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The Great Talmudic Sage : Rabbi Akiva

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muman613:
The Laughter of Rabbi Akiva
Talmud, Makkot 24b
Again it happened that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Joshua and Rabbi Akiva went up to Jerusalem. When they reached Mt. Scopus, they tore their garments. When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. The others started weeping; Rabbi Akiva laughed.

Said they to him: "Why are you laughing?"

Said he to them: "Why are you weeping?"

Said they to him: "A place [so holy] that it is said of it, 'the stranger that approaches it shall die,'1 and now foxes traverse it, and we shouldn't weep?"

Said he to them: "That is why I laugh. For it is written, 'I shall have bear witness for Me faithful witnesses--Uriah the Priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.'2 Now what is the connection between Uriah and Zechariah? Uriah was [in the time of] the First Temple, and Zechariah was [in the time of] the Second Temple! But the Torah makes Zachariah's prophecy dependent upon Uriah's prophecy. With Uriah, it is written: 'Therefore, because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field; [Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the Temple Mount like the high places of a forest.]'3 With Zachariah it is written, 'Old men and women shall yet sit in the streets of Jerusalem.'4

"As long as Uriah's prophecy had not been fulfilled, I feared that Zechariah's prophecy may not be fulfilled either. But now that Uriah's prophecy has been fulfilled, it is certain that Zechariah's prophecy will be fulfilled."

With these words they replied to him: "Akiva, you have consoled us! Akiva, you have consoled us!"

muman613:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112055/jewish/Rabbi-Akiba-The-Diamond-Merchant.htm

Rabbi Akiba The Diamond Merchant
You have all heard about Rabbi Akiba, the great Tanna who had twenty-four thousand students, we remember them especially on Lag B’Omer. Did you know that he was also a diamond merchant? Well, when he became a great man, his father-in-law, Kalba Sabua, who was one of the three richest men in Jerusalem, gave him all his fortune to make up for the way he treated him when Akiba was a poor ignorant shepherd of his. So from time to time Akiba bought and sold diamonds and precious stones to earn his own living. Here is a story about a strange customer who wanted to buy a precious pearl from him.

Rabbi Akiba knew the man and had always thought him poor, for he was poorly dressed, and would always sit in the Beth Hamidrash among the poor people. “I want to buy the pearl,” the man said, “and I’ll pay your price. But I have no money with me. If you will be good enough to come with me to my home, I will pay you.

Rabbi Akiba thought that the man was joking, but nevertheless he decided to go along with him.

As they came into the house of the ‘poor’ man, many servants came out to greet their master. They washed his dusty feet and seated him on a golden chair. The man offered his servants to bring the box where he kept his money, and he paid Rabbi Akiba the full price of the pearl. Then he ordered that the pearl be pounded into a fine powder.

Rabbi Akiba was greatly surprised and asked the man, “you paid so much money for this precious pearl, and now you made a powder of it. Why did you do it?"

“You see, dear Rabbi,” the man replied. “I buy pearls and beat them into powder, and mix them with certain medicines to give to the poor.”

The man ordered the table set with the finest food and wines, and invited Rabbi Akiba and his students to have dinner with him. After dinner, Rabbi Akiba asked the man, “I see that you are very rich; tell me, why do you dress so poorly and sit among the poor men, as though you were one of them?”

“I often hear our great Sages teach us that G-d does not like proud men. And anyway, how can I be proud of my wealth? What is man’s life, and isn't man’s wealth but a passing shadow? Today I am alive, tomorrow, who knows? Today I am rich, tomorrow who knows? Maybe I will be poor, and so it will not be difficult for me to find my place among the poor. If I do not climb high, the fall will not hurt me. But that is only where it concerns me personally, when it comes to giving Tzedoko and supporting Torah institutions, you will not find me poor, only I like to do it quietly for I seek no honor for myself.”

Rabbi Akiba blessed the man to live long, and to remain rich all his life, so that he would continue to do so much good in his wonderful way.

“Whoever has these three things is of the disciples of Abraham our father…A good eye, a humble mind and a lowly spirit…The disciples of Abraham our father enjoy this world and inherit the world to come…” (Pirkei Aboth, 5:23)

muman613:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111935/jewish/Rabbi-Akiba-in-Prison.htm

Rabbi Akiba in Prison
In Prison

Rabbi Akiba lived at a time when the Romans were the rulers in the Holy Land, ever since they had destroyed the Beth Hamikdosh. There came a time when the Romans treated the Jews very harshly, and forbade them to study the Torah and observe the Mitzvoth. Rabbi Akiba, however, continued to teach his many pupils, until he was arrested and put into prison.

