A dispute broke out among the sages
over the purity of a certain oven.

R. Eliezer declared, it pure
while his colleagues declared it impure!

On that day, R. Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument,
but the sages did not accept any of them.

Finally he said to them:
“If I am right, let this carob tree prove it!”

Sure enough, the carob tree immediately uprooted itself
and moved one hundred cubits, from its place.

“No proof can be brought from a carob tree,” they retorted.

Again he said to them:
“If the law accords with me,
let the channel of water prove it!”

Sure enough, the channel of water flowed backward

“No proof can be brought from a channel of water,” they rejoined.

Once again he urged:
“If the halakhah is on my side,
let the walls of our study house prove it.”

Sure enough, the walls tilted and began to collapse.

But then, R. Joshua stood and rebuked the walls:
“If the sages are engaged in a halakhic dispute,
what right do have to interfere?”

Therefore, in deference to R. Joshua, they did not fall,
but in deference to R. Eliezer,

they could not resume their upright position,
and until today, they stand aslant.

R. Eliezer made one final attempt to overrule the sages,
“If I am right, let the heavens prove it.”

Sure enough, a divine voice cried out,
“How can you dispute with R. Eliezer,
with whom we always agrees.”

R. Joshua stood up and declared:

“The Torah is not in heaven (Deut. 30:12).