Search Results: failed-mission

• 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 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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• The Failed Mission - 1

  Feb 19, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  In every essay I have written so far, I have presented a question and answered it, but in this one, I would like to have a different approach. Here I would like to present a bunch of questions on a topic that has been bothering me for a few years now. On the outside, it looks simple, but once you start delving in, you notice a whole different picture. So, with your permission, let's begin.
  
  Just to mention, the following is my opinion, or just some thoughts and questions out loud.
  
  In Masechet Chagigah 14b of the Talmud Bavli, there's a story about four people who went to Pardes: Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma, Aher, and Rabbi Akiva. Four great scholars embarked on a mystical journey. Ben Azzai died, Ben Zoma lost his mind, and Aher lost his faith or went off the derech. Only one, Rabbi Akiva, returned unscathed. 
  
  As a sidenote, Rabbi Elisha ben Avuya or Aher was a wealthy Jerusalemite, one of the great sages of the Mishnah, as they were called Tannayim. Tannayim were the caliber that could raise the dead. He is quoted by name in a Mishnah in Tractate Avot, and his ruling regarding mourning rites is cited in Tractate Megillah. He was a colleague of Rabbi Akiva and the teacher of Rabbi Meir, one of the greatest and most prolific contributors to the Mishnah. Above is his biography, so we know who we are dealing with. 
  
  My personal rule is: No Tannah EVER Goes OFF The Derech. So, in that case, what happened? Why is it documented in the Gemara that he did go off the derech?
  
  I think the correct question that should be asked about what happened in the Pardes? 
  
  So he chopped the trees and saw Angel Methatron sitting. And this is what made him go off the derech? But why?
  
  I do believe there's much more to this. 
  
  The Nation at that time was divided into two camps: those who had visited the Pardes and those who hadn't. 
  
  And I believe that the current problems we have in the nation are because those who were not in Pardes won, since they crushed those who had been there. And I am not talking about one or two people, but the Rabbanut and the community as a whole went against Rabbi Elisha ben Avuya and Ben Zoma. (Looks like the community loves to crush people and go as a group against the few, but more on this later.)
  
  The ascent to Pardes was a failed mission; they had a reason to go there, and thus far, what we know about it is only hinted at and not discussed openly in the Gemara. But there's a reason why they went there.
  
  And the reason IS...
  
  First, what is Pardes? You can read about it here. The fruits they ate from the tree made them know Torah. So, all three knew Torah, not only Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva was a seasoned rabbi, and he was the only one teaching Torah. What happened to the other two? 
  
  Well, Ben Zoma was called crazy. Why? I believe he was a young fellow with no credentials as a Rabbi, and since he knew Torah because he came from Pardes, the rabbis of the old told him, "You think you're going to teach us Torah? We are double and triple your age, and we been at it longer than you, and you want us to listen to you? You must be crazy! Oh yes, you are!" And that's what they labeled him.
  
  In his conversation on Chagigah 15A says: "There was once an incident with regard to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, who was standing on a step on the Temple Mount, and ben Zoma saw him and did not stand before him to honor him, as he was deep in thought. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: From where do you come and where are you going, ben Zoma, i.e., what is on your mind? He said to him: In my thoughts I was looking upon the act of Creation, at the gap between the upper waters and the lower waters, as there is only the breadth of a mere three fingers between them, as it is stated: "And the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2), like a dove hovering over its young without touching them. Rabbi Yehoshua said to his students who had overheard this exchange: Ben Zoma is still outside; he has not yet achieved full understanding of these matters."
  
  But if you dwell on his answer a bit more, you will see a depth in his answer. What are the lower and upper waters? The breadth of a mere three fingers between the waters; what does he mean by that? He has given a very deep answer. I believe Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya did not understand him, since they did not learn Torah from a young, crazy, and no-credentials fellow.
  
  Again, just so you know who Ben Zoma is: a Tannah, who is cited in multiple places in the Talmud and the Midrash for Midrashic interpretation, for laws relating to blessings, for discussions about lineage and marriage laws, and in the Passover Haggadah. Although not formally ordained (hence called "Ben" rather than "Rabbi"), he was regarded as extraordinarily brilliant. The Talmud preserves statements showing that leading sages considered him exceptionally sharp in argumentation.
  
  Rabbi Akiva came intact - came back alive and seemed as if nothing happened.
  
  I heard in one of the lectures that there's an opinion that 24,000 students' deaths happened because of his support for Bar Kochba, since they joined his army. And second, he publicly supported Bar Kochba and proclaimed him Mashiach, which turned out to be false, and there were plenty of consequences that followed. 
  
  How come no one holds him liable for that? Oh wait, someone does - Hashem. Rabbi Akiva is counted as one of the martyrs and dies a horrible death. Can it be because of the above??
  
  - Why did Rabbi Akiva support Bar Kochba?
  - Why was Rabbi Akiva smiling when he saw a fox on the Temple Mount, emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies? (Read the whole story)
  - How come Aher and Ben Zoma were not part of the 10 martyrs, since they all lived in that generation, but only Rabbi Akiva was one of the ten?
  
  Let's talk a little about Rabbi Elisha ben Avuya or Aher, as he is currently called. 
  
  - My first question would be, what made Rabbanut turn away from him? 
  - Why did he turn away from them?
  - Why did he leave the community?
  - Why did he stop going to synagogue or Bet Midrash?
  - Why were the kids reciting to him the passages that sounded bad - or insisted that he was a rasha?
  - Why did he ride a horse on Shabbat (a public violation)?
  - Why did he carry items beyond the permitted boundary (techum Shabbat)?
  - Why did he hire a zona? That's a big one.
  - But another BIG question is, what made him a rasha? 
  - What was it about him that, after his arrival from Pardes, made him different?
  - Why did everyone think that the Torah of Aher was maimed and bad? He ate the fruit in Pardes; his Torah was awesome and ahead of its time.
  
  He was a rejected sage, and I really would like to add him to the following list of The Rejected Trio. 
  
  So many questions, and more could be added to this list, but so much of this story can be explained only if it is learned through the passage from Tanach and Torah together, since the keys are hidden there. Once they are applied, then a whole new picture is painted.
  
  Are there consequences for the community for mistreating Rabbi Elisha Ben Avuyah? I believe there, and we are paying for it to this day. Rabbi Elisha Ben Avuyah is a Mighty of Israel, and for mistreating the Tannah HaKadosh, Hashem has taken the insults personally and has punished the nation to this day, to this year of 2026. From just reading the Gemara, it seems all cut and dry, with no questions, but once we start delving in a new way, all the questions above will be answered, and many places in the Torah become clear and understandable.
  
  - Who atoned for Rabbi Elisha Ben Avuyah? There's someone who has made atonement for him.
  - Did he succeed?
  - How far did he go in the atonement process?
  - What is his name, and when did he live?
  - What steps has he taken to accomplish that?
  
  Since Ben Zoma didn't make a sin, how did Hashem atone the nation for mislabeling and mistreating Ben Zoma? Ben Zoma died young, and believe me, he was another rejected one from society. 
  
  Society should get its act together. Nothing in this world goes away unpunished. Eventually, we answer for everything. 
  
  And finally, is there a connection between Rabbi Elisha Ben Avuyah and Adam HaRishon, Chavah, Moshe Rabbenu, and our times? Yes, I think there's one.
  
  And the reason they went to Pardes is... please read Part 2.
  
  Shmuel Katanov aka Aher

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