The warden of the prison permitted one of Rabbi Akiba's students to bring water to the prisoner. His name was Rabbi Joshua ha-Garsi (meaning, the Grinder of Beans, for this was his trade; there is another opinion that the name refers to his native town).

Every day Rabbi Joshua brought his master in prison a measure of water. Once the warden noticed what a large measure of water it was. "No man drinks so much water," the warden said suspiciously. "Maybe he wants to undermine the foundation of the prison?" Saying this, the warden poured out half of the water, and gave Rabbi Joshua the other half to take to the prisoner.

Asked why he was late, Rabbi Joshua explained to Rabbi Akiba what had happened. "Never mind," said Rabbi Akiba soothingly, "let me now wash my hands, so that I may have something to eat."

Rabbi Joshua ha-Garsi said, "If you use the water for washing your hands, there will not be enough water to drink!"

Then Rabbi Akiba said, "What can I do? To eat with unwashed hands is a sin. It is better to die of thirst than to commit a sin."

When the Sages later heard of Rabbi Akiba's conduct, they said, "If he acts in this pious way now that he is an old man, how much more careful must he have been when he was younger and stronger. And if he observes every law while he is in prison, how much stricter in his observance must he have been at home! Also, note how important is the Mitzvah of washing the hands before meals!"

muman613:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112059/jewish/The-Wisdom-of-Rabbi-Akiba.htm

The Wisdom of Rabbi Akiba
Rabbi Akiba whom we remember especially on the day of Lag B'Omer, was the wisest and greatest Tanna (teacher) of his time, and one of the greatest of all times. When he passed away, "he left none like him," the Rabbis said. Many are the wise teachings and laws which he taught, and of which the Talmud is full. We bring you here some of his teachings:

A heathen once came to Rabbi Akiba, and asked him, 'Who created the world?'

'G-d created the world,' Rabbi Akiba replied.

'Prove it to me,' persisted the heathen.

'Come back tomorrow,' Rabbi Akiba told him.

The following day the heathen came back, and Rabbi Akiba engaged him in conversation. 'What are you wearing?', Rabbi Akiba asked him.

'A cloak, as you see.'

'Who made it?' Rabbi Akiba asked.

'The weaver, of course.'

'I don't believe it; prove it to me!' Rabbi Akiba persisted.

'What proof do you want? Cannot you see that the weaver has made the cloth?'

'Then why do you ask for proof that G-d created the world? Cannot you see that the Holy One blessed be He created it.'

And to his disciples Rabbi Akiba added, 'My children, just as the house is proof of the builder, and the cloth is proof of the weaver, and the door is proof of the joiner, so this world proclaims that G-d created it.'

* * *

Rabbi Akiba had learned and studied the Torah more deeply and extensively than anyone else, yet he was very humble, for he knew that the Torah is endless, for it is the wisdom of G-d. Said he, "All my learning is no more than like the fragrance of an Ethrog; the one who scents it, enjoys it; but the Ethrog loses nothing. Or it is as one who draws water from a spring, or lights a candle from a candle."

No wonder Rabbi Akiba despised a conceited and vain man, whose learning only filled him with self-importance and vain glory. Of such a man Rabbi Akiba said, "He is like a carcass lying on the road; whoever passes it puts his fingers to his nose, and hurries away from it."

The following story also illustrates his humility and respect for the Torah.

Rabbi Akiba was once called upon to read to the congregation a portion of the Torah, but he did not want to do it. His amazed disciples asked him, 'Master, have you not taught us that the Torah is our life and the length of our days? Why did you refuse to read it to the congregation?' And Rabbi Akiba replied, simply: 'Believe me, I had not prepared myself for it; for no man should address words of Torah to the public unless he has first revised them to himself three or four times.

Rabbi Akiba did not keep his learning to himself, but had many students and disciples, more than any other single teacher. As you know, he had no less than 24 thousand students at one time. Some of the greatest Rabbis of the next generation were among his disciples, as, for example, Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai, whose Yahrzeit is observed on Lag B'Omer. Together with another great Sage, Rabbi Chanina ben Chakinai, Rabbi Simeon went to Bene Beraq to learn Torah from Rabbi Akiba, and they stayed there for thirteen years!

Quoting a passage from Koheleth (11:6) "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening do not rest thy hand," Rabbi Akiba explained it to mean: "Teach disciples in thy youth, and do not stop teaching in thy old age."

