Latest Essays

• The Failed Mission - 3

  Sep 22, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  Please read Part 1 & Part 2 before proceeding with this essay. 
  
  As always, a disclaimer. Everything I write is simply my opinion and is not something you may or should agree with.
  
  In Bereshit 2:15 it says, "וַיִּקַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעׇבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשׇׁמְרָֽהּ׃ - The ETERNAL G-d settled the Human in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it." 
  
  So Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden to till and tend the land. But they committed sin, and G-d removed them from the Garden.
  
  In Bereshit 3:24 says: "וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֻקַּ֖ח מִשָּֽׁם׃ - So the ETERNAL G-d banished them from the garden of Eden, to till the soil from which they were taken.
  
  וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ - Humankind was driven out; and east of the garden of Eden were stationed the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the Tree of Life."
  
  So, here's the question? Since men tilling the soil here on Earth, who is tilling and tending the Garden up there today?
  
  Centuries later, the Four Sages enter the Pardes to "till and tend the land," as it may seem, since no one has worked there since the time Adam was removed? Why did this action make Metatron sit? Why did Ben Azai stay behind or die? Why did Ben Zoma lose his mind, as it may seem, and Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah go off the derekh and was called an Aher?
  
  And since the expedition of the four sages above has failed, I believe no trees grow there today, but the two trees that still exist are the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life and Death.
  
  Go ahead and ask me why you need to know this information.
  
  Because the major figures are involved in this episode - Adam and Eve, Moshe Rabbenu, the Four Sages, especially Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah, Samech Mem, or as he is known as Satan, other Tannaim - and, most importantly, from generation to generation, an attempt by the sages to solve this mystery.
  
  Just don't start with Aher. Let me tell you something: a person who knew how to ascend to the Garden and has bypassed the Cherubim angels and the fiery, forever-turning sword - suddenly became non-observant or off the derekh?! Please, I don't buy that. A person with such a high level of esoteric knowledge Could Not Do That. Do note, since then, we have never had another person documented in our literature as having made it there - none. But I will reveal how to spot if there ever was someone who has made it there - undocumented in our history - since the entrance has been shut with fiery angels guarding it, or was it? 
  
  Could some of our commandments related to agriculture, in some way or another, be trying to correct that incident in the Garden where Adam made the sin, since he did not tend the Garden? I will let the rabbis be the judge on that.
  
  As I've said before, someone tried hard to conceal the real reason for that expedition in the Talmud, and I believe I can finally expose that person and the reason for their ascent.
  
  So, the questions are: what is G-d trying to accomplish? What are the Tannayim trying to hide? Why are such major figures involved in this mystery? Why is Satan very active every time that information is about to be revealed - those that know, know. How do every generation before us and we fit into this grand scheme of things? 
  
  And most importantly, what mistake do we make, and what mistake have the generations before us made, because of the lack of knowledge on this issue?
  
  My offer to the esteemed rabbis still stands...
  
  Shmuel Katanov, aka Aher
  
  

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• The Reason for This Long Exile

  Sep 10, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  As always, I would like to share some of my thoughts on a topic we can learn more about, since I still think some things may have been left out or could be understood differently from another angle. And as always, everything that is about to follow is just my opinion.
  
  In Masekhet Gittin 55b, it talks about one interesting law:
  
  The law is called Sikarikon, or סיקריקון, which means possessor of confiscated property. If someone first purchased land from a Sicarius, who extorted the field from its prior owners with threats, and afterward the buyer returned and purchased the same field a second time from the prior landowner, his purchase is void. The prior owner of the field can say he did not actually mean to sell it to him. By contrast, if he first acquired the field from the prior owner and afterward he returned and purchased the same field from a Sicarius, his purchase stands.
  
  "This law refers as a counter-measure to deal effectively with religious persecution against Jews in which the Roman government had permitted its own citizens to seize the property of Jewish landowners who were either absent or killed in war, or taken captive, or else where Roman citizens had received property (real estate) that had been confiscated by the state in the laws prescribed under ager publicus - where Vespasian gave order that all Judea should be exposed to sale, and to which the original Jewish owners of such property had not incurred any legal debt or fine, but had simply been the victims of war and the illegal, governmental expropriation of such lands from their rightful owners or heirs. The original Jewish law, made at some time after the First Jewish-Roman War with Vespasian and his son Titus, saw additional amendments by later rabbinic courts, all of which were meant to safeguard against depriving the original landowners and their heirs of any land that belonged to them, and to ensure their ability to redeem such property in the future." - Wikipedia.
  
