R. Meir saw Elisha b. Abuya riding on horseback on the Sabbath. At the birth of Elisha the scholars had been present in his father’s house and had been discussing the Law. Fire from heaven had surrounded the house, which had so impressed the father that he had devoted his

son to the study of the Law. However, because he had done so not that his son should be a scholar, but merely for the sake of honour, Elisha afterwards turned away. R. Meir discussed various points with Elisha who showed great erudition and R. Meir tried to induce him to return to the study of the Law. Elisha refused, saying that he once heard a voice saying at the back of the western wall of the Temple, that all should be saved who repented, except Elisha b. Abuya, “who knew my power and rebelled against it.” In the time of persecution he assisted the persecutors to force the Jews to break the Law. The reason why he became rebellious was that once when he was sitting in the vale of Genesareth, he saw a man on the Sabbath going up a tree and taking away the nest with the bird and its young. He came down unharmed. Another man, going up the tree, sent the bird away and kept only the little ones according to the Law. Coming down, he was bitten by a snake and died. Where was the divine promise that by obeying this law a man's life would be prolonged? Another tradition is that he saw the tongue of R. Nahum the Martyr eaten by dogs and he said, “Is this the reward of study?” for he did not believe in the reward after death or in the resurrection of the dead. R. Meir still persisted in his attempt and when he heard that Elisha was dangerously ill, he went to visit him, for Elisha had been R. Meir's teacher. He again asked him to repent. And Elisha said, “Will He receive me now?” R. Meir replied in the affirmative. Elisha wept and died. R. Meir rejoiced in the thought that he had died with the wish of repentance. After a few days R. Meir was told that fire was issuing out of the grave of his master, and he went there and covered it with his mantle and said, “Slumber this night for perchance the Lord will save thee, and if not I will save thee; sleep until morning.” Elisha's daughter once appeared before R. Jehuda ha-Nassi the Prince, who at first refused to assist her, but when she appealed in the name of the scholarship of her father he at once acceded to her request.