'"
"And wherefore?"
"Because, on the Sabbath day, thou art allowed to go so far and no
farther, and I have reckoned the distance thou hast traveled with me by
the footsteps of my horse."
"If thou art so wise," said Rabbi Meir, "as to reckon the distance I may
travel by the footsteps of thy horse, and so particular for my sake, why
not return to God and repent of thy apostacy?"
Elishah answered:--
"It is not in my power. I rode upon horseback once on the Day of
Atonement; yea, when it fell upon the Sabbath, and when I passed the
synagogue I heard a voice crying, 'Return, oh backsliding children,
return to me and I will return to ye; except Elishah, the son of Abuyah,
he knew his Master and yet rebelled against Him.'"
What caused such a learned man as Elishah to turn to evil ways?
It is reported that once while studying the law in the vale of Genusan,
he saw a man climbing a tree. The man found a bird's-nest in the tree,
and taking the mother with the young ones he still departed in peace. He
saw another man who finding a bird's-nest followed the Bible's command
and took the young only, allowing the mother to fly away; and yet a
serpent stung him as he descended, and he died. "Now," thought he,
"where is the Bible's truth and promises? Is it not written, 'And the
young thou mayest take to thyself, but the mother thou shalt surely let
go, that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live many days.
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