The sages were debating whether a certain oven, built in sections and joined with sand, could become ritually unclean. Rabbi Eliezer ruled it pure. The majority ruled it impure. He answered every argument they raised, but they would not move.
Finally, Rabbi Eliezer turned to them and said, "If the law is as I say, let this carob tree prove it." The tree uprooted itself and flew a hundred cubits through the air, some say four hundred. The sages shrugged. "We do not accept evidence from a carob tree."
"Let this stream prove it," he cried. The water in the channel reversed and ran uphill. "We do not accept evidence from a stream," they said.
"Let the walls of the study house prove it." The walls of the beit midrash began to topple inward. Rabbi Joshua stood up and rebuked them. "If scholars are disputing a point of law, what business is it of yours? Be still." Out of honor to Rabbi Joshua, the walls did not fall. Out of honor to Rabbi Eliezer, they did not straighten. They remain tilted to this day.
Rabbi Eliezer played his last card. "Let Heaven itself prove it." A bat kol, a voice from above, rang out: "Why do you argue with Rabbi Eliezer, when the law follows him in every case?"
Rabbi Joshua rose to his feet, quoted Deuteronomy, and called back to the sky, "It is not in heaven" (Deuteronomy 30:12). The Torah was given at Sinai, and Sinai itself wrote the rule we now follow: "After the majority you shall incline" (Exodus 23:2). A heavenly voice no longer overrules a human court.
Later, the prophet Elijah appeared to Rabbi Nathan. Nathan asked, "What was the Holy One doing at that moment?" Elijah answered, "He was laughing and saying, 'My children have defeated Me. My children have defeated Me'" (Bava Metzia 59b).
God delighted in losing the argument, because it was exactly the kind of argument He had raised His children to win.
There was once a dispute between Rabbi Eliezer and the Mishnic sages as to whether a baking-oven, constructed from certain materials and of a particular shape, was clean or unclean. The former decided that it was clean, but the latter were of a contrary opinion. Having replied to all the objections the sages had brought against his decision, and finding that they still refused to acquiesce, the Rabbi turned to them and said, " If the Halacha (the law) is according to my decision, let this carob-tree attest. Whereupon the carob-tree rooted itself up and transplanted itself to a distance of one hundred, some say four hundred, yards from the spot. But the sages demurred and said, "We cannot admit the evidence of a carob-tree. " Well, then," said Rabbi Eliezer, "let this running brook be a proof; and the brook at once reversed its natural course and flowed back. The sages refused to admit this proof also. " Then let the walls of the college bear witness that the law is according to my decision; 8 upon which the walls began to bend, and were about to fall, when Rabbi Joshuah interposed and rebuked them, saying, " If the disciples of the sages wrangle with each other in the Halacha, what is that to you ? Be ye quiet !" Therefore, out of respect to Rabbi Joshuah, they did not fall, and out of respect to Rabbi Eliezer they did not resume their former upright position, but remained toppling, which they continue to do to this day. Then said Rabbi Eliezer to the sages, " Let Heaven itself testify that the Halacha is according to my judgment." And a Bath Kol or voice from "heaven was heard, saying, " What have ye to do with Rabbi Eliezer ? for the Halacha is on every point according to his decision ! B Rabbi Joshuah then stood up and proved from Scripture that even a voice from heaven was not to be regarded, " For Thou, O God, didst long ago write down in the law which Thou gavest on Sinai (Exod. xxiii. 2), (Thou shalt follow the multitude. ' (See context.) We have it on the testimony of Elijah the prophet, given to Rabbi Nathan, on an oath, that it was with reference to this dispute about the oven God himself confessed and said, " My children have vanquished me ! My children have vanquished me! •
