Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea

Suffering!?! Is it necessary?

(1/2) > >>

muman613:
I have been reading some sections of the Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin, Folio 101a.... It contains some very interesting stories of our Talmud rabbis opinions on the fact that Jews, even righteous Jews, will be seen suffering. Some will interpret this suffering to be a punishment while others will realize that the suffering of the righteous is a rectification of the sins of the children of Israel. That the righteous will receive punishment in this world so that they require no rectification of their soul in the next world.

I have heard these concepts before but I was not aware of this particular story about Rabbi Eliezer.

http://halakhah.com/sanhedrin/sanhedrin_101.html

Rabbah b. Bar Hana said: When R. Eliezer fell sick, his disciples entered [his house] to visit him. He said to them, 'There is a fierce wrath in the world.'22  They broke into tears, but R. Akiba laughed. 'Why dost thou laugh?' they enquired of him 'Why do ye weep?' he retorted. They answered, 'Shall the Scroll of the Torah23  lie in pain, and we not weep?' — He replied, 'For that very reason I rejoice. As long as I saw that my master's wine did not turn sour, nor was his flax smitten, nor his oil putrefied, nor his honey become rancid,24  I thought, God forbid, that he may have received all his reward in this world [leaving nothing for the next]; but now that I see him lying in pain, I rejoice [knowing that his reward has been treasured up for him in the next].' He [R. Eliezer] said to him, 'Akiba, have I neglected anything of the whole Torah?'25  — He replied, 'Thou, O Master, hast taught us, For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.'26

Our Rabbis taught: When R. Eliezer fell sick, four elders went to visit him, viz., R. Tarfon, R. Joshua, R. Eleazar b. Azariah, and R. Akiba. R. Tarfon observed, 'Thou art more valuable to Israel than rain; for rain is [precious] in this world, whereas thou art [so] for this world and the next.'27  R. Joshua observed, 'Thou art more valuable to Israel than the sun's disc: the sun's disc is but for this world, whilst my master is for this world and the next.' R. Eleazar b. Azariah observed, 'Thou art better to Israel than a father and a mother: these are for this world, whereas my master is for this world and the next. But R. Akiba observed, 'Suffering is precious.' Thereupon he [the sick man] said to them, 'Support me, that I may hear the words of Akiba, my disciple, who said, "Suffering is precious."28  Akiba,' queried he, 'whence dost thou know this?' — He replied, 'I interpret a verse: Mannasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem etc. and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.29  Now it is [elsewhere] written,

These are also the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.1  Now, would Hezekiah king of Judah have taught the Torah to the whole world, yet not to his own son Manasseh? But all the pains he spent upon him, and all the labours he lavished upon him did not bring him back to the right path, save suffering alone, as it is written, And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people: but they would not hearken unto him. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.2  And it is further written, And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And prayed unto him, and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem unto his kingdom, and Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.3  Thus thou learnest how precious is suffering.'



22 He referred to himself-God must be very angry with him so to have afflicted him. So Rashi. Graetz Geschichte IV. p. 47 conjectures that his death took place shortly before Trajan's attack upon the Jews of many countries (c. 116-117 C.E.), to which he was alluding in this remark, as the storm was already brewing.
23 I.e., R. Eliezer.
24 He was prosperous in everything.
25 That thou sayest that I now suffer for my sins, so that I may have nothing but reward in the world to come.
26 Ecc. VII, 20.
27 For as a result of his teaching Israel would enjoy a reward in the next world too.
28 Because they make atonement for the sufferer.
29 II Kings XXI, 1f.

Ephraim Ben Noach:
I find this very interesting. Do you have more on this?

muman613:

--- Quote from: Nazarene911 on January 11, 2012, 02:53:09 PM ---I find this very interesting. Do you have more on this?

--- End quote ---

An important lesson is learned from R. Akivas response to tragedy. This excerpt explains R. Akivas response to several calamities..


http://ohr.edu/special/9av/3weeks.txt

RENEWAL - CONSOLATION

"Akiva, why do you laugh?" the sages asked him when they heard the clamor of Roman legions.

"Why do you cry?" Rabbi Akiva replied.

"Idol worshipers dwell in peace and security, while the Holy Temple is burnt to the ground ... shall we not cry?"

"That's why I'm laughing," said Rabbi Akiva. "If this is how G-d rewards the Romans - who are so wicked and cruel - for the good deeds they sometimes do, how much more will be the reward of the righteous people in the World to Come."

"Akiva, how can you laugh?" they asked standing at the Temple ruins.

"Why do you cry?" he replied.

"The Holy of Holies about which it's written, 'Any unauthorized person who enters shall die,' and now foxes play there? Shall we not cry?"

"That's why I'm laughing," said Rabbi Akiva. "Seeing the fulfillment of the prophecy - "Zion will be plowed like a field" - I more deeply internalize the knowledge that all the prophecies will be fulfilled, including those that foretell the rebuilding of Jerusalem!"

At their teacher's deathbed, Rabbi Akiva explains : "Our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer, enjoyed an ideal life ... his wine never soured, his oil never went bad. He was completely successful in everything. had a suspicion that he was somehow receiving his reward in this life, and that he had no part in the World to Come. Now that I see his suffering, I realize he's being purged of whatever minute sin he may have committed, and that his reward in the next world remains intact."

And faced with death by torture for the 'crime' of teaching Torah, Rabbi Akiva laughed. "All my life I've been waiting to fulfill the concept 'You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul...' and now I finally have the chance."

* * * * * * * * *

May we all merit to become 'straight of heart,' to approach Rabbi Akiva's depth of truth. And then, may we say, as the sages did, "Akiva, you have comforted us. Akiva, you have comforted us."

Sources:
o  Tractate Makkot 24a
o  Tractate Sanhedrin 101a
o  Tractate Menachot 61b
o  Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 9:5

Ephraim Ben Noach:
Thank you! I like that. That answers multiple questions I've had in life. ;D

Ephraim Ben Noach:
Why do Noachides get off easy? Shouldn't they suffer as well. After all these years, how would they know if their ancestors are from Israel or not.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page