חיי רבי עקיבא

רבי עקיבא בן יוסף (תולדות התנאים והאמוראים, הימן)
כשהגענו לכתוב תולדות האיש הפלאי הזה, כל אשר נעמיק יותר נתפלא הפלא ופלא אלף פעמים, וגם אז לא נגיע אף לחצי שבחו של הדגול מרבבה הלזה, ואך ההשגחה העליונה שגזרה שיחרב בית מקדשנו ושינטל כבוד מבית חיינו הזמין לנו הרפואה קודם למכה בדמות עקיבא בן יוסף להציל את נשמת האומה מכליון חרוץ, הוא לא נתברך מידי ההשגחה לא ביחוס אבות ולא בעושר וגם לא בחכמה, כי היה בן גרים, וע"ה, רועה בהמות, וכבר בא בשנים, ואך ע"י אשה יקרה דגולה מרבבה נתהפך עליו הגלגל מן הקצה אל הקצה, להיות מראשי חכמי הדור המחכים את רבותיו, ועשיר מופלג, ובסוף ימיו להיות ריש הדור כולו, והעמיד תלמידים לאלפים ולרבבות.

כתובות ס״ב ב:ט״ו

רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רָעֲיָא דְּבֶן כַּלְבָּא שָׂבוּעַ הֲוָה, חֲזִיתֵיהּ בְּרַתֵּיה דַּהֲוָה צְנִיעַ וּמְעַלֵּי, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: אִי מִקַּדַּשְׁנָא לָךְ, אָזְלַתְּ לְבֵי רַב? אֲמַר לַהּ: אִין, אִיקַּדַּשָׁא לֵיהּ בְּצִינְעָה וְשַׁדַּרְתֵּיהּ. שְׁמַע אֲבוּהָ, אַפְּקַהּ מִבֵּיתֵיהּ אַדְּרַהּ הֲנָאָה מִנִּכְסֵיהּ. אֲזַל יְתֵיב תְּרֵי סְרֵי שְׁנִין בְּבֵי רַב. כִּי אֲתָא, אַיְיתִי בַּהֲדֵיהּ תְּרֵי סְרֵי אַלְפֵי תַּלְמִידֵי. שַׁמְעֵיהּ לְהָהוּא סָבָא דְּקָאָמַר לַהּ: עַד כַּמָּה

קָא מִדַּבְּרַתְּ אַלְמְנוּת חַיִּים?! אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: אִי לְדִידִי צָיֵית — יָתֵיב תְּרֵי סְרֵי שְׁנֵי אַחְרָינְיָי[תָא]. אָמַר: בִּרְשׁוּת קָא עָבֵידְנָא. הֲדַר אָזֵיל וְיָתֵיב תְּרֵי סְרֵי שְׁנֵי אַחְרָינְיָי[תָא] בְּבֵי רַב. כִּי אֲתָא אַיְיתִי בַּהֲדֵיהּ עֶשְׂרִין וְאַרְבְּעָה אַלְפֵי תַּלְמִידֵי, שְׁמַעָה דְּבֵיתְהוּ, הֲוָת קָא נָפְקָא לְאַפֵּיהּ. אֲמַרוּ לַהּ שִׁיבָבָתָא: שְׁאִילִי מָאנֵי לְבוֹשׁ וְאִיכַּסַּאי. אֲמַרָה לְהוּ: ״יוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ״. כִּי מָטְיָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, נְפַלָה עַל אַפַּהּ, קָא מְנַשְּׁקָא לֵיהּ לְכַרְעֵיהּ. הֲווֹ קָא מְדַחֲפִי לַהּ שַׁמָּעֵיהּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: שִׁבְקוּהָ, שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלָּכֶם — שֶׁלָּהּ הוּא.

שְׁמַע אֲבוּהָ דַּאֲתָא גַּבְרָא רַבָּה לְמָתָא, אָמַר: אֵיזִיל לְגַבֵּיהּ, אֶפְשָׁר דְּמֵפַר נִדְרַאי. אֲתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַדַּעְתָּא דְּגַבְרָא רַבָּה מִי נְדַרְתְּ? אָמַר לוֹ: אֲפִילּוּ פֶּרֶק אֶחָד, וַאֲפִילּוּ הֲלָכָה אַחַת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא הוּא. נְפַל עַל אַפֵּיהּ וְנַשְּׁקֵיהּ עַל כַּרְעֵיהּ וִיהַב לֵיהּ פַּלְגָא מָמוֹנֵיהּ. בְּרַתֵּיה דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא עֲבַדָא לֵיהּ לְבֶן עַזַּאי הָכִי. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: רְחֵילָא בָּתַר רְחֵילָא אָזְלָא, כְּעוֹבָדֵי אִמָּא כָּךְ עוֹבָדֵי בְּרַתָּא.

