The Decree of the Ten Martyrs

The Roman emperor of the time, Lupinus, was studying Torah, and he asked the ten great sages of that generation, “What is the law according to your Torah for a Jew who sells another into captivity?” He was referring to the sale of Yosef by his brothers. “The penalty is death,” answered Rebbi Akiva and his colleagues. “But Yosef's brothers were never punished for their crime,” the Roman objected, and then he began to set his deadly trap. “Justice must be done, and there have been no leaders to take their place until the ten of you.”

When Rebbi Nechunya ben HaKana heard of the decree, he told Rebbi Yishmael ben Elisha to ascend to Heaven and find out whether it was the result of a heavenly decree. Rebbi Yishmael purified himself, uttered the secret Name of Hashem and ascended. He asked the angel Gavriel about the decree, and Gavriel answered, “Accept it upon yourselves, righteous and beloved men, for I have heard from behind the partition that this is to be your destiny.” Rebbi Yishmael was told that the ten sages would be given to the evil angel Samael as punishment for the sale of Yosef.

Rebbi Yishmael reported to his colleagues what he had been told, and they accepted the heavenly decree.