  I believe the owner of the banquet and Bar Kamtza had a property-related problem: one of them tried to get his rightful property back where Sikarikon was involved, the other refused, and that led to the nasty dispute between the two.
  
  But there was a bigger problem: Batei Dinim maintained those records, and because of a fire or some other unfortunate events like wars, pogroms, illnesses, running from place to place, etc., the records may have been damaged or lost. Each case affected many people and families in the community, and many may have had similar property-related or other problems which were unresolved and dragged on for decades. I won’t be afraid to mention marriage and divorce contracts, along with lending and borrowing contracts, which may have had a similar fate. Let's not forget that, in those times, they had no paper and used a roll of papyrus or parchment, which are hard to store, reference, and move from place to place. 
  
  The incident with Bar Kamtza is just one the Gemara documented; most likely, thousands of these disputes existed at any given moment.
  
  All of this led to the Galut, or Exile - The Greatest Reset for the Nation. The problems the Nation has faced arose from poor record-keeping of real estate deeds, titles, and records overall. Exile solved it all - it wiped clean all the records, and all of those families that lived in the Land died or got lost in history, so no family at that time owned anything in the Land, which meant one thing: no more disputes.
  
  Geulah, or Redemption, may happen in our times because we have computer systems and established legal procedures to manage real estate transactions, titles, and deeds throughout the Land of Israel and the World.
  
  As Prophet Ezekiel 48 says, the Son of David will once again divide the Land between the tribes.
  
  In the Book The Third Bet Hamikdash, Preface, it says: "So says God, the Lord, 'This is the boundary for which you shall divide the land as an inheritance…. You shall divide it as an inheritance, for each [tribe] like his brother.'" These verses imply that the future division of the land will not resemble the original division, in which each tribe was given a portion according to its population. In the future, all the tribes will receive equal portions. The division of the tribes' portions will resemble the rows of a vineyard, with each portion spanning from the eastern border of Eretz Yisrael to the Sea on the west, as explained in the narrative. No two tribes will be given a portion in the same strip of land.
  
  Going forward, we will implement better record-keeping using the latest technologies across all categories, which will eventually lead to peace between people.
  
  I believe the whole incident with Bar Kamtza was property/money related. The mistake of the many was that they followed the owner of the banquet, because he had convinced the masses, and everyone, like a herd, blindly followed him and went against one man - Bar Kamtza. At this point, it doesn’t matter who was right or wrong; it turned out BAD for everyone.
  
  WITH THAT, I HEREBY DECLARE: 
  
  To the Creator of the World, 
  
  Today we have systems to maintain the records of the real estate sales, deeds, and titles, and not only in business but across all markets, in order to prevent any occurrence of a similar situation in the future.
  
  But most importantly, we have the scholars and the knowledge to make the Torah law our primary law of the Land, finely integrated into our daily life to tackle business and related problems which we might face in the future. After many centuries of exile, we come out better equipped and skilled to build a better society; therefore, we are now ready to go Home.
  
  Blow the shofar, sound the trumpets, and sing the songs of joy; the King has returned to His nation!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• The Original Sin

  Aug 29, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  Let's delve into a topic that's been debated for centuries. But as it always goes with anything I write, this is simply my opinion. 
  
  So, what is the Original Sin, or the sin that Adam and Eve are known for? Everyone will say that they ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. But if you ask me, I believe Adam took the fruit from Chava's hands and ate it, fully knowing it was forbidden, since G-d told him not to eat it; he fell for it without putting up a fight. I believe the Original Sin of Adam and Eve should be known in the order of events: Chava giving the fruit to Adam, and Adam taking and eating it with no resistance on his part. 
  
  Now the question should be: how will Hashem help the Nation fix this sin?
  
  In Parashat Lech Lecha 15-17:22, G-d makes a covenant with Avraham Avinu, the Covenant of the Halves. In it, Hashem promises Avraham Avinu offspring as many as the stars in Heaven. Avraham believes Hashem and brings sacrifices. But when he comes home, Sarah offers him Hagar since they have no children, and Avraham agrees. 
  
