Elisha ben Abuyah, a.k.a. Acher, a storied rabbinic,
appears in a cryptic but legendary bereita
(hi–level Talmudic segment).
“Four entered the vineyard”
“arba nichnasu l’pardes”
Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Acher (Elisha be Abuyah)
and Akiva
Ben Azzai looked and died
Ben Zoma looked and went mad
Acher destroyed the plants
Akiva entered in peace and departed in peace
There are many interpretations. One of the
preeminent interpretations runs as follows:
Four high level rabbinics engaged in the philosophical challenge of “theodicy”
i.e. if there is a God who is all–powerful and all–
merciful, why is there gross evil?
Ben Azzai looked and died
Ben Zoma looked and went mad
Acher then rejected classic religion
Akiva entered in peace, and departed in peace