The Irredeemable Elisha Ben Abuyeh (a.k.a. Acher)
With three other sages, Elisha Ben Abuyeh enters a mystical orchard (pardes) and comes out spiritually transformed. Acher is angry at the fact that bad things happen to those who do mitzvot and good things happen to those who transgress, so he vows to break every single mitzvah. He hears whispers of his own damnation, choses heresy over the ways of Torah, and becomes known as ‘Acher’; the Other. While Acher sees himself irredeemable, and perhaps G!d does as well, his friends try to redeem him anyways – showing him and us, the readers, that there is the possibility of redemption for everyone.
Despite eschewing Torah, he affirms other’s ability and right to participate in religious ethics. People like Rabbi Meir and Acher’s daughter take pain to remind Acher and his community that he was learned and has valuable knowledge, which is confirmed by divine interference.
🎨 by Liana Wertman from @torahstudio
