PETER KNOBEL

those who allow their deaths to make a statement about their lives. Knowing when the struggle is over takes great wisdom. The case of R. Hanniah b. Teradion is instructive.

R. Hanniah b. Teradion was arrested by the Romans and, wrapped in a Torah , was burned at the stake. His disciples said:"Open you mouth so that the fire enters you." He replied,"Let Him who gave me[my soul] take it away, but no one should injure oneself." The executioner then said to him,"Rabbi , if I raise the flame and take away the tufts of wool from over your heart, will you cause me to enter into the life to come?""Yes" he replied"then swear to me[he urged]." He swore to him. He thereupon raised the flame and removed the tufts of wool from over his heart, and his soul departed speedily. The Executioner then jumped and threw himself into the fire. And a bat gol exclaimed:"Rabbi Haninah b. Teradion and the Executioner have been assigned to the world to come." When Rabbi heard it he wept and said,"One may acquire eternal life in a single hour, another after many years."*

This passage has been subject to a great deal of analysis and is often used to demonstrate that active euthanasia is not permitted. What we have here is a situation of assisted suicide where the person is unable to act for certain emotional or moral reasons but is able to permit another to help him. The executioner is granted immediate eternal life for his act of mercy. In fact one can read this passage to suggest that relief of suffering which hastens death is not only permitted but meritorious, so meritorious that the executioner is immediately ushered into eternal life.

On the day when Rabbi died the Rabbis decreed a public fast and offered prayers for heavenly mercy. They, furthermore, announced that whoever said that Rabbi was dead would be stabbed with a sword. Rabbi ’s

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