Eleazar Refuses to Pretend

Eleazar was one of the leading scribes, an old man known for dignity. He was forced to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh, which was forbidden by the law he followed. But he spat the meat out and went forward to the torture, choosing an honourable death rather than a defiled life.

Some men in charge of the forbidden feast had known Eleazar for a long time. Privately they urged him to bring meat he was allowed to eat and only pretend it was the sacrifice ordered by the king. Then he could escape death, and they could show him kindness because of their old friendship.

Eleazar made a firm decision. He thought about what suited his age, his honoured grey hair, his good upbringing from childhood, and above all God's holy law. He said it would not be right for a man of his years to pretend. Young people might think he had turned to a foreign religion and be led astray by his deception.

Eleazar would not disgrace himself for the sake of this brief life. He said that whether he lived or died, he could not escape the hands of the Almighty. So he chose to die bravely, to act in a way worthy of his old age, and to leave a noble example for the young.

After that, the people who had spoken kindly to him turned against him, thinking his words were madness. As he was being beaten and was near death, Eleazar said that the Lord knew he could have escaped death. Even so, he was enduring great pain in his body, while gladly suffering in his soul because he feared God. He died, and his death became an example of nobleness and virtue for many people.