The Wickedness of Gechazi
Question
Shalom, Rabbi. I have a question for you. Rabbis said that Gehazi was too wicked to go to Olam Haba. But all of his sins were that he lied to Elisha. We all sometimes lie to others. No one is perfectly honest. Gehazi also lied to Elisha the prophet, but was it so evil? If one has no portion in Olam Haba merely because he or she lies, no one can have eternal life. Why does Gehazi have no portion in Olam Haba? What makes his sin so evil?
Answers
The Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 10:2, teaches that Gechazi was indeed a truly great Torah scholar but he had three major flaws in his personality. He was envious and jealous of others, he was degenerate, and he denied the Resurrection of the Dead. It was a combination of his tremendous Torah scholarship, coupled with his terrible flaws, which caused him to be punished as he was.
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