Commentary for Kiddushin 78:13
אמר רב יוסף אילמלי דרשיה אחר להאי קרא כרבי יעקב בר ברתיה לא חטא ואחר מאי הוא איכא דאמרי כי האי גוונא חזא
But R'Eleazar said: Those who are engaged on a precept are never harmed, either when going or returning? - It was a rickety ladder, so that injury was likely,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'established'.');"><sup>32</sup></span> and where injury is likely one must not rely on a miracle, for it is written, and Samuel said: How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 1 Sam. XVI, 2; he did not rely upon the fact that his mission was by God's command.');"><sup>33</sup></span>
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
“Aher” which means “the other one” refers to Elisha ben Abuya, the famous rabbi who left rabbinic Judaism to lead a life of sin. According to our sugya, what lead him to sin was the problem of theodicy. He saw good people’s lives ended in tragic death. He did not realize, as R. Ya’akov would have told him, that the reward for leading a good life was waiting for the world to come.
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