- 1. הרחק מעליה דרכך (distancing from מינות, רשות, and זונה)
Rebbe Eliezer was seized by heretics, and later explained that he was punished for hearing and enjoying a heretic’s explanation of a passuk, thereby transgressing: הרחק מעליה דרכך – distance your way from her, זו מינות – this refers to heresy, ואל תקרב אל פתח ביתה – and do not come near the door of her house, זו הרשות – this refers to the authorities. In another version, מינות and רשות are both referenced in the first clause, and the second clause teaches to stay far from a זונה. Rav Chisda said this distance must be four amos. This disagrees with רבי פדת, who said: לא אסרה תורה אלא קריבה של גלוי עריות בלבד – the Torah only forbade the closeness of עריות themselves, and did not require a distance of four amos. When Ulla would return from Yeshiva, he would kiss his sisters on their arms (some say on their chests). This apparently contradicts Ulla’s own teaching: קריבה בעלמא אסור – any closeness between a man and woman is forbidden, משום לך לך אמרין נזירא – because of the saying, “Go, go!” we tell a nazir. סחור סחור לכרמא לא תקרב – “Go around, go around! Do not come near a vineyard!”
- 2. אין הדבר תלוי אלא בי (the story of ר' אלעזר בן דורדיא)
The Gemara relates the story of Rebbe Elazar ben Durdia, who initially had relations with every זונה, and traveled far with a purse of coins for a זונה he heard about. She blew with her mouth and commented that just as that breath can never return, so they will never accept Elazar ben Durdia in teshuvah. He went to sit between mountains and hills and said: הרים וגבעות בקשו עלי רחמים – “Mountains and hills, beg for mercy for me!” They replied that they first needed to seek mercy for themselves. A similar exchange took place with the sun and moon, and the stars and constellations. Finally, he declared: אין הדבר תלוי אלא בי – “The matter depends on me alone!” He placed his head between his knees and sobbed until his soul left him. A בת קול announced, “Rebbe Elazar ben Durdia is prepared for עולם הבא!”
Rebbe cried and said: יש קונה עולמו בכמה שנים – “There is one who acquires his “world” over many years, ויש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת – and there is another who acquires his “world” in a single moment!” He added, “It is not enough that they accept בעלי תשובה, אלא שקורין אותן רבי – but they even call him ‘Rebbe’!”
- 3. כל העוסק בתורה בלבד דומה כמי שאין לו אלוק
Rebbe Elazar ben Parta and Rebbe Chanina ben Teradyon were both arrested by the Roman government. Rebbe Elazar said to Rebbe Chanina: אשריך שנתפסת על דבר אחד – “You a fortunate, for you have been seized for only one thing (teaching Torah publicly). Woe is me, for I have been seized for five things!” Rebbe Chanina replied that Rebbe Elazar was fortunate, for he would be saved despite being seized for five things, but he would be executed despite being seized for only one thing. He explained that Rebbe Elazar engaged in both Torah and גמילות חסדים, whereas he engaged in learning Torah only. As Rav Huna said: כל העוסק בתורה בלבד – Whoever is only involved in learning Torah, דומה כמי שאין לו אלוה – is similar to one who has no G-d. Although Rebbe Chanina was the model manager of tzedakah funds, and performed great acts of tzedakah, the Gemara explains: כדבעי ליה לא עבד – he dd not perform them as much as he should have. The Gemara describes how Rebbe Elazar ben Parta evaded all five accusations, some miraculously. When the Romans asked Rebbe Chanina why he was involved in Torah, he answered: כאשר צוני ה' אלקי – as Hashem my G-d commanded me, and he was condemned to execution by burning.