  Parashat Lech Lecha 16:2 - And Sarai said to Abram, "Look, G-d has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a child through her." And Abram heeded Sarai’s request.  
  
  What happened to the covenant made between Avraham and Hashem, where Hashem promised him offspring as many as the stars in Heaven? How did he agree with his wife so quickly without protesting?
  
  In Parashat Lech Lecha 17:1-3 - When Abram was ninety-nine years old, G-d appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between You and Me, and I will make you exceedingly numerous. Abram threw himself on his face." (Off-topic: Just to show you another personality in Torah that was blameless, Noah: "When Hashem came to Noah, he was already Tamim - Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with G-d.")
  
  But back to Avraham Avinu, Abram threw himself on his face - this is when he realized he had made a mistake, although I bet it was eating him inside, since he had made a covenant with G-d but gave in too fast to his wife's demands. The situation we deal with in that region is what was left to us from the above episode. 
  
  Since Avraham Avinu couldn't fix Adam's sin, Hashem awaits his son, Yitzchak. In Parashat Toldot 25:22, it says: Isaac pleaded with G-d on behalf of his wife, because she was infertile; and G-d responded to his plea, and his wife Rivkah conceived." 
  
  Says Rashi, לנכח אשתו opposite his wife — He stood in one corner and prayed while she stood in the other corner and prayed (Genesis Rabbah 63:5). And Hashem answered his prayer.
  
  Continues Rashi: ויעתר לו [AND THE LORD] WAS ENTREATED OF HIM — of him and not of her, because there is no comparison between the prayer of a righteous person who is the son of a righteous person and the prayer of a righteous person who is the child of a wicked-person — therefore G-d allowed himself to be entreated of him and not of her (Masechet Yevamot 64a). 
  
  But I believe the above sentence can be understood a bit differently. 
  
  We are introduced to the Shalom Bayit issue - the first instance ever recorded in the Torah.
  
  Rivkah Imenu also did not have children for many years, and just like Sarah Imenu, she approached her husband and offered him her maid to have children with. But Yitzchak Avinu did not want to do this. His train of thought was as follows: I was the sacrifice my father Avraham Avinu brought when I was 37 years old; I am holy and elevated above all;  and now you want me to be with your maid and have children with her? No! This is not something I will do, or in any way or form agree with!!
  
  Their views radically differed; opposite to his wife, "he is in one corner, and she is in the other." Hashem loved his approach and dedication - and answered "his prayer". 
  
  Adam's sin of not standing up to his wife was corrected by Yitzchak Avinu, who stood up to his wife, no matter how much stress or headache she gave him. Yitzchak Avinu did not go with her maid; he had children only with Rivkah Imenu. 
  
  Yay!! We should be happy that the sin of Adam and Eve is fixed!
  
  Well, not so fast. This sin consists of two parts. Adam HaRishon giving in to his wife's demand, and Hashem's response to the situation.
  
  In Parashat Bereshit 3:6, it says: "וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃  - When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate." 
  
  Per Oral Torah tradition, the word לְאִישָׁ֛הּ - Le Yisha is translated as to her husband, due to a dagesh in the Hey - a dot in the last letter Hey. But when the text is written in the Sefer Torah scroll, it has no vowels and no Dagesh in the word לאישה - Le Yisha is written, so this word can also be translated as: To a Woman. 
  
  Let me present you with questions that should be asked:
  
  - Why was Hashem's response comparing Adam to a woman? Hashem could have used any other word, where there would be no need for the Oral Torah tradition to be used for this sentence.
  - What is Hashem trying to tell us?
  - When, how, and who has atoned for Adam HaRishon, and his remaining part of the tikkun?
  
  Hashem has left us a MAJOR clue; He doesn't leave these types of clues for no reason. Why did He do that?
  
  And the most important question we should ask ourselves: what do we do with this piece of information? 
  
  And the rest of the answer, we will leave for some other time. 
  
  PS: Above, I have mentioned that after Hashem promised Avraham Avinu children and they made the Covenant of the Halves, Avraham still married Hagar and had a child with her, thus showing a lack of trust in G-d.
  
  In Parashat Lech Lecha 17:1-3 - When Abram was ninety-nine years old, G-d appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between You and Me, and I will make you exceedingly numerous. Abram threw himself on his face."
  
