן שׇׁבְרֵם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Mesharshiyya said: What is the verse** from which it is derived? **With regard to the righteous, it is stated: “Therefore in their land they shall possess double”** (Isaiah 61:7); whereas **with regard to the wicked, it is stated: “And destroy them with double destruction”** (Jeremiah 17:18); therefore, each receives a double portion.


###### Chagigah 15a:11
[Chagigah 15a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:11)

שָׁאַל אַחֵר אֶת רַבִּי מֵאִיר לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״לֹא יַעַרְכֶנָּה זָהָב וּזְכוֹכִית וּתְמוּרָתָהּ כְּלִי פָז״? אָמַר לוֹ: אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁקָּשִׁין לִקְנוֹתָן כִּכְלֵי זָהָב וּכְלֵי פָז, וְנוֹחִין לְאַבְּדָן כִּכְלֵי זְכוּכִית. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רַבָּךְ לֹא אָמַר כָּךְ, אֶלָּא: מָה כְּלֵי זָהָב וּכְלֵי זְכוּכִית, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ — יֵשׁ לָהֶם תַּקָּנָה, אַף תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁסָּרַח — יֵשׁ לוֹ תַּקָּנָה. אָמַר לוֹ: אַף אַתָּה חֲזוֹר בָּךְ! אָמַר לוֹ: כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״ — חוּץ מֵאַחֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
***Aḥer* asked Rabbi Meir** another question, again **after he had gone astray. What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “Gold and glass cannot equal it; neither shall its exchange be vessels of fine gold”** (Job 28:17)? If it is referring to the praise and honor of the Torah, it should have compared it only to gold, not to glass. **He said to him:** This is referring to **words of Torah, which are as difficult to acquire as gilded vessels and vessels of fine gold but are as easy to lose as glass vessels.** *Aḥer* **said to him: Rabbi Akiva, your teacher, did not say so, but** taught as follows: **Just as golden vessels and glass vessels have a remedy even when they have broken,** as they can be melted down and made into new vessels, **so too a Torah scholar, although he has transgressed, has a remedy.** Rabbi Meir **said to him:** If so, **you too, return** from your ways. **He said to him: I have already heard** the following declaration **behind the** dividing **curtain,** which conceals God from the world: **“Return, rebellious children,”** (Jeremiah 3:22) **apart from *Aḥer*.**


###### Chagigah 15a:12
[Chagigah 15a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:12)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֵר שֶׁהָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַסּוּס בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְהַלֵּךְ אַחֲרָיו לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה מִפִּיו, אָמַר לוֹ: מֵאִיר, חֲזוֹר לְאַחֲרֶיךָ, שֶׁכְּבָר שִׁיעַרְתִּי בְּעִקְבֵי סוּסִי עַד כָּאן תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת. אָמַר לוֹ: אַף אַתָּה חֲזוֹר בָּךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: וְלֹא כְּבָר אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״ — חוּץ מֵאַחֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara cites a related story: **The Sages taught: There was once an incident involving *Aḥer*, who was riding on a horse on Shabbat, and Rabbi Meir was walking behind him to learn Torah from him.** After a while, *Aḥer* **said to him: Meir, turn back, for I have already estimated** and measured **according to the steps of my horse** that **the Shabbat boundary ends here,** and you may therefore venture no further. Rabbi Meir **said to him: You, too, return** to the correct path. **He said to him: But have I not already told you** that **I have already heard behind the** dividing **curtain: “Return, rebellious children,” apart from *Aḥer*?**


###### Chagigah 15a:13
[Chagigah 15a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/15a:13)

תַּקְפֵיהּ עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: ״אֵין שָׁלוֹם אָמַר ה׳ לָרְשָׁעִים״. עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: ״כִּי אִם תְּכַבְּסִי בַּנֶּתֶר וְתַרְבִּי לָךְ בּוֹרִית נִכְתָּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי״. עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Nevertheless, Rabbi Meir **took hold of him** and **brought him to the study hall.** *Aḥer* **said to a child,** by way of divination: **Recite your verse** that you studied today **to me. He recited** the following verse **to him: “There is no peace, said the Lord, concerning the wicked”** (Isaiah 48:22). **He brought him to another study hall.** *Aḥer* **said to a child: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “For though you wash with niter, and take for you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me”** (Jeremiah 2:22). **He brought him to another study hall.** *Aḥer* **said to**