Today we continue yesterday’s discussion about specific sins leading to specific punishments. In particular, we consider how particular sins lead to particular medical conditions. This line of thought troubles our sages. They have to explain why children, women and gentiles who are exempt from particular commandments contract these diseases if they are not being punished for a particular sin. I do not find their explanation convincing, but then I approach medical conditions from a much more 2st century view.

We then turn to the story of some of the most famous ascetics in the Jewish tradition. Judaism in general does not have much of a tradition of separating ourselves from society to live a more religiously pure and authentic lifestyle. There are no established orders of monks and nuns like Catholics and Buddhists. Indeed, the Rabbis of the Talmud for the most part are very involved in the every day world. Shammai was a carpenter. Hillel was a woodcutter. In general, the Rabbis want to elevate our normal, everyday world to a more spiritual level by making every action reflect a holy purpose. They are not trying to remove themselves from the world, they are trying to immerse themselves more into the world.

Today, we learn of two Rabbis who took a different course. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar spent 12 years isolated in a cave. They actually did not chose this fate, rather they were hiding from the Romans. Rabbi Shimon had been discussing the Rabbis with a group of other Rabbis. Rabbi Yehudah praises the Romans for bringing bridges, markets and baths to Israel. Rabbi Shimon proclaims that the markets bring prostitutes, the baths are so the Romans can beautify themselves and the bridges are for tolls (definite shades of Monty Python’s Life of Brian here). The Romans learn of this conversation. They elevate Rabbi Yehudah to a special status so that he gets to speak first in every assembly. The Romans pass a death sentence on Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai.

Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar hide in a study hall. Rabbi Shimon’s wife faithfully brings him bread and water every day, but Rabbi Shimon is not sure he can trust his wife. Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar decide to hide in a cave. Miraculously a carob tree and a spring appear to nourish them (a carob tree normally takes 70 years to produce food). In the cave, Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar would shed their clothes so they did not wear out. They would bury themselves in sand and study together. When time for prayer would arrive, they would put their clothes on, pray, and then return naked to their sand. Legend states that in this time Rabbi Shimon wrote the great work of Jewish mysticism, the Zohar, although current scholarship traces it to 13th century Spain.

After twelve years, the Roman emperor dies and Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar emerge from their exile. They are enraged by seeing a farmer work his fields. They do not believe people should have ordinary jobs, but should spend all of their time studying Torah. When they gaze upon the farmer and his fields, everything burns. So they go around incinerating everything that is not Torah study, in effect substituting their own judgment for God’s judgment. God tells them that they are destroying God’s creation and he orders them back to the cave. After another twelve months, God allows them to leave for a second time. Rabbi Elazar continues to destroy everything that is not total immersion in Torah study, but this time his father heals everything Rabbi Elazar destroys. Rabbi Shimon says, “My son the world has enough devotees of total Torah study in you and me alone. We do not need to hold others to our standard of devotion and diligence.” Good thought, because I doubt that incinerating people’s livelihood did not endear Rabbi Shimon and Rabbis Elazar to people.

Despite their total devotion to Torah study, Rabbi Shimon decides to go to the bathhouse, where his son-in-law washes and massages him. Upon seeing the damaged state of Rabbi Shimon’s skin, the son-in-law begins to cry. Rabbi Shimon tells him not to cry because his damaged skin is proof of his devotion to the Torah. Interestingly, we also learn that when Rabbi Shimon and his son-in-law would discuss problems, Rabbi Shimon would formulate 24 different solutions. We thus learn that we have to look at issues and problems from multiple viewpoints and that there is rarely one right answer.

The whole project of the Talmud seems to reject Rabbi Shimon’s and Rabbi Elazar’s way of life. If we all withdrew to caves, then questions of carrying in a market on Shabbat would have no relevance. The Talmud wants us to live everyday lives so that by living them correctly we can bring holiness to God’s creation. The Talmud does not reject society. The Talmud wants to perfect society.