  Hashem had to come to Avraham and tell him to be Tamim - blameless.
  
  Noah - the Torah says that when Hashem came to Noah, he was blameless: "Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his generations; Noah walked with G-d."
  
  Avraham VS Noah: what is the difference between them?
  
  Because Avraham Avinu has shown a lack of trust in G-d, Hashem has given his descendants, the Jewish nation, 613 commandments to reach the level where Hashem expects them to be: blameless.
  
  But since Noah was already blameless but fell after he left the Ark, G-d has given his descendants - Noahides and the Nations of the World - only 7 commandments to reach the level where Noah was blameless.
  
  7 versus 613, 7 sure sounds easy! Only 7 steps away from being blameless and holy!
  
  See You at The Top!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• The Fight of Two Men

  Aug 21, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  I will start with a disclaimer: I am simply sharing my opinion and how I understand the verses. Some may not agree, but again, this is just my opinion. 
  
  In Parashat Ki Tetzeh 25:11-12 says: "כִּֽי־יִנָּצ֨וּ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים יַחְדָּו֙ אִ֣ישׁ וְאָחִ֔יו וְקָֽרְבָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת הָֽאֶחָ֔ד לְהַצִּ֥יל אֶת־אִישָׁ֖הּ מִיַּ֣ד מַכֵּ֑הוּ וְשָׁלְחָ֣ה יָדָ֔הּ וְהֶחֱזִ֖יקָה בִּמְבֻשָֽׁיו׃  - If two parties are fighting—one man with another—and the wife of one comes up to save her husband from his opponent and puts out her hand and seizes him by his genitals,  וְקַצֹּתָ֖ה אֶת־כַּפָּ֑הּ לֹ֥א תָח֖וֹס עֵינֶֽךָ׃ - you shall cut off her hand; show no pity."
  
  The words that raise a red flag for me would be the words ְוְשָׁלְחָ֣ה יָדָ֔הּ - VeShalkha Yada - She sent her hand - the word Yada has a dagesh, and the word אֶת־אִישָׁ֖הּ - Et Yisha has a dagesh - a DOT in the letter הּ - Hey. Why? 
  
  To understand the above statement, let's look at another statement in the Torah, and then I believe the above will make sense.
  
  I believe Adam made another mistake. I believe it was swept under the rug. I believe it has received little "media attention" or discussion over the centuries. And I think it is the key to unlocking the above pasuk. 
  
  In Parashat Bereshit 3:6, Chava gave Adam HaRishon a fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, and he ate it. It says: "וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃  - When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate." 
  
  Per our Oral Torah tradition, the word לְאִישָׁ֛הּ - Le Yisha is translated as to her husband, due to a dagesh in the Hey - a dot in the last letter Hey. But as you know, when the text is written in the Sefer Torah scroll, it has no vowels and no Dagesh in the word לאישה - Le Yisha is written, so this word can also be translated as To a Woman. 
  
  So, here goes my question: Is there a connection between the woman in the case of two men fighting and Chava, when she gave the fruit to Adam?
  
  I strongly believe there's one. 
  
  When G-d told Adam HaRishon not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam told his wife not to touch the tree in order to prevent his wife from breaking the word of G-d and from eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Persuaded by the snake, Chavah ate from the tree and made Adam eat it. But what drove her to do this? Besides the snake, it was her Chutzpah.
  
  A quick search in the dictionary gave the following definition:
  
  Chutzpah: 
  Utter nerve; haughtiness.
  Nearly arrogant courage; utter audacity, supreme self-confidence; exaggerated self-opinion;
  (Yiddish) unbelievable gall; insolence; audacity.
  
  For Chavah, Adam's word and the word of G-d - did not mean much, and this led her to listen to the Snake and eat from the Tree. 
  
  The same behavior is noticed in the incident of two men fighting. A woman must be loyal to her husband no matter the situation, but this woman, driven by the desire to save her husband, had the Chutzpah to grab her husband's opponent by his private part, thus going against the laws of modesty given by G-d, and did it right there in the presence of her husband.
  
  The Torah continues: "You shall cut off her hand; show no pity." This trait of behavior: Chutzpah was noticed in Chavah and later in the above-mentioned woman, who still carried that same trait.
  
