An impassioned dispute between Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus and the other Sages regarding the ritual purity of a specific type of oven led to a profound disagreement over the manner of halakhic decision-making and the significant role of the Sages in this process.

The Sages taught: On that day of their dispute, Rabbi Eliezer provided all the proofs in the world to support his opinion, but the Sages did not accept it from him.

Rabbi Eliezer said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, this carob tree will prove it. The carob tree was uprooted one hundred cubits [about 50 m] from its place, and some say four hundred cubits. The Sages said to him: One may not cite halakhic proof from a carob tree. Rabbi Eliezer said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, the canal will prove it. The water in the canal turned and flowed backward. They said to him: One may not cite halakhic proof from a canal.

Rabbi Eliezer again said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, the walls of the study hall will prove it. The walls of the study hall leaned inward and began to fall. Rabbi Yehoshua scolded the walls, saying to them: If Torah scholars are contending with each other in matters of halakha, what is the nature of your involvement in this dispute? The walls did not fall, out of deference to Rabbi Yehoshua, and they did not become upright, out of deference to Rabbi Eliezer; and they still remain inclined.

Rabbi Eliezer again said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, the heavens will prove it. A divine voice emerged from the heavens and said: What do you have against Rabbi Eliezer? As, the halakha is ruled in accordance with his opinion in every situation.

Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said: “It is not in the heavens” (Deuteronomy 30:12). What is the meaning of “it is not in the heavens”? Rabbi Yirmeya says: Since the Torah was already given at Mount Sinai, we do not take a divine voice into consideration, as You already wrote at Mount Sinai in the Torah: “Incline after the majority” (Exodus 23:2).

Rabbi Natan encountered Elijah the prophet and said to him: What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do at that time when Rabbi Yehoshua said that? Elijah said to him: He smiled and said: My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me….

The Sages voted regarding Rabbi Eliezer and ostracized him [for not accepting the majority opinion]. They said: Who will go and inform him of this decision? Rabbi Akiva said to them: I will go, lest an unseemly person go and inform him, and he would thereby destroy the entire world.

What did Rabbi Akiva do? He wore black and wrapped himself in black, and sat before Rabbi Eliezer at a distance of four cubits. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, what is different about today from other days, [that you are conducting yourself in an unusual manner]? Rabbi Akiva said to him: My rabbi, it appears to me that our colleagues are distancing themselves from you. Rabbi Eliezer likewise rent his garments and removed his shoes, and he got off his seat and sat on the ground.

Rabbi Eliezer’s eyes shed tears; consequently, throughout the world, one-third of its olives, and one-third of its wheat, and one-third of its barley were afflicted. Some say that even dough being kneaded in a woman’s hands spoiled. The Sages taught: There was great anger on that day, as any place where Rabbi Eliezer fixed his gaze was burned.

Even Rabban Gamliel was affected, as he was coming on a boat, and a large wave swelled over him threatening to drown him. Rabban Gamliel said to himself: It seems to me that this is only for the sake of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus. Rabban Gamliel stood on his feet and said: Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before You that neither did I act for my honor, nor did I act for the honor of the house of my father; rather, it was for Your honor, so that disputes will not proliferate in Israel. The sea calmed from its rage.

Imma Shalom, wife of Rabbi Eliezer, was the sister of Rabban Gamliel. From that incident forward, she would not allow Rabbi Eliezer to lower his head in [supplicatory] prayer. A certain day was Rosh Hodesh, and she confused a full, thirty-day month for a deficient, twenty-nine-day month [thereby thinking that she need not prevent Rabbi Eliezer from lowering his head]. Some say that a pauper came and stood at the door, and she took bread out to him.

When she returned, she found her husband and saw that he had lowered his head in prayer. She said to him: Rise, as you have killed my brother. Meanwhile, the sound of a shofar emerged from the house of Rabban Gamliel, proclaiming that the Nasi had died. Rabbi Eliezer asked her: From where did you know that he would die? She said to him: This is the tradition that I received from the house of my father’s father: All the gates of Heaven can be locked in the face of prayers, except for the gates of verbal mistreatment. (Bava Metzia 59a)