The Tragedy of Aher: The Sage Who Could Not Return
by Ram ben Ze'ev The Tragedy of Aher: The Sage Who Could Not Return He was once among the greatest minds of his generation — brilliant, respected, steeped in Torah and philosophy alike. Yet he would become known not by his name, but by his absence from it. The Sages no longer called him Elisha ben Abuyah ; they called him Aher — “the Other.” Elisha was born into privilege in Jerusalem during the late Second Temple period. His father, Abuyah, was a wealthy and influential man who admired Torah...
