daf bit: Sanhedrin 90

[cellio]

The mishna teaches: all Israel has a portion in the world to come, except for the following: he who denies resurrection, he who says the torah was not divinely revealed, and an apikorus. Rabbi Akiva adds: one who reads uncanonical books (!). Also (this is unattributed) one who whispers a charm over a wound. Abba Shaul says: also one who pronounces the divine name as it is spelled. The g'mara for the rest of the daf (and more) talks about resurrection, starting with the practical observation that one who denies resurrection doesn't get to experience it. (90a-b)

This last point is similar to a view of atheism I heard once that resonated: if you don't believe in God, you don't get to experience God -- which satisfies everyone involved, yes?

I noticed something fun on tomorrow's daf, so there will be another daf bit tomorrow.

Comments

[ralphmelton.livejournal.com]

What's an apikorus?

[geekosaur]

An apostate. It's a corruption of Epicurus, whose philosophy was seen as the antithesis of everything Judaism stood for.

[cellio]

Whoops, meant to footnote that. As geekosaur says, an apostate (sometimes rendered heretic).