Rabbi Akiva: The Early Years
04/18/2025 04:31:13 PM
Parsha Halacha – Last days of Pesach
Rabbi Akiva: The Early Years
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This week we began to count the Omer. This time of the year, between Pesach and Shavuot, that the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva passed away.[1] As such, this article will focus on the life and times of the great teacher, the pillar of the Oral Torah,[2]Rabbi Akiva.
Ancestry
The Rambam writes[3] that Rabbi Akiva’s father was a righteous convert.
Rabbi Akiva’s mother was a born Jew. This can be derived from the fact that Rabbi Akiva sat on the Sanhedrin and was involved in determining the leap years.[4] One whose father and mother were both converts may not be a member of the Sanhedrin.[5]
The Talmud says[6] that the descendants of the Canaanite general Sisera converted and taught Torah to the children in Jerusalem. According to Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Pano, Italy,[7] this is referring to Rabbi Akiva,[8] who descended from the union of Yael and Sisera.[9]
Gilgul
According to the Arizal,[10] Rabbi Akiva was a gilgul (reincarnation) of Zimri ben Salu, the leader of the tribe of Shimon, who sinned with the Midianite princess Kozbi.[11] Rabbi Akiva rectified this sin by refusing the advances of the Roman ruler Turnus Rufus’ wife, who was a reincarnation of Kozbi. After Turnus Rufus died, his wife converted and married Rabbi Akiva.[12] Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students who died were reincarnations of the 24,000 Jews who died in the plague after the story of Zimri and Kozbi.[13]
In his Youth
In his youth, Rabbi Akiva was unlearned in the Oral Torah[14] and was even antagonistic towards the sages. He used to say, “Who can give me a Torah scholar, and I will bite him like a donkey!”[15]
The Daughter of Kalba Savua[16]
When Rabbi Akiva was 40-years-old, he was shepherd for the wealthy Kalba Savua. His daughter Rochel recognized that Akiva was humble and refined. She married him in secret on condition that he would go to study in Yeshivah which he ageed to do. When Kalba Savua found out about their marriage he removed her from his house and vowed that she may not benefit from his property.
After studying in the Yeshivah with Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkanus and Rabbi Yehoshua for 12 years,[17] Rabbi Akiva came back to his hometown with 12,000 students. Before he entered his house, he overheard an old (and wicked) man asking his wife, “For how long will you remain the widow of a living man (i.e., living alone while your husband is elsewhere)?” She responded, “If he would listen to me, I would send him for another 12 years.”[18] Hearing that he had her permission, Rabbi Akiva turned around and went back to study for another 12 years.
After this time, Rabbi Akiva returned with 24,000 students. When his wife was on the way to greet him, her neighbor encouraged her to borrow a more appropriate dress in honor of her now famous husband. She responded that her husband certainly understands her situation (and didn’t need to be impressed by a nicer dress).[19] When she came before him, the students tried to push her away (not recognizing who she was). Rabbi Akiva said to them, “Leave her, my learning and your learning are hers (i.e., in her merit)!”
Upon hearing about his son-in-law’s stature, Kalba Savua went to Rabbi Akiva, not realizing that this was his son-in-law, and asked to have his vow annulled, which Rabbi Akiva was able to do. When Rabbi Akiva revealed his identity, Kalba Savua fell to the floor, kissed Rabbi Akiva’s feet, and gave him half his wealth.
The City of Gold[20]
During the early days of their marriage Rabbi Akiva and Rochel would sleep on straw since they couldn’t afford a regular bed. Elijah the prophet appeared to them in the guise of a regular person. He knocked on their door and asked if they had any straw to spare since his wife had given birth and had nothing to lay on. Akiva turned to his wife and remarked that there were people even poorer than they (so they should be happy with their lot).
Once while Rabbi Akiva was cleaning the straw from his wife’s hair, he promised her that when they would become wealthy, he would buy her an ornament called “a golden city.”
Many years later they became so wealthy that they had silver and golden tables and golden ladders for their beds. Rabbi Akiva then fulfilled his promise and bought Rochel (a fancy garment and) an ornament called the city of gold. The other rabbis said to him, “You’re embarrassing us (since we haven’t bought our wives such fancy things).” He responded, “She suffered greatly for the sake of Torah (and is now entitled to these).”
Studied in Poverty[21]
While Rabbi Akiva was away studying, he lived in extreme poverty. He supported himself by collecting wood, half of which he would sell and half of which he used for himself. His neighbors complained about the smoke that the wood produced and offered to buy his wood and exchange it for oil (which doesn’t produce smoke). Rabbi Akiva refused and said that, besides providing light, the wood also provided heat and could also be used as a bed so he preferred to keep his wood.
