Avodah Zarah Daf 18 עבודה זרח דַף 18

Rebbe Chanina ben Teradyon went to visit Rebbe Yose ben Kisma, who said that since the Roman nation was given sovereignty over Eretz Yisroel, and had destroyed the Beis Hamikdash and killed its finest people, how could Rebbe Chanina be learning Torah and gathering people to teach it publicly?! Rebbe Chanina replied: מן השמים ירחמו – May they have mercy on me from Heaven. Rebbe Yose expressed astonishment at this reply and predicted his being burned together with his sefer Torah. Rebbe Chanina’s “crime” was discovered by the Romans returning from Rebbe Yose ben Kisma’s funeral, and they wrapped him in the sefer Torah, surrounded it with vines, and set them on fire. However, they placed soaked wool over Rebbe Chanina’s heart to prolong his agony. Rebbe Chanina told his horrified daughter that he took comfort in being burned with the Torah, because “He Who will exact vengeance for the Torah’s disgrace will exact vengeance for my disgrace.” He told his talmidim what he saw: גליון נשרפין ואותיות פורחות – “The parchment is being burned, but the letters are flying off!” He refused to end his life by opening his mouth, but accepted the executioner’s offer to remove the wool and quickly end his life. The executioner jumped into the fire after him, and a בת קול proclaimed him ready for עולם הבא.

Rebbe Chanina ben Teradyon’s daughter was sentenced to live in a house of זונות. Her sister Beruriah told her husband Rebbe Meir that this was a disgrace for her. Rebbe Meir disguised himself as a Roman seeking her services, to test her to see if she had remained pure, which she had. Rebbe Meir asked the guard to give her to him, but the guard was afraid of the government. Rebbe Meir gave him a large sum of money, to use half for bribes and keep the other half. He told him that when the money runs out, he should say, "אלקא דמאיר ענני" – “G-d of Meir, answer me!” and would be saved. When asked by the guard for proof, Rebbe Meir threw dirt at vicious dogs, and when they were coming to bite him, he said "אלקא דמאיר ענני", and they left him alone. The guard gave him Rebbe Chanina’s daughter, but the guard was later caught, and was sentenced to be hanged. As he was taken to the gallows, he said "אלקא דמאיר ענני", and they could not hang him. They asked him to explain, and he related the incident. Rebbe Meir was eventually forced to flee to Bavel.

The Gemara discusses whether it is permitted to attend various events, such as stadiums, and if they are forbidden as "מושב לצים" – a session of scoffers. Rebbe Shimon ben Pazi darshened the passuk: אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך בעצת רשעים – praiseworthy is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked, ובדרך חטאים לא עמד - and did not stand in the path of the sinful, ובמושב לצים לא ישב – and did not sit at a session of scoffers. This progression teaches that if he merely walks on a sinful path, he will come to stand there; if he stands there, he will come to sit among scoffers; if he does, he will himself come to scoff. The Gemara describes some of the consequences of scoffing. Rebbe Elazar said: כל המתלוצץ יסורין באין עליו – whoever scoffs, suffering comes upon him. Rava would beseech the scholars not to scoff, so they would not suffer. Rav Ketina said: כל המתלוצץ מזונותיו מתמעטין – whoever scoffs, his sustenance is diminished. Other Amoraim say that whoever scoffs falls into גהינם and causes destruction to the world.