its place. In popular culture In Jorge Luis Borges's story "Three Versions of Judas", the narrator mentions that Simeon ben Azzai saw the Garden of Eden and died. In Milton Steinberg's story "As a Driven Leaf", Ben Azzai partakes in Elisha Ben Abuyah's research project to reconcile Jewish faith with other wisdom traditions. He dies in a state of rapture during the peak of his spiritual inquiries. References Mishnah rabbis 2nd-century rabbis Pirkei Avot rabbis