Four Who Entered Paradise

Plot

The Talmud tells of four great sages who entered paradise,Rabbi Akiva, Ben Zoma, Ben Azzai and Elisha ben Abuyah. Of the four, one died, one went insane, and one "cut the shoots". Only of Rabbi Akiva is it said that "he ascended in peace and descended in peace." The Talmud gives very little further explanation of this legendary visit to paradise. Howard Schwartz has researched this legend and created a mythical travelogue of the journey. His novella takes into account Talmudic and other scholarly literature regarding this legend and interweaves other common themes of Jewish mysticism. I enjoyed the story immensely, especially the way it brought together numerous pieces of Jewish lore and legend, some of which were already familiar to me, but among which I had never seen a connection. The story is accompanied by an introduction and detailed "Thematic Commentary".