Poverty isn’t an Excuse
According to Avot D'rabbi Nathan, on the judgment day, if anyone tries to blame their lack of Torah study on their poverty, they will be shown how Rabbi Akiva studied amidst great poverty. If they say they were too busy caring for their young children, they will be shown how Rabbi Akiva, despite his impoverishment, cared for his sons, daughters, and wife[22] while continuing to study Torah.[23]
The Convincing Rock[24]
Although Rabbi Akiva was initially hesitant to start studying at the age of 40, he was convinced to follow this path from a lesson he learned from a rock in a stream with a hole in it. He asked, “Who penetrated this stone?” The locals answered him, “It was the water that falls on it constantly. Don’t you know the verse,[25] ‘Water wears away stone?’”[26] Akiva said to himself, “If something soft (like water) can pierce something hard (like stone), the Torah, which is hard like iron,[27] can certainly pierce my heart, which is flesh and blood!”
Studying the Alef-Bet[28]
Rabbi Akiva began his studies by attending cheder (school for young children), where he learned the Alef-Bet[29] together with his young son. (It seems that this was a son that Rabbi Akiva had from a previous marriage because this occurred soon after he married Rochel.)[30]
Teachers
As mentioned above, Rabbi Akiva first learned with Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua. Rabbi Eliezer was his Rebbi Muvhak (main teacher).[31] In addition, he also studied under Nachum Ish Gamzu for 22 years[32] as well as Rabbi Tarfon. (Later, they were considered colleagues - talmid chaver).[33]
Smicha
According to the Jerusalem Talmud,[34] Rabbi Akivah received smicha (Rabbinic Ordination) from Rabbi Yehoshua. The Babylonian Talmud also says[35] that Rabbi Akiva gave smicha (Rabbinic ordination) to his student, the famous Rabbi Meir.[36]
With G-d’s help we will continue with this topic in the near future.
[3] Introduction to Sefer HaYad
[5] Rambam Laws of Sanhedrin 4:9
[7] Asarah Ma’amarot, Mamar Chikur Din, section 5, chapters 10 and 22
[8] It’s not clear why Rabbi Akiva is referred to as a school teacher rather than a Torah teacher. The Chida (in Petach Einayim) cites a version of the Talmud which states that the descendants of Sisera taught Torah in Jerusalem and doesn’t mention school teachers.
[9] See Judges chapter 4 and 5.
[10] This is cited in various sources. See Gilgul Neshamot, entry Kozbi (in the letter chof) by Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Pano.
[11] See Numbers chapter 5.
[12] Nedarim 50b. This must have taken place after Rochel had passed away.
[14] See Binyan Yehoshua on Avot DeRabi Natan, 6 (based on the wording of Avot DeRabi Natan, see below) that Rabbi Akiva was proficient in the written Torah at a young age but didn’t know the Oral Torah.
[16] Ketubot 62b and 63a and Nedarim 50a.
[17] According to Avot DeRabi Natan, it was 13 years.
[18] According to Nedarim ibid. this neighbor added that her father was right for disowning her since they were not a good match and because he left her for so long.
[19] She quoted the verse (Proverbs 12:10) יודע צדיק נפש בהמתו - “A righteous man understands the life of his beast.”
[20] Avot DeRabi Natan ibid. and Nedarim ibid.
[21] Avot DeRabi Natan ibid.
[22] According to one of the versions of Avot DeRabi Natan, the people will excuse themselves by saying that they didn’t have a wife like Rabbi Akiva did.
[23] It’s not clear who the mother of these sons and daughters were as Rabbi Akiva left Rochel to study for 24 years soon after their wedding and after those years he became wealthy from his father-in-law as mentioned above. Perhaps they were from a previous marriage.
[26] The Binyan Yehoshua (see above) proves from this conversation that Akiva was well versed in Tanach before this time.
[27] See Ta’anit 4a (Binyan Yehoshua)
[28] Avot DeRabi Natan, ibid.
[29] Since Rabbi Akiva already knew Tanach (see above), it seems that he was learning the deeper meanings of the letters while his son was learning how to read (see Shabbat 104a).
[30] Binyan Yehoshua on Avot DeRabi Natan ibid.
[31] Introduction of the Rambam to the Mishnah
[33] Introduction of the Rambam to the Mishnah. According to the Rambam, Rabbi Akiva would refer to Rabbi Tarfon as his teacher while Rabbi Tarfon would call Rabbi Akiva by his first name. See Ketubot 84b
[36] See Rambam, Chapter 4 of the Laws of Sanhedrin that only one who has smicha may give simcha to others.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach and a Good Yom Tov!
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23 Av 5785
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