(En.) Rabbi Meir saw Elisha ben 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. Rabbi Meir discussed various points with Elisha who showed great erudition and Rabbi 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 ben 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 rebelliuos was that once when he was sitting in the vale of Genosareth, he saw a man on the Sabbath going up a tree and taking away the est 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 Rabbi 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. Rabbi Meir still persisted in his attempt and when he heard that Elisha was dangerously ill, he went to visit him, for Elisha had been Rabbi Meir’s teacher. He again asked him to repent. And Elisha said:" Will He receive me now?" Rabbi Meir replied in the affirmative. Elisha wept and died. Rabbi Meir rejoiced in the thought that he had died wuth the wish of repentance. After a few days, Rabbi 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 Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi 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. (Gaster, pp 86-87.)

(Fr.) Histoire de Elisha ben Abouya. A sa circoncision, les rabbins discutaient de la loi rabbinique et alors un feu venant du ciel entoura la maison. Le père d’Elisha fut si impressionné qu’il voulut consacrer son fils à l’étude de la Torah, mais il le fit pour être honoré et non pas pour l’amour de la Torah, et Elisha se détourna de la Loi. Rabbi Meir le vit chevauchant le jour du Shabatt et tenta de le faire revenir à l’étude. Mais Elisha refusa en disant qu’il avait entendu une voix venant du ciel et qui disait qu’il y avait un espoir de salut pour tous les repentants sauf pour Elisha ben Abouya.qui avait connu la puissance divine et s’était rebellé contre elle. La raison pour laquelle il avait perdu la foi était qu’il avait vu un homme monter à un arbre et s’emparer d’un nid sans éloigner la mère des petits et il ne lui était rien arrivé, alors qu’un autre qui avait observé la loi était redescendu de l’arbre, avait été piqué par un serpent et était mort. La Torah ne promettait-elle pas une longue vie à ceux qui éloignaient la mère du nid ? Rabbi Meir qui avait été le disciple d’Elisha et croyait en lui, s’obstina à essayer de le convaincre. Il entendit qu’Elisha était sur son lit de mort, vint lui rendre visite et l’exhorta à se repentir. Elisha lui demanda si Dieu le recevrait. Entendant une réponse affirmative, il pleura et rendit l’âme. Quelques jours après sa mort, on vit un feu sortir de la tombe d’Elisha. Rabbi Meir couvrit la tombe de son manteau et se porta garant de son salut.