Rabbi Tzadok Climbs Into the Oven
When a powerful noblewoman tries to entice him, Rabbi Tzadok climbs into her lit oven, teaching her how severe the sin is, and she leaves him alone.
A powerful noblewoman tried to entice Rabbi Tzadok to commit an immoral act with her. He said, “I am feeling too weak. Is there something to eat here?” She said, “There is some non-kosher meat.” Rabbi Tzadok said, “What can be derived from this? It is fitting for the one who acts immorally with a gentile woman to be fed non-kosher meat.” She then lit the oven to cook the meat. Rabbi Tzadok then climbed into the oven. The woman exclaimed, “What are you doing?” Rabbi Tzadok told her that the one who commits this immoral act deserves to fall into the fire (of Gehinnom). She said, “If I had realized how severe a sin you considered this, I would not have bothered you in the first place.”