Ketubot 62b:15

The Gemara further relates: Rabbi Akiva was the shepherd of ben Kalba Savua, one of the wealthy residents of Jerusalem. The daughter of Ben Kalba Savua saw that he was humble and refined. She said to him: If I betroth myself to you, will you go to the study hall to learn Torah? He said to her: Yes. She became betrothed to him privately and sent him off to study. Her father heard this and became angry. He removed her from his house and took a vow prohibiting her from benefiting from his property. Rabbi Akiva went and sat for twelve years in the study hall. When he came back to his house he brought twelve thousand students with him, and as he approached he heard an old man saying to his wife: For how long

נדרים נ׳ א:א׳-ח׳

רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אִיתְקַדַּשַׁת לֵיהּ בְּרַתֵּיה (דְּבַר) דְּכַלְבָּא שָׂבוּעַ. שְׁמַע (בַּר) כַּלְבָּא שָׂבוּעַ, אַדְּרַהּ הֲנָאָה מִכׇּל נִכְסֵיהּ. אֲזַלָא וְאִיתְנְסִיבָה לֵיהּ. בְּסִיתְוָא הֲוָה גָּנוּ בֵּי תִיבְנָא, הֲוָה קָא מְנַקֵּיט לַיהּ תִּיבְנָא מִן מַזְּיַיהּ. אֲמַר לַהּ: אִי הֲוַאי לִי, רָמֵינָא לִיךְ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם דְּדַהֲבָא. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ אִידְּמִי לְהוֹן כֶּאֱנָשָׁא וְקָא קָרֵי אַבָּבָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַבוּ לִי פּוּרְתָּא דְתִיבְנָא דִּילֵדַת אִתְּתִי, וְלֵית לִי מִידַּעַם לְאַגְנוֹיַהּ. אֲמַר לַהּ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא לְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ: חֲזִי גַּבְרָא דַּאֲפִילּוּ תִּיבְנָא לָא אִית לֵיהּ. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: זִיל הֱוֵי בֵּי רַב. אֲזַל תַּרְתֵּי סְרֵי שְׁנִין קַמֵּי דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. לְמִישְׁלַם תַּרְתֵּי סְרֵי שְׁנִין קָא אֲתָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ, שְׁמַע מִן אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּיתֵיהּ דְּקָאָמַר לַהּ חַד רָשָׁע לִדְבֵיתְהוּ: שַׁפִּיר עָבֵיד לִיךְ אֲבוּךְ חֲדָא דְּלָא דָּמֵי לִיךְ. וְעוֹד: [שַׁבְקִךְ] אַרְמְלוּת חַיּוּת כּוּלְּהוֹן שְׁנִין. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: אִי צָאֵית לְדִילִי — לֶיהֱוֵי תַּרְתֵּי סְרֵי שְׁנִין אַחְרָנְיָיתָא. אָמַר: הוֹאִיל וִיהַבַת לִי רְשׁוּתָא, אֶיהְדַּר לַאֲחוֹרַי. הֲדַר אֲזַל הֲוָה תַּרְתֵּי סְרֵי שְׁנֵי אַחְרָנְיָיתָא. אֲתָא בְּעֶשְׂרִין וְאַרְבְּעָה אַלְפִין זוּגֵי תַלְמִידֵי. נְפוּק כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְאַפֵּיהּ, וְאַף הִיא קָמַת לְמִיפַּק לְאַפֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לַהּ הַהוּא רַשִּׁיעָא: וְאַתְּ לְהֵיכָא? אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: ״יוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ״. אֲתָת לְאִיתְחֲזוֹיֵי לֵיהּ, קָא מְדַחִן לַהּ רַבָּנַן. אֲמַר לְהוֹן: הַנִּיחוּ לָהּ, שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלָּכֶם שֶׁלָּהּ הוּא. שְׁמַע (בַּר) כַּלְבָּא שָׂבוּעַ, אֲתָא וְאִיתְּשִׁיל עַל נִידְרֵיהּ וְאִשְׁתְּרַיי, וְאִשְׁתְּרִי. מִן שֵׁית מִילֵּי אִיעַתַּר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: מִן כַּלְבָּא שָׂבוּעַ, מִן אַיָּלָא דִסְפִינְתָּא. דְּכֹל סְפִינָתָא עָבְדִין לֵיהּ מִין עָינָא. זִימְנָא חֲדָא אַנְשְׁיוּהּ עַל כֵּיף יַמָּא אֲתָא הוּא, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ. וּמִן גְּווֹזָא, דְּזִימְנָא חֲדָא יְהֵיב אַרְבָּעָה זוּזֵי לְסָפוֹנָאֵי, אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַיְיתֵי לִי מִדַּעַם, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּחוּ אֶלָּא גְּווֹזָא עַל כֵּיף יַמָּא. אַתְיוּהּ לֵיהּ. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: עֲבֵיד מָרַנָא עֲלֵיהּ, אִישְׁתְּכַח דַּהֲוָה מְלֵי דִּינָרֵי. דְּזִימְנָא חֲדָא טְבַעַת סְפִינְתָּא, וְכוּלֵּי עִיסְקָא הֲוָה מַחֵית בְּהָהוּא גְּווֹזָא, וְאִישְׁתְּכַח בְּהָהוּא זִימְנָא. דְּמִן דִּסְרוּקִיתָא, וּמִן מַטְרוֹנִיתָא,...

