R. Eliezer returned home distraught. He did not know why Hash-m caused him to be seized. He refused to be consoled.

R. Akiva: May I say something that you taught me?

R. Eliezer: Yes.

R. Akiva: Perhaps this was a punishment for benefit from heresy!

R. Eliezer: Indeed, I remember that once, a Min asked 'may an Esnan (wages paid to a harlot) be used to make a toilet for a Kohen Gadol'?

I did not answer. He answered "me'Esnan Zonah Kibatzah v'Ad Esnan Zonah Yashuvu" - it comes from filth, and returns to filth.

I enjoyed his answer. Therefore, I was seized;

Version #1: "Harchek Me'aleha Darkecha"- stay far from heresy. "V'Al Tikrav El Pesach Beisah" - do not approach the authorities (they kill people to take their money).

Version #2: "Harchek Me'aleha..." - from heresy and the authorities. "V'Al Tikrav El Pesach Beisah" - of a harlot.

Question: How far must one stay away?

Answer (Rav Chisda): He must stay four Amos away.

Question: How do Chachamim (who do not expound as the Min) expound "me'Esnan..."?

Answer: They expound like Rav Chisda taught.

(Rav Chisda): A harlot hires herself out, and in the end, she is despised, and she will pay men - "uv'Sitech Esnan... va'Tehi l'Hefech."

R. Pedas argues with Rav Chisda (who expounded that one must distance four Amos).

(R. Pedas): The 'Kirvah' (approaching) the Torah forbids is actual relations with Arayos - "Lo Sikrevu Legalos Ervah."

When Ula would return from learning, he would kiss his sisters' lower arms (some say, (the garment over their) chests).

Question: Ula himself expounded that even approaching Arayos is forbidden - 'Lech Lech Amrin Nezira... ';

Question: What is the meaning of "la'Alukah Shtei Vanos Hav Hav"?

Version #1 - Answer (Mar Ukva): These are two groups that scream in Gehinom (due to their great tortures), that say in this world 'Hav Hav (give, give)' - Minim and the authorities.

Version #2 - Answer (Rav Chisda citing Mar Ukva): Gehinom is requesting (to receive) the two groups that say in this world 'give, give' (Gehinom seeks to punish them).

Question: "Kol Ba'eha Lo Yeshuvun v'Lo Yasigu Orechos Chayim" - since (Minim) do not repent, surely they do not attain the ways of life!

Answer: Even if they do repent, they do not attain the ways of life!

Version #1 - Inference: If they repent, they will not live (from the pain of fighting the evil inclination which became so strong in them);

Question: A woman came in front of Rav Chisda (to repent). The lightest sin she had done was having a child through her son;

Rav Chisda told people to prepare shrouds for her, but she did not die;

If her lightest sin was incest, surely she was a Min!

Answer: She did not repent properly, therefore she did not die.

Version #2 - Inference: Only a Min, if he repents, will not live, but one who sinned with Arayos will live;

Question: A woman came in front of Rav Chisda. Her lightest sin was incest. Rav Chisda told people to prepare shrouds for her, and she died!

Answer: Her lightest sin was incest, surely she had been a Min. (end of Version #2)

Question: Is it really true that one who sinned with Arayos can repent and live?!

(Beraisa): Eliezer ben Durdiya slept with every harlot in the world. He heard of a harlot overseas who charged a bag of coins. He took the money and went to her. During the act, she let off gas, and said 'just like the gas will not return, you will not be received if you repent.'

Eliezer sat between two mountains and asked them to request mercy for him. They responded that they must request for themselves - "he'Harim Yamushu...";

He requested from Heaven and earth, the sun, moon and stars (one at a time). Each responded that it must request for itself.

He realized that he must ask for himself; he put his head between his knees and cried, and died.

A voice from Heaven: R. Eliezer ben Durdiya is prepared for the world to come (without need for Gehinom).

Summation of question: His only sin was Arayos, and he died due to his repentance!

Answer: Since he was so steeped in it, it was like heresy.

