Meilah 17B

ילך רבי שמעון בן יוחאי, שהוא מלומד בנסים. ואחריו מי ילך? רבי אלעזר בר רבי יוסי.

Let R' Shimon ben Yoḥai go to Rome, as he is accustomed to experiencing miracles. And who should go after him, i.e., with him? R' Elazar bar R' Yosei.

אמר להם רבי יוסי: ואילו היה אבא חלפתא קיים, יכולין אתם לומר לו: תן בנך להריגה? אמר להם ר׳ שמעון: אילו היה יוחאי אבא קיים, יכולין אתם לומר לו: תן בנך להריגה?

When R' Yosei, R' Elazar’s father, heard this suggestion, he said to the rabbis: But if Abba Ḥalafta, my father, were alive, would you be able to say to him: Give your son to be killed? If so, how can you ask me to send my son to Rome, where he is likely to be killed? R' Shimon said to the rabbis: If Yoḥai, my father, were alive, would you be able to say to him: Give your son to be killed? Nevertheless, I am prepared to risk my life and go to Rome, and if so, R' Elazar bar R' Yosei should accompany me.

אמר להו רבי יוסי: אנא אזלין, דלמא עניש ליה רבי שמעון, דקא מסתפינא. קביל עליה דלא ליענשיה. אפילו הכי, ענשיה.

Upon hearing this, R' Yosei said to the rabbis: If so, I will go in place of my son. I do not want him to go with R' Shimon ben Yoḥai, as this is what I fear: My son Elazar is young and quick to answer, and I am concerned lest R' Shimon, who is hot-tempered, will become angry with him and punish him. R' Shimon accepted upon himself that he would not punish R' Elazar. The Talmud notes that even so, R' Shimon did punish him while they were on their journey.

כשהיו מהלכין בדרך, נשאלה שאלה זו בפניהם: מנין לדם השרץ שהוא טמא? עקם פיו רבי אלעזר בר רבי יוסי, ואמר: ״וזה לכם הטמא״. אמר ליה רבי שמעון: מעקימת שפתיך אתה ניכר שתלמיד חכם אתה, אל יחזור הבן אצל אביו.

Why did R' Shimon end up punishing R' Elazar? When they were walking on the road, this following question was asked before them: From where is it derived with regard to blood of a creeping animal that it is impure? R' Elazar bar R' Yosei twisted his mouth to whisper and said: It is derived from the verse: “And these are they that are impure for you among the creeping animals” (Leviticus 11:29). Although R' Elazar tried to whisper so that R' Shimon would not hear, R' Shimon said to him: From the twisting of your mouth and your answer it is clear that you are a Torah scholar. Nevertheless, it is prohibited for a student to issue a ruling of halakha in the presence of his teacher. Therefore, I curse you that the son will not return from this journey to his father.