The Death of Rabbah

(Bava Metziah 86a) (Rav Kahana): Rabbah died due to fear engendered by religious persecution.

1. Someone informed on him that he causes thousands of Jews to avoid taxes (because they gather to learn from him) for a month in spring and a month in fall (Yarchei Kallah one month prior to Pesach and one month prior to Rosh HaShana). The king sent an emissary for Rabbah but could not find him. Rabbah fled from Pumbedisa to Akra, then to a swamp, to Shechin, to a hut, to a spring, then back to Pumbedisa. They found him in Pumbedisa.
2. The King's emissary came to lodge at the inn Rabbah was in. They put drinks in front of the emissary; they took it away after he drank two cups. (Drinking an even number made him vulnerable to a certain Shed.) His face went in back of his head. Rabbah told them to give to him another cup, and the emissary was cured.
3. This made the King’s emissary realize that Rabbah was there. He searched for him and found him. He said 'if they will kill me for not revealing where Rabbah is, I will die, and not reveal. However, if they will torture me, I will reveal.'
4. The King’s emissary locked Rabbah in a room (to allow time to consider what to do). Rabbah prayed for mercy, and the wall fell. He escaped to the swamp. He was sitting on a stump and learning.
5. (Shitah Mekubetzes - Rabbah dreamed that) the Heavenly academy was discussing about Tzara'as when in doubt which came first, the white hair or the discoloration. HaShem (Shitah - a group of Chachamim close to) said Tahor, and the rest of the Heavenly academy said Tamei.
6. The Heavenly academy decided that Rabbah would decide the matter, since Rabbah used to comment 'I am the most learned scholar alive in matters of Tzara'as and Tum'ah of an Ohel.'
7. The angel of death was sent to take him. He could not, for Rabbah never ceased learning. A wind made a big noise among the reeds; Rabbah thought it was a troop searching for him. Rabbah preferred to die than to be taken by the kingdom. He died amidst saying 'Tahor, Tahor.'
8. A voice from Heaven: Happy is Rabbah. His body is Tahor, and his soul left amidst saying 'Tahor'.
9. In Pumbedisa, a note fell from Heaven that Rabbah was taken to the Heavenly academy. (Maharal says this idea suddenly entered their minds, and this is symbolically called “a note that fell from Heaven). Abaye, Rava and all the Rabanan wanted to bury him, but they did not know where he was. They went to the swamp. They saw birds making shade over a certain place, and realized that is the place. (The birds provided shade preventing deterioration)
10. They eulogized him for three days and nights. A note fell from Heaven excommunicating anyone who will leave. They eulogized him for seven days; a note fell from Heaven permitting them to go home.

The Gemara's account of this incident raises several questions.

1. How could the students in the Yeshiva of Shamayim argue with the ruling of HaShem?
2. If they did argue with Him, why did Rabbah not rule in accordance with the majority opinion (in accordance with Shemos 23:2)?
3. Why was it necessary for Rabbah to be taken from this world in order to resolve the argument? Why could they not have asked him for his ruling while he was alive?
4. The RAMBAM (Hilchos Tum'as Tzara'as 2:9) rules that in a case of a doubt about whether the white hair preceded the Baheres (the discoloration), the Nega is Tamei. Why does the Rambam rule against the opinion of HaShem and against the conclusion of Rabbah?
5. How do we understand what Rabbah represented?

If the Tzara'as (white appearance on the skin) preceded the white hair, he is (absolutely) Tamei; if the white hair came first, he is Tahor (i.e. only quarantined) VaYikra 13:2-3

ANSWERS:

(a) RABEINU CHANANEL (as cited by the Shitah Mekubetzes): The argument that occurred in the Yeshiva of Shamayim was shown to Rabbah in a dream. The dispute actually took place between two groups of Tzadikim. The group closer to the radiance of the Shechinah ruled that the Nega is Tahor, and the group farther away from the Shechinah ruled that it is Tamei. This was shown to Rabbah in a dream so that he would leave the world with a calm, settled spirit.

The BEN YEHOYADA gives a similar explanation, but he says that in the dream that was shown to Rabbah, it indeed was HaShem who ruled that the Nega is Tahor and not the group of Tzadikim closer to the Shechinah. He adds that this dream was shown to Rabbah in order to show him the infinite pleasure that a Tzadik experiences in the World to Come, so that he would yearn to go there and agree to leave this world. The Ben Yehoyada adds that the reason why an argument was shown to Rabbah (and not just the pleasure experienced by the Tzadikim in the World to Come) was so that Rabbah would respond to the inquiry, "Tahor," and thus his soul would leave this world while he was teaching a Halachah and uttering the word "Tahor." This symbolized that his soul would cling to its holy Source above, which is completely Tahor.

RAV YAKOV EMDEN answers differently and explains that the students of the Yeshiva of Shamayim did not actually argue with HaShem. They stated their opinion first, and only afterwards HaShem stated His opinion. The Gemara here changes the order merely out of deference.

(b) The MAHARSHA answers that the rule that the majority opinion must be followed applies only in this world. Thus, Rabbah did not follow the opinion of the majority in the Yeshiva of Shamayim.

(c) The MAHARSHA explains similarly that Rabbah had to be taken from this world in order to issue his ruling on the matter because he could not have decided the matter in this world. Since the majority opinion must be followed in this world, his ruling would not have been accepted because it contradicted the majority opinion. Therefore, he had to be taken to the Yeshiva of Shamayim, where it is acceptable to rule against the majority.

(d) The BEN YEHOYADA explains that the Rambam rules that such a Nega is Tamei, in contradiction to the ruling of HaShem Himself, because the Rambam understands this incident to be a dream that Rabbah saw. Hence, there is no indication that in reality HaShem ruled that it is Tahor.

The KESEF MISHNEH writes that even if the argument in Shamayim actually occurred, the Halachah does not necessarily follow opinions that are expressed in Shamayim, as the verse says, "Lo ba'Shamayim Hi" (Devarim 30:12).

This, however, explains only why the Rambam rules against the ruling of HaShem. How, though, could Rambam rule against the ruling of Rabbah?

The KESEF MISHNEH answers that Rabbah stated his ruling at the moment that his Neshamah left his body, and thus the rule of "Lo ba'Shamayim Hi" applies to his ruling as well.

The CHASAM SOFER adds that even if Rabbah spoke his decision before he passed away, there was no living human who heard it from him (he died alone in the field). Thus, the entire narrative and the halachah recorded must have been communicated to the Sages through a spiritual medium (such as a Bas Kol, a dream or from Eliyahu). Thus, the principal that “It is not in the Heaven” would apply to such a spiritual medium and then would apply as well to Rabbah’s ruling. The CHASAM SOFER states that this principal “It is not in the Heaven” is a fundamental concept in Judaism. Otherwise heavenly signs and dreams would decide halachic rulings.

(e) The LUBAVITCHER REBBE offers a different viewpoint. HaShem (represented by those Chachamim who are closest) represents a level where all is nullified and thus says “Tahor” (one time). The Yeshivah of Shamayim represents a level where G-dliness is surrounding but not penetrating and thus, doubt must be treated stringently “Tamei”. Rabbah as the unique one in matters of Tzara’as is able to offer a third opinion incorporating and reconciling the other two opinions in which he says “Tahor, Tahor” in both above this world and in this world (and we decide Halacha per the reconciler).