"And wherefore?" "Because, on the Sabbath day, thou art allowed to go so far and no farther, and I have reckoned the distance thou hast traveled with me by the footsteps of my horse." "If thou art so wise," said Rabbi Meir, "as to reckon the distance I may travel by the footsteps of thy horse, and so particular for my sake, why not return to God and repent of thy apostacy?" Elishah answered:-- "It is not in my power. I rode upon horseback once on the Day of Atonement; yea, when it fell upon the Sabbath, and when I passed the synagogue I heard a voice crying, 'Return, oh backsliding children, return to me and I will return to ye; except Elishah, the son of Abuyah, he knew his Master and yet rebelled against Him.'" What caused such a learned man as Elishah to turn to evil ways? It is reported that once while studying the law in the vale of Genusan, he saw a man climbing a tree. The man found a bird's-nest in the tree, and taking the mother with the young ones he still departed in peace. He saw another man who finding a bird's-nest followed the Bible's command and took the young only, allowing the mother to fly away; and yet a serpent stung him as he descended, and he died. "Now," thought he, "where is the Bible's truth and promises? Is it not written, 'And the young thou mayest take to thyself, but the mother thou shalt surely let go, that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live many days.' Now, where is the long life to this man who followed the precept, while the one who transgressed it is unhurt?" He had not heard how Rabbi Akiba expounded this verse, that the days would be long in the future world where all is happiness. There is also another reason given as the cause for Elishah's backsliding and apostacy. During the fearful period of religious persecution, the learned Rabbi Judah, whose life had been passed in the study of the law and the practice of God's precepts, was delivered into the power of the cruel torturer. His tongue was placed in a dog's mouth and the dog bit it off. So Elishah said, "If a tongue which uttered naught but truth be so used, and a learned, wise man be so treated, of what use is it to avoid having a lying tongue and being ignorant. Lo, if these things are allowed, there is surely no reward for the righteous, and no resurrection for the dead." When Elishah waxed old he was taken sick, and Rabbi Meir, learning of the illness of his aged teacher, called upon him. "Oh return, return unto thy God." entreated Rabbi Meir. "What!" exclaimed Elishah, "return! and could He receive my penitence, the penitence of an apostate who has so rebelled against Him?" "Is it not written," said Meir, "'Thou turnest man to contrition?' No matter how the soul of man may be crushed, he can still turn to his God and find relief."