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JUDAISM DISCOVERED 398 MICHAEL HOFFMAN
Christianity). Using techniques of mental reservation and equivocation,
Rabbi Eliezer tells the alleged Roman judge that he considers the judge
trustworthy (the Soncino has him declaring, "I acknowledge the Judge as
right"). This in turn, BT Avodah Zarah 16b-17a informs us, caused the judge
to respond, "Because you acknowledge me as trustworthy, you are acquitted."
Of course, the clever Rabbi Eliezer did not at all regard the judge as
trustworthy. His reference was to the Supreme Judge, not the judge before
whom he stood as a defendant. He thereby cleverly allowed the judge to
deceive himself.
After his acquittal, the Talmud has Rabbi Eliezer's student, Rabbi Akiva
(also spelled "Aqiva" and "Akiba") ask him if he was arrested due to the fact
that he may actually have been tainted with the heresy (of Christianity).
Rabbi Eliezer answers by saying that at one time in the past he encountered
"in the upper market of Sepphoris one of the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth."
Rabbi Eliezer quotes words he attributes to Jesus' alleged disciple, "Jacob of
Kefar-Sekaniah" approvingly, concerning prostitutes and money used to build
a toilet for the High Priest. This latter bit of psychopathic-sexualis is a
recurring Talmudie obsession, as we have seen, having nothing to do with
any Christian pronouncement, but it is a challenge for the rabbis to get away
from toilet themes for very long, and this passage reflects that mania. Rabbi
Eliezer states: "Jacob of Kefar-Sekaniah said to me: 'It is written in your
Torah, Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot into the House of the Lord.
May such money be used for making a toilet for the High Priest?' I made no
reply. He said to me, 'Thus was I taught by Jesus of Nazareth, For the hire of
a harlot has she gathered them and unto the hire of a harlot shall they
return. They came from a place of filth, let them return to a place of filth.'
These words (of Jacob quoting Jesus who is citing a portion of Micah 1:7),
pleased me very much, said Rabbi Eliezer and that is why I was arrested as a
min."
In other words, the Christian, "Jacob," is concluding, in his last
utterance, that the money earned from prostitution can be used for pubic
works, such as building latrines for the High Priest. Rabbi Eliezer is wellpleased
with this line of thought coming from a Christian disciple who
directly cites Jesus as his inspiration. Is this an example of a rabbi approving
of Christian teaching, however indirectly? It would be, if this account from
BT Avodah Zarah 17a concluded at this point. But the very next passage is