Nedarim 50a:1-8

He lifted the mat [tzifeta] upon which he was sitting and said to the messenger: See what there is here. The place was miraculously filled with gold dinars. This demonstrated that Rabbi Yehuda could have had plenty of money if he had so desired. He explained: However, it is not amenable to me to derive benefit in this world. § In connection to the above incident concerning the poverty of scholars and their potential to become wealthy through remarkable circumstances, the Gemara relates an incident: Rabbi Akiva became betrothed to the daughter of bar Kalba Savua. When bar Kalba Savua heard about their betrothal, he took a vow prohibiting her from eating all of his property. Despite this, she went ahead and married Rabbi Akiva. In the winter they would sleep in a storehouse of straw, and Rabbi Akiva would gather strands of straw from her hair. He said to her: If I had the means I would place on your head a Jerusalem of Gold, a type of crown. Elijah the prophet came and appeared to them as a regular person and started calling and knocking on the door. He said to them: Give me a bit of straw, as my wife gave birth and I do not have anything on which to lay her. Rabbi Akiva said to his wife: See this man, who does not even have straw. We should be happy with our lot, as we at least have straw to sleep on. She said to him: Go and be a student of Torah. He went and studied Torah for twelve years before Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua. At the completion of the twelve years, he was coming home when he heard from behind his house that one wicked person was saying to his wife: Your father behaved well toward you. He was right to disinherit you. One reason is that your husband is not similar to you, i.e., he is not suitable for you. And furthermore, he has left you in widowhood in his lifetime all these years. She said to him: If he listens to me, he should be there for another twelve years. Rabbi Akiva said: Since she has given me permission through this statement, I will go back and study more. He turned back and went to the study hall, and he was there for another twelve years. Eventually he came back accompanied by 24,000 pairs of students. Everyone went out to greet him, as he was by then a renowned teacher, and she too arose to go out to greet him. That wicked person said to her: And to where are you going? As she was excessively poor, she was not dressed in a grand manner, as fit for the wife of one so esteemed. She said to him: “A righteous man regards the life of his beast” (Proverbs 12:10); he knows that I am in this state as a result of my dedication to him. She came to present herself before Rabbi Akiva, but the Sages tried to fend her off, as they were unaware of her identity. He said to them: Leave her. Both my Torah knowledge and yours are hers. When bar Kalba Savua heard that the famous man was his son-in-law, he came before halakhic authorities and requested the dissolution of his vow, and it was dissolved. The Gemara adds: Rabbi Akiva became wealthy from six things. First, from the money he received from Kalba Savua after his vow was dissolved. Second, he gained money from the ram of a ship [eila disfineta], as craftsmen would fashion a sculpture of a type of sheep for every ship, which would be placed on its bow, and which would be used to conceal money. On one occasion, the sailors forgot this ram on the seashore, and Rabbi Akiva came and found it with the money stored inside. And third, he became wealthy from a log [gavza] of wood, as on one occasion he gave four dinars to sailors and said to them: Bring me something worthwhile. And they found only a log of wood on the seashore. They brought it to him and said to him: May our master wait with this until we bring a more worthy item. He found that the log was full of dinars, as on one occasion a ship sunk and all the merchandise, i.e., the money, owned by the people on the ship was placed in that log, and it was found on that occasion by the sailors. Rabbi Akiva became wealthy from a convoy of Ishmaelites [Serukita]. And he became wealthy from a certain lady. Rabbi Akiva borrowed money from a lady and said that God would be his guarantor. When it came time to return the loan, the king’s daughter became insane and threw a purse of jewelry into the sea, which was found by that lady. She told Rabbi Akiva that his guarantor had paid his debt and she allowed him to keep the loan.