  As a remedy, the Torah introduces us to the Holy Scroll.
  
  

  
  PS: But this would be a half-baked idea to leave this essay without a finishing touch. So, please allow me to end it, à la my style. 
  
  Above, we understand how the atonement of Chavah happens when a similar trait is found in other women; every time a woman portrays a trait similar to Chavah's, Torah tells us what to do and how to fix the situation.
  
  But, how about Adam?
  
  Since, per our Oral Torah tradition, the word לְאִישָׁ֛הּ - Le Yisha found in Parashat Bereshit 3:6 is translated as to her husband, due to a dagesh in the Hey - a dot in the last letter Hey. But in the Torah scroll, this word is לאישה - Le Yisha, translated as To a Woman, and not as To Her Husband. 
  
  Hashem doesn't leave these types of clues for no reason. What do we do with this piece of information? I can't keep on ignoring it anymore, and I can't live with: this is the tradition, and this is how we learn it.
  
  If you ask around, what is the Original Sin, or the sin that Adam and Eve are known for, everyone will say that they ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. But if you ask me, Adam took fruit from Chava's hands and ate it, fully knowing it was forbidden, since G-d told him not to eat it; he fell for it without putting up a fight. I believe the Original Sin, or the First Sin this couple should be known for in order of events, is Chava giving the fruit to Adam, and Adam taking and eating it with no resistance on his part. 
  
  I have been saying all along about Aher, and how Aher was wronged, and how my opinion on this whole story differs. So, here's another one: Adam HaRishon - how and who has atoned for Adam? By the way, the atonement has already happened!!
  
  Gentlemen, this is HUGE!!
  
  This would be another piece of none: in my opinion, or I believe - I bet everything on it that everyone has missed it, and I know the answer... but I will share it on that day. 
  
  Till then, au revoir - goodbye, and thank you for reading some things that bother me.
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• The Failed Mission - 2

  Aug 5, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  Before you start, please read Part 1.
  
  As always, a disclaimer. Everything I write is simply my opinion and is not something you may or should agree with.
  
  All the questions presented in this essay are the ones I have learned about and have read explanations of, in English, from the books that I have access to, by the rabbis who have already stated their opinions on these topics. But I am still not satisfied with their answers, in my personal opinion. So, I would like to address them in my own way or raise questions that have not been asked before. With your permission, let's go!
  
  - In Parashat Vayishlach, when the nation is standing next to the waters of Yam Suf, it says that the sea didn't open until the sea saw the bones of Yosef HaTzaddik that Moshe Rabbenu was carrying, and in honor of Yosef, it parted. So, I don't understand why the Mashiach of the generation - Moshe Rabbenu - has suddenly become irrelevant? Who or what made him so irrelevant? Why does the sea see Yosef's casket and parts in his honor, but totally disregards the presence of Moshe Rabbenu?? Why? I understand this differently.
  
  - In Parashat Bereshit, we know of the sin that Adam and Chava have committed, eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, but there's another sin that they have committed. I don't understand why this one was swept under the rug. How come no big deal is made out of it? And the BIG question is, who has atoned for it?
  
  - In Parashat Yitro, when Yitro came to Moshe in the desert, he brought with him Moshe's wife and 2 kids. I don't understand: at a time when the nation was having four to six children at once, why did Moshe Rabbenu have only two?
  
  - How about this one: Moshe Rabbenu has committed another "sin," but for some reason, he came out of it, or Hashem did not hold him liable for it, at least at that time, or so it seems. But someone had to atone for it. Who was that? Someone got the beating from Hashem for it. I don't understand why no one speaks about it.
  
  In addition to the above questions, I would like to touch on my favorite topic: Aher.
  
  - In Masechet Chagigah 14b-15b, I have plenty of problems with the Aher and the way this Gemara was explained, but I would like to add a few more points:
  
  I still stand by my personal rule: No Tannah EVER GOES OFF THE DEREKH. The fact that Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah was mistreated really bothers me. So, let's revisit this list.
  