As you know, it is customary to say 'Perek' (Sayings of Our Fathers) on the Sabbath, beginning with the Sabbath after Pesach. Some say it until Shovuoth, others throughout the summer. Among the 'Fathers' whose teachings we find in this tractate of the Mishnah there is also Rabbi Akiba. In the third chiapter we find the following sayings of his:

"Jesting and frivolity lead a man on to immorality.

"The Massorah (Tradition) is a fence to the Torah.

"Tithes (the prescribed Tzedoko, charity) are a fence to riches.

"Vows (self-restraint) are a fence to a holy life.

"A fence to wisdom is silence."

He used to say:

"Beloved is man, for he was created in the image of G-d. . .

"Beloved are Israel, for they were called children of G-d. . .

"Beloved are Israel, for unto them was given the desirable Torah."

Man is indeed the beloved creature, and Israel has been chosen to receive the Torah; that is why one's responsibility is all the greater. And so he reminds us:

"Everything is foreseen (by G-d), yet freedom of choice is given; and the world is judged with grace, yet all is according to the amount of work accomplished."

Rabbi Akiba goes on to compare the world to a store, where anybody can come and buy things on credit, but everything is recorded in a ledger, and payment will have to be made. Said he:

"Everything is given on pledge, and a net is spread over all the living: the shop is open; and the shopkeeper gives credit; and the ledger lies open; and the hand writes; and whosoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow; but the collectors regularly make their daily rounds; and exact payment from man, whether he is willing or not.

We have no more room here to give you many more of his great sayings and teachings, so we will conclude with one of his favorite sayings, which will do us good to remember always:

"Whatever G-d does is for the best."

muman613:
http://www.ravkooktorah.org/TEFILA-69.htm



Rabbi Akiva's Prayer
The Talmud in Berachot 31a relates how Rabbi Akiva, the great first-century sage, would conduct himself in prayer:

"When he was with the congregation, he would pray quickly so as not to be a burden on those praying with him (who would respectfully wait for him to finish). But when he prayed alone, one could leave him in one corner and afterwards find him in another corner, due to his many bows and prostrations."

Two Levels of Kavanah

From this account we see that there are two levels of kavanah — proper intent and mental focus in prayer. The minimal level of kavanah is to concentrate on the meaning of the words. This is a basic requirement of prayer ( Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 98:1).

There is, however, a higher level of kavanah, when one's thoughts are raised upwards, scaling the heights of profound insights and penetrating revelations. The Shulchan Aruch describes this lofty kavanah of great tzaddikim:

"Devout and pious individuals would seclude themselves, and then they would direct their thoughts in prayer until they succeeded in divesting themselves from the physical and enabling the intellect to dominate. Then they would come close to the level of prophecy." (ibid)

While every prayer makes an impact on the one praying, the extent of this impact depends on the kavanah. A prayer recited with the basic kavanah of concentrating on the words promotes spiritual advance — but a gradual one, like the imperceptible growth of the body.

A prayer focused on higher kavanah, on the other hand, will be the source of more radical transformation. When Rabbi Akiva was alone, his prayer was not the reserved, dignified prayer of the community, but an intense and ecstatic service of God. His vibrant spiritual ascent was expressed physically, so that when he finished praying, he would find himself in the opposite corner of the room.

Such great movement during prayer is unusual — the Amidah prayer is to be recited standing in one place — but Rabbi Akiva would move across the room "due to his many bows and prostrations." The more we are aware of God's greatness, the stronger will be our feelings of submission and selflessness. As Rabbi Akiva progressively deepened his awareness of God's greatness, he would express his profound sense of subservience to God's infinity by bowing and prostrating himself.

Communal Prayer

Despite the obvious benefits of such an intense prayer, it is only suitable when one is secluded in private prayer. But when praying with the congregation, one should align oneself with their level of prayer. The entire congregation could never attain the intensity of prayer of a holy scholar like Rabbi Akiva, so he would pray quickly, content with the ordinary kavanah of concentrating on the meaning of the words.

This is the (perhaps unexpected) implication of Rabbi Akiva's conduct when praying with the congregation. The importance of joining in communal prayer outweighs the benefits of private prayer — even a profoundly intense prayer that reflects one's own spiritual attainments.

(Adapted from Olat Re'iyah vol. I, p. 28; Ein Eyah vol. I, p. 132)


More good information on Rabbi Akivas religious optimism: http://www.aish.com/sp/so/48930237.html

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