אבות דרבי נתן ו׳:ב׳

דבר אחר הוי מתאבק בעפר רגליהם זה רבי אליעזר ושותה בצמא את דבריהם זה רבי עקיבא. מה היה תחלתו של רבי עקיבא. אמרו בן ארבעים שנה היה ולא שנה כלום. פעם אחת היה עומד על פי הבאר אמר מי חקק אבן זו אמרו לא המים שתדיר [נופלים] עליה בכל יום אמרו [לו] עקיבא אי אתה קורא אבנים שחקו מים. מיד היה רבי עקיבא דן קל וחומר בעצמו מה רך פסל את הקשה דברי תורה שקשה כברזל על אחת כמה וכמה שיחקקו את לבי שהוא בשר ודם. מיד חזר ללמוד תורה. הלך הוא ובנו וישבו אצל מלמדי תינוקות א״ל רבי למדני תורה אחז רבי עקיבא בראש הלוח ובנו בראש הלוח כתב לו אלף בית ולמדה . (אלף תיו ולמדה תורת כהנים ולמדה). היה לומד והולך עד שלמד כל התורה כולה הלך וישב לפני רבי אליעזר ולפני ר׳ יהושע אמר להם רבותי פתחו לי טעם משנה כיון שאמר לו הלכה אחת הלך וישב לו בינו לבין עצמו אמר (אלף זו למה נכתבה בית זו למה נכתבה) דבר זה למה נאמר חזר ושאלן והעמידן בדברים. רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אומר אמשול לך משל למה הדבר דומה לסתת שהיה מסתת בהרים פעם אחת נטל קרדומו בידו והלך וישב על ההר והיה מכה ממנו צרורות דקות ובאו בני אדם ואמרו לו מה אתה עושה. אמר להם הרי אני עוקר ומטילו בתוך הירדן אמרו לו אי אתה יכול לעקור את כל ההר היה מסתת והולך עד שהגיע אצל סלע גדול נכנס תחתיו סתרו ועקרו והטילו אל הירדן ואמר לו אין זה מקומך אלא מקום זה. כך עשה להם רבי עקיבא לרבי אליעזר ורבי יהושע. אמר לו רבי טרפון עקיבא עליך הכתוב אומר (איוב כח) מבכי נהרות חבש ותעלומה יוציא אור דברים המסותרים מבני אדם הוציאם רבי עקיבא לאורה. בכל יום ויום היה מביא חבילה של עצים חציה מוכר ומתפרנס וחציה מתקשט בה עמדו עליו שכניו ואמרו לו עקיבא אבדתנו בעשן מכור אותן לנו וטול שמן בדמיהן ושנה לאור הנר אמר להם הרבה ספוקים אני מסתפק בהן אחד שאני שונה בהן ואחד שאני מתחמם כנגדן ואחד שאני יכול לישן [בהם] עתיד רבי עקיבא לחייב את כל העניים בדין שאם אומר להם מפני מה לא למדתם [והם אמרו מפני] שעניים היינו אומרים להם והלא רבי עקיבא עני ביתר ומדולדל היה [והם אמרו מפני טפינו אומרים להם והלא רבי עקיבא] היו לו בנים ובנות (אלא אומרים להם מפני) שזכתה רחל אשתו. בן מ׳ שנה הלך ללמוד תורה סוף שלש עשרה שנה לימד תורה ברבים אמרו לא נפטר מן העולם עד שהיו לו שולחנות של כסף ושל זהב ועד שעלה למטתו בסולמות של זהב. היתה אשתו יוצאה בקרדמין ובעיר של זהב אמרו לו תלמידיו רבי ביישתנו ממה שעשית לה אמר להם הרבה צער נצטערה עמי בתורה:

Avot DeRabbi Natan 6:2

Become dirty in the dust of their feet. How so? When a Torah scholar enters the city, do not say: I don’t need him. Instead, go to him. And do not sit next to him on a bed, or on a chair, or on a bench. Rather, sit before him on the ground, and accept upon yourself every word that comes from his mouth with fear and reverence, trembling and sweating, just as our forefathers accepted what they heard at Mount Sinai with fear and reverence, trembling and sweating.
Another explanation: Become dirty in the dust of their feet: This refers to Rabbi Eliezer; And drink in their words thirstily: This refers to Rabbi Akiva.
What were the origins of Rabbi Akiva? They say that he was forty years old and had still not learned anything. Once, he was standing at the mouth of a well and he said: Who carved a hole in this stone? They said to him: It is from the water, which constantly [falls] on it, day after day. And they said: Akiva, don't you know this from the verse (Job 14:19), “Water erodes stones”? Rabbi Akiva immediately applied this, all the more so, to himself. He said: If something soft can carve something hard, then all the more so, the words of Torah, which are like steel, can engrave themselves on my heart, which is but flesh and blood. He immediately went to start studying Torah. He went with his son and they sat down by the schoolteachers. He said to one: Rabbi, teach me Torah! He then took hold of one end of the tablet, and his son took hold of the other end. The teacher wrote down aleph and beit for him, and he learned them (aleph to tav, and he learned them; the book of Leviticus, and he learned it). And he went on studying until he learned the whole Torah. Then he went and sat before Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua. My masters, he said, open up the sense of the Mishnah to me. When they told him one law, he went off and sat down to work it out for himself. (This aleph – what was it written for? That beit – what was it written for?) Why was this thing said? He kept coming back, and kept asking them, until he reduced his teachers to silence. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: I will give you a parable to tell you what this was like: Like a stonecutter who was hacking away at the mountains. One time he took his pickaxe in his hand, and went and sat on top of the mountain, and began to chip small stones away from it. Some people came by and asked him: What are you doing? He said to them: I am going to uproot the mountain and throw it into the Jordan! They said to him: You cannot uproot the entire mountain! But he kept hacking away, until he came to a big boulder. So he wedged himself underneath it, pried it loose, and threw it into the Jordan. And he said to it: Your place is not here, but there! This is what Rabbi Akiva did to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Tarfon. Rabbi Tarfon said to him: Akiva, it is about you that the verse says (Job 28:11), “He stops up the streams so that hidden things may be brought to light.” For Rabbi Akiva has brought to light things which are kept hidden from human beings.
Every day, he would bring a bundle of sticks, half of which he would sell to support himself and half he would use for kindling. His neighbors came and said to him: Akiva, you are choking us with all this smoke. Sell it all to us instead, and then buy oil with the money, and study by the light of a candle. He said to them: But I take care of many of my needs with it. I study [by its light]. I warm myself [by its fire]. And then I can [make it into a bed and] sleep on it.
All the poor will one day be judged against Rabbi Akiva, for if one says to them: Why did you never study? [And they say: Because] we were poor! then we will say to them: But wasn’t Rabbi Akiva even poorer, completely impoverished? [And if they say: It is because of our babies, we will say: But didn’t Rabbi Akiva] have sons and daughters as well? (But they will say: It is because) he merited to have his wife Rachel [to help him].
He was forty years old when he went to study Torah, and after thirteen years, he was teaching Torah to the masses. It was said that he did not leave the world until he had tables full of silver and gold, and he could go up to his bed on golden ladders. His wife would go out in a fancy gown and with golden jewelry with an engraving of Jerusalem on it. His students said: Rabbi, you are embarrassing us with what you have done for her. He said to them: She suffered greatly with me for the sake of Torah.

פסחים מ״ט ב:ו׳-ז׳

...רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: עַם הָאָרֶץ מוּתָּר לְקוֹרְעוֹ כְּדָג. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק: וּמִגַּבּוֹ. תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי עַם הָאָרֶץ אָמַרְתִּי: מִי יִתֵּן לִי תַּלְמִיד חָכָם וַאֲנַשְּׁכֶנּוּ כַּחֲמוֹר. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, אֱמוֹר כְּכֶלֶב! אָמַר לָהֶן: זֶה נוֹשֵׁךְ וְשׁוֹבֵר עֶצֶם, וְזֶה נוֹשֵׁךְ וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹבֵר עֶצֶם

Pesachim 49b:6-7

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is permitted to tear open an ignoramus like a fish. Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said: And one may cut him open from his back and thereby cause his immediate death by piercing his spinal cord rather than his stomach. It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Akiva said: When I was an ignoramus I said: Who will give me a Torah scholar so that I will bite him like a donkey? His students said to him: Master, say that you would bite him like a dog! He said to them: I specifically used that wording, as this one, a donkey, bites and breaks bones, and that one, a dog, bites but does not break bones.

