Explanation: This was to show that Metatron has no more ability than other [angels].

Explanation: The Yerushalmi explains why this happened to him. It expounds many verses.

Citation (Yerushalmi): He (Acher) used to kill Gedolei Torah (through Hash-m's name or witchcraft). Any Talmid he saw succeeding in Torah, he would kill him.

Citation (cont.): Further, he went to the Beis Midrash and he saw children in front of a Rebbi, and would say "why are they doing sitting here? (They will not succeed in Torah. Rather, this one will be a builder...) When they heard this, they left.

Citation (cont.): He said to R. Meir "what is the meaning of "everything of Iyov, Hash-m gave double"? R. Meir said, He doubled his money;

Citation (cont.): Acher responded 'R. Akiva expounded "Hash-m blessed the end of Iyov from his beginning", in the merit of his Mitzvos and good deeds that he initially had.'

Citation (cont.): He brought "Tov Acharis Davar me'Reishiso" and R. Meir expounded this to refer to one who fathered children in his youth, and he fathered in his old age, and they lived;

Citation (cont. - Acher): R. Akiva, your Rebbi, did not expound so. Rather, the end of a matter is good when its beginning was good;

Citation (cont. - Acher): This was my episode (my beginning was bad). My father Avuyah was one of the Gedolim of Yerushalayim. On the day of my Bris, he called all of the Gedolim of Yerushalayim, and seated them in one house, and R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua elsewhere.

Citation (cont.): After they (in the first house) ate and drank, they sang, clapped and danced. R. Eliezer said to R. Yehoshua "while they engage in their [desires], we will engage in ours!

Citation (cont.): They sat and engaged in Torah. Fire descended from Shamayim and surrounded them. Avuyah said to them "my Rebbeyim! Did you come to burn my house?!"

Citation (cont. - R. Eliezer and Yehoshua): Heaven forbid! Rather, we were sitting and reviewing Divrei Torah, from Torah to Nevi'im and from Nevi'im to Kesuvim, and the matters were joyful like when they were given from Sinai. Wasn't the Torah given in fire?!

Citation (cont. - Avuyah): Since this is the power of Torah, if this son will survive, I will separate him for Torah.

Citation (cont. - Acher): Since his intent was not [l'Shem] Shamayim, it (Torah) did not endure in him (Acher).

Distinction: Where the Bavli says [that he heard in back of the curtain\], the Yerushalmi says "in back of the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim."

Citation (cont.): It says there also that he was riding on Yom Kipur that fell on Shabbos, and heard [a Bas Kol from the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim say "repent children, except for Elisha ben Avuyah, who knew My strength and rebelled against me]."

The Yerushalmi bring the episode cited in Kidushin (39b), in which he saw a man take the young [that a bird was sitting on, like his father requested, but first] he sent away the mother, and when he brought them, he fell and died. (The Yerushalmi does not say that his father requested them, but adds that beforehand, Acher saw a man take eggs without sending the mother, and he descended safely.)

(Acher asked why the [latter] man did not receive long life, like the Torah promises for Kivud Av v'Em and Shilu'ach ha'Kan.) He did not expound like R. Yakov (that the Torah promises long life in the world to come).

Citation (cont.): He saw the tongue of R. Yehudah ha'Nachtom in a dog's mouth. This is the "great man" mentioned in Kidushin. (He concluded that there is no reward for Torah. Rashash - our texts say "Chutzpis the translator", but the text of Ein Yakov is like Tosfos cites.)

Citation (cont. - R. Noson): When his mother was pregnant with him, she passed in front of idolatry, and smelled something offered to idolatry. She ate it, and it bubbled in her body like snake venom.

Citation (cont.): Later, Acher fell sick. They told R. Meir "your Rebbi is sick." He went to visit him, and said "repent"!

Citation (cont.): Acher asked "if I repent, will it be accepted?" R. Meir answered 'it says "Tashev Enosh Ad Daka va'Tomer Shuvu Vnei Adam." Elisha cried and died.

Citation (cont. - R. Meir): It seems that he died amidst Teshuvah!

Citation (cont.): After they buried him, fire descended from Shamayim and was burning the grave. They told R. Meir that his Rebbi's grave was burning. He spread his garment over it and said "spend the night";

Citation (cont.): I.e. spend the night here in this world, which resembles night, and in the morning, in the world to come, if He will redeem you, Tov;

Citation (cont.): This refers to Hash-m redeeming. It says "Tov Hash-m la'Kol".

Citation (cont.): If He does not want to redeem you, I will redeem you.

Citation (cont.): They said to R. Meir "if they will tell you in that world (to come), whom do you want to draw close to you (to benefit him), to your father or your Rebbi [what will you say]?

Citation (cont. - R. Meir): I will first draw close my Rebbi, and then my father.

Citation (cont.): They asked him "will Shamayim agree?" He said "we learn this from a Mishnah! We save [from a fire on Shabbos] the case of a Sefer with the Sefer. [Likewise,] we save Elisha in the merit of his Torah.

Implied question: In Mo'ed Katan (17a), it says there was a Chacham of bad repute, and Rav Yehudah excommunicated him! (Why did he do so? Now, even Gedolim may not learn from him!)

Answer #1: Ketanim learned from him. Rav Yehudah was concerned lest they be drawn [to his ways].

Answer #2: Even if Gedolim learned from him, Rav Yehudah excommunicated him, since he found a reason to do so. This was proper, since he had ill repute. This is from R. Elchanan.

Explanation: One whose fear precedes his Chachmah, his Chachmah endures;

The Torah of Do'eg and Achitofel did not protect them, for they did not have fear at all, like it says in Sotah (21a).