Rebbi cried: Some acquire their share in the world to come in a moment (and therefore have a small share), and some acquire their share over the course of many years.

Rebbi: Not only is Teshuvah accepted, rather, the penitent even gets the title of 'Rebbi'!

R. Chanina and R. Yonason were travelling. There were two paths in front of them. One went near idolatry, and the other went near harlots. One of them suggested going on the path of idolatry, for its evil inclination was slaughtered (through the prayer of the Great Assembly).

The other: Rather, we should go by the harlots, and receive reward for overcoming our evil inclinations!

When they approached the harlots, the harlots retreated to their rooms.

The first one: How did you know to trust in yourself?

The other: "Mezimah Tishmor Alecha Tevunah Sintzerecha."

Question (Rabanan): What does "Mezimah" mean?

Suggestion: It refers to Torah, for the translation of "Zimah" is counsel (regarding illicit relations, it is a sinful counsel);

Torah is called counsel - "Hifli Etzah Higdil Tushiyah."

Rejection: If so, it should have said 'Zimah', and not "Mezimah"!

Answer (Rava): Rather, it means 'from a matter of Zimah, Torah will save you.'

(Beraisa): R. Elazar ben Parta and R. Chanina ben Tradyon were seized to be tried.

R. Elazar ben Parta: You are more likely to be saved than I. They have only one claim against you, and they have five against me!

R. Chanina ben Tradyon: Nevertheless, you will be saved and not me, for you engaged in Torah and Chesed, but I engaged only in Torah.

(Rav Huna): One who only engages in Torah is like one who has no G-d (to protect him) - "v'Yamim Rabim l'Yisrael l'Lo Elokei Emes."

Question: Is it really true that R. Chanina did not engage in Chesed?

(Beraisa - R. Eliezer ben Yakov): One should not give a Perutah to the Tzedakah pouch unless the one appointed over it is as trustworthy as R. Chanina ben Tradyon.

Answer: Indeed, we want someone as trustworthy as R. Chanina ben Tradyon, but he himself was not appointed over it.

Question (Beraisa - R. Chanina ben Tradyon): I once collected money for (the poor for the feast of) Purim, and I mistakenly thought that it was Stam (regular) Tzedakah, and I gave it for Stam Tzedakah (Tosfos - he realized his mistake after gathering the poor to distribute Tzedakah, but gave it anyway, he did not want to disappoint them);

Later, (Rashi - when I realized my mistake) I donated that amount for Purim.

Answer: He did (Tzedakah, and surely also) Chesed, but not as much as he should have.

They charged R. Elazar ben Parta for teaching Torah and stealing.

R. Elazar: Surely, one who steals cannot teach Torah! Just like one of these claims is surely false, both are false.

The prosecutors: Why are you called 'Rebbi'?

R. Elazar: I am the teacher of weavers.

The prosecutors: If so, go discern between these two balls of thread, which is warp (the lengthwise threads) and which is woof (the widthwise threads)!

Hash-m sent him a sign. He made a male bee land on the warp, and a female bee on the woof (which is like a female, for the warp is inserted into it in the loom).

The prosecutors: Why don't you come to our feasts to honor the idolatry?

R. Elazar: I am old. I fear being trampled.

The prosecutors: Many old people come, and they are not trampled!

Hash-m caused that an old person was trampled that day.

The prosecutors: Why did you free your slave? We decreed against this!

R. Elazar: I did not!

A Roman was about to testify that he did. Eliyahu appeared to him, in the guise of a noble.

Eliyahu: Every time he is saved by miracles. Also now, it will not help to testify. You will only be shamed!

The Roman did not listen; he got up to testify.

That day, the nobles had written a letter to the Kaiser. They picked that man to take it. Eliyahu threw him 400 Parsa'os, so he would not return to testify.

They charged R. Chanina ben Tradyon 'why did you engage in Torah?'

R. Chanina: Hash-m commanded me to!

They immediately decreed that he would be burned, that his wife would be killed, and his daughter (one of them) would be placed in a harlots' booth.