Guide:
1. Read the Midrash out loud with your chevruta.
2. Give a title to each section.
3. In your own words, what is the main point of each section?
4. Then focus on the last two sections and the questions beneath each one.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, אִם יִהְיוּ כָּל הַיַּמִּים דְּיוֹ, וַאֲגַמִּים קוּלְמוֹסִין, וְשָׁמַיִם וְאֶרֶץ מְגִלּוֹת, וְכָל בְּנֵי הָאָדָם לַבְלָרִים, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין לִכְתּוֹב [דברי תורה שלמדתי], וַאֲנִי לֹא חִסַּרְתִּיהָ אֶלָּא כְּאָדָם שֶׁמַּטְבִּיל זַכְרוּתוֹ כְּמִכְּחוֹל בַּיָּם.
Rabbi Eliezer says, "If all the seas were ink, and all the swamps were writing reeds, and heaven and earth were scrolls and all the people were scribes, they would not suffice to write down all the Torah I have learned during my lifetime. Yet, I have not taken away from my teachers any more than one who dips a small brush into the sea.
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר אִם יִהְיוּ כָּל הַיַּמִּים דְּיוֹ, וַאֲגַמִּים קוּלְמוֹסִין, וְשָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ יְרִיעוֹת, וְכָל בְּנֵי אָדָם לַבְלָרִין, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין לִכְתּוֹב דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה שֶׁלָּמַדְתִּי, וְלֹא חִסַּרְתִּיהָ רַק כְּאָדָם שֶׁמַּטְבִּיל זַכְרוּתוֹ כְּמִכְּחוֹל בַּיָּם.
Rabbi Joshua says, "If all the seas were ink and all the swamps were writing reeds, and heaven and earth were sheets and all the people were scribes, they would still not suffice to write down all the Torah that I have learned. Yet I have not taken away more than one who dips the handle or a small brush into the sea."
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר אֲנִי אֵין בִּי כֹּחַ לוֹמַר כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתַי, אֶלָּא רַבּוֹתַי חִסְּרוּהָ, וַאֲנִי לֹא חִסַּרְתִּיהָ, אֶלָּא כְּמֵרִיחַ בְּאֶתְרוֹג, הַמֵּרִיחַ נֶהֱנָה, וְהָאֶתְרוֹג לֹא חָסֵר, וְכִמְמַלֵּא מֵאַמַּת הַמַּיִם, וּכְמַדְּלִיק מִנֵּר לְנֵר.
Rabbi Akiva says, "I do. not possess the strength to say as my teachers said, for my teachers have taken away from the knowledge of their teachers, whereas I have taken away from them no more than one who smells a citron (the one who smells it enjoys it, but the citron itself is not diminished). Or, I am like one who fills a pail from a steam of water or kindles a flame from one candle to another."
1. In the Midrash below, the students refer to Rabbi Akiva as Halacha, Torah, and then Akiva. What do you make of these different names? What do they tell us about the person?
2. What motivates the students to bring in Rabbi Akiva?
3. Reflect on examples in your own life when you were in a role similar to the students and/or to Rabbi Akiva.
פַּעַם אַחַת שָׁהָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא לָבוֹא לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, בָּא וְיָשַׁב לוֹ מִבַּחוּץ, נִשְׁאֲלָה שְׁאֵלָה זוֹ הֲלָכָה, אָמְרוּ הֲלָכָה מִבַּחוּץ, חָזְרָה וְנִשְׁאֲלָה שְׁאֵלָה, אָמְרוּ תּוֹרָה מִבַּחוּץ, חָזְרָה וְנִשְׁאֲלָה שְׁאֵלָה, אָמְרוּ עֲקִיבָא מִבַּחוּץ פִּנּוּ לוֹ מָקוֹם, בָּא וְיָשַׁב לוֹ לִפְנֵי רַגְלָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר.
One time, Rabbi Akiva was late in coming to the Study Hall. When he came, he sat outside. A question pertaining to a particular law was posed and they exclaimed, "The halacha is sitting outside!" When a question came up again, they exclaimed, ,"The Torah is sitting outside!" When a question was posed again, they declared, "Akiva is sitting outside! Make way for him." Rabbi Akiva came in and sat at the feet of Rabbi Eliezer.
1. In the Midrash below, Rabbi Joshua acts profoundly when entering the Study Hall. What do his actions convey about Rabbi Eliezer? What do they convey about Torah?
2. Reflect on an extremely important teacher in your life. How might Rabbi Joshua's actions be a role model for how you respond to your teacher and the wisdom you learned?
וּבֵית מִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הָיָה עָשׂוּי כְּמִין רִיס, וְאֶבֶן אַחַת הָיְתָה שָׁם וְהָיְתָה מְיֻחֶדֶת לוֹ לִישִׁיבָה, פַּעַם אַחַת נִכְנַס רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הִתְחִיל מְנַשֵּׁק אוֹתָהּ הָאֶבֶן, וְאָמַר הָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת דּוֹמָה לְהַר סִינַי, וְזֶה שֶׁיָּשַׁב עָלֶיהָ דּוֹמֶה לַאֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית.
The study hall of Rabbi Eliezer was shaped like an eyelid, and there was a stone that was set aside for Rabbi Eliezer to sit on. Rabbi Joshua entered the study hall and began hugging and kissing the stone, saying, "This stone is like Mount Sinai, and the one who sat on it is like the Ark of the Covenant."