introduction

Eliezer ben Hurcanus (Hebrew: אליעזר בן הורקנוס‎) was one of the most prominent tannaim of the 1st and 2nd centuries, disciple of R. Johanan ben Zakkai. A lot of stories have been told about eliezer, who was one of the wisest sages in the period of the Mishna. A famous saying about him is that he is like a spring that become stronger all the time.

Today we will tell the story of eliezer desire to learn.

The story

Horkonus, the father of Eliezer, was a respected land owner. He asked eliezer to work in the rocky ground, but eliezer was crying, so Horkonus told him to plow in the soft fields instead. When he returned he saw that Eliezer was again crying he asked him if he was crying because he gave him the easy land to plow.

“No, that is not the reason, I am crying because my desire to learn Torah” said eliezer. Horkonus advised eliezer, who was twenty-eight years old, to take instead a wife, have children and then to learn Torah. For two weeks Eliezer fasted and prayed for help. At the end of the two weeks Elijah the Prophet appeared to him and convinced him to go to Jerusalem to Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai.

What should eliezer do? Should he go to Jerusalem and disobey his father wish or should he listen to Elijah the prophet?

To be continued…

main phrases of the post + transcription + translation

Eli@eteachergroup.com