  The Gemara relates: The daughter of Aḥer came before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and said to him: "Rabbi, provide me with sustenance, as I am in need of food." He said to her, "Whose daughter are you?" She said to him: I am the daughter of Aḥer. He said to her, angrily: Is there still of his seed remaining in the world? But isn't it stated: "He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings" (Job 18:19)? She said to him: Remember his Torah, and do not remember his deeds. Immediately, fire descended and licked Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi's bench. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi wept and said: If G-d protects the honor of those who treat the Torah with contempt in such a manner, as Aḥer despised the Torah and relinquished its teachings, how much more so would He do for those who treat it with honor. 
  
  How come Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did not, for a second, think that the fact that the fire descended from above meant that Aher meant much more to Hashem, and that's why the fire hit Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi's bench, in order to stop him from discussing Aher?
  
  And if the daughter of Aher was still alive, then this pasuk: "He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people or any remaining in his dwellings" (Job 18:19) doesn't apply to Aher. 
  
  On top of it, there's an opinion that Aher had one daughter, some say a few, but from this daughter was born the Tanna Rabbi Yaakov, who was the teacher of the redactor of the Mishnah - Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi; see Kiddushin 39b, Chulin 142a. So, in my opinion, his daughter stayed alive, and he had a grandson who joined the ranks of the transmitters of the Oral Torah, so the pasuk does not apply to Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah or Aher at all.
  
  - But again, why did Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah go off the derekh, as it seems? What happened? 
  
  - When Aher passed away, it is written Ki Nakh Nafshe, Aher passed away in a gentler form. Rashi says that this expression is used when a righteous individual passes away. But hold on - you should ask: wasn't he a sinner? Why wasn't a different word used for him, like, for example, Shekhiv - died, as it says in Dikdukey Soferim? Very legit question, and it should sound an alarm that something is not right here. At least it did for me.
  
  - But we still don't know what made Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah a sinner? The reason isn't mentioned in any of the books, but it's something we need to find out. Once we understand this, which is somewhat a major part, we will understand the story better.
  
  - Why did Ben Azai die? I know the answer the Gemara has given, but I think there may be another reason.
  
  - What did Ben Zomah mean in his answer to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya? What are those three fingers?
  
  - Rabbi Akiva - He is the only one who came out unscathed from the Pardes, really? I have a lot to say about this.
  
  - And why did these four go to Pardes?
  
  The knowledge of Pardes lies within the most advanced realm of Maaseh Merkavah. And someone wants me to believe that a person like Aher, who has mastered this type of knowledge, WENT OFF THE DEREKH?????
  
  I don't think so, and I don't believe this even for a second! I strongly stand by it, and I am willing to defend my stance.
  
  Someone told me that I don't have the credentials for rabbis to even consider coming to me. True, I agree with him. I am just a regular guy with too much time on my hands, which I spent writing essays. And amongst these essays, you will find essays in defense of Bar Kamtza & King David, exposing Yitro, Eliyahu HaNavi, Moshe hitting the rock, the red heifer, an alien fire, modesty, loyalty, the rejected trio, unity,  justice, and lots of other topics.
  
  I believe the above essays are the result of more than 20 years of learning and the credentials required to gain the attention of the esteemed rabbis. 
  
  And now all I am saying is I have the keys to unlock the issue of Aher. Since this one topic goes so deep and wide, I believe it reveals many aspects of Torah we know of in a different light. And just to be politically correct, which I've learned over the years, I can't say that all the opinions expressed to date are wrong, but I will say that my opinion radically differs from everything written to date on this topic. I have been sounding the alarm for years about Aher and other topics, but NO rabbis or decision-makers have given me a chance to explain myself. It's no-strings-attached, and I would love a chance to share it.
  
  PS: It seems to me that someone has pulled a fast one on us and concealed it with a lengthy discussion in the Talmud about Aher. But in the midst of it, he has left a clue - for which I am thankful, and I believe it was done on purpose; with it, we can finally find the truth. All the generations before us have missed it; that's why I am having a tough time accepting their opinions on this topic, but I believe I have uncovered the truth. I fully realize the authorities I am going against, from our time to the times of the Tannayim; and the legal loophole I have found allows me to do just that. I am not presenting anything of my own, but simply putting this whole puzzle together in the right order.
  
  So, without further ado, please allow me to reveal to you a new personality, who is no longer Aher, but one and only Tannah HaKadosh Rabbi Elisha ben Avuyah!!
  
  Don't stop here, let's go to Part 3.
  
  Shmuel Katanov, aka Aher
  
  

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