ריטב"א על כתובות ס״ב ב:א׳

חדתי ברתי' דהוה צנוע ומעלי. וא"ת הא דאמרי' בפסח ראשון אמר ר"ע כשהייתי עם הארץ הייתי אומר מי יתן לי ת"ח ואנשכנו כחמור י"ל שזהו קודם לכן אבל אחרי כן הוא חזי למוטב שיהא צנוע ומעלי ואח"כ קבע עצמו לתורה כדאיתא הכא.

Ritva on Ketubot 62b:1

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תוספות על כתובות ס״ב ב:ט״ו:א׳

דהוה צניע ומעלי - והא דאמר באלו עוברין (פסחים מט:) אמר ר"ע כשהייתי עם הארץ הייתי אומר מי יתן לי תלמיד חכם ואנשכנו כחמור משמע דלא הוה מעלי איכא למימר דהתם לאו משום שהיה שונא תלמידי חכמים אלא משום שהי' סבור שמתגאין על עמי הארץ מפני תורתן והיו תלמידי חכמים שונאים אותם וגם משום שלא היו מניחין אותם ליגע בהם כדאמרינן (חגיגה דף יח:) בגדי עם הארץ מדרס לפרושים אבל מכל מקום שומר מצות היה. רבינו תם:

Tosafot on Ketubot 62b:15:1

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תלמוד ירושלמי ברכות ד׳:א׳:ל״ג

... הָֽלְכוּ וּמִינּוּ אֶת רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה בִישִׁיבָה בֶּן שֵׁשׁ עֵשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְנִתְמַלֵּא כָּל־רֹאשׁוֹ שֵׂיבָה. וְהָיָה רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא יוֹשֵׁב וּמִצְטָעֵר וְאָמַר לֹא שֶׁהוּא בֶּן תּוֹרָה יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנִּי אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא בֶּן גְּדוֹלִים יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנּי. אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֶׁזָּכוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ יָתֵד בְּמִי לְהִתָּלוֹת בָּהּ. וְכִי מַה הָֽיְתָה יְתֵידָתוֹ שֶׁל רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה שֶׁהָיָה דּוֹר עֲשִׂירִי לְעֶזְרָא. וְכַמָּה סַפְסָלִין הָיוּ שָׁם. רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בֶּן סִיסִי אָמַר שְׁמוֹנִים סַפְסָלִים הָיוּ שָׁם שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים חוּץ מִן הָעוֹמְדִין לַאֲחוֹרֵי הַגֶּדֶר. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי אָבוּן אָמַר שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם חוּץ מִן הָעוֹמְדִין לַאֲחוֹרֵי הַגֶּדֶר.

Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 4:1:33

It happened that one student came and asked Rebbi Joshua: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is voluntary. He asked Rabban Gamliel: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is obligatory. He said to him: But Rebbi Joshua told me that it was voluntary. He said to him: Tomorrow, when I enter the assembly hall, stand up and ask me about this practice. The next day, this student stood up and asked Rabban Gamliel: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is obligatory. He said to him: But Rebbi Joshua told me that it was voluntary. Rabban Gamliel said to Rebbi Joshua: Are you the one who says it is voluntary? He answered him: No. He said to him: Stand up on your feet so that they may testify against you. Then Rabban Gamliel was sitting down and lecturing while Rebbi Joshua was standing up until the people started talking and said to Rebbi Ḥuẓpit the interpreter: Send the people home. They said to Rebbi Zenon the ḥazan: Start! He said: Start! All the people stood up and said to him (Nahum 3:19): “Certainly, on whom did your evil not pass always?” They went and appointed Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah to the Yeshivah when he was 16 years old; his head became all white. Rebbi Aqiba sat and was sad; he said, not that he is a greater Torah scholar than I am, but he comes from a greater family than I do; hail to the man whose forefathers created merit for him, hail to the man who has a peg to hang on to. What was Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah’s peg? He was the tenth generation after Ezra. How many seats were there? Rebbi Jacob ben Sisi said: Eighty seats were there of accomplished scholars, not to count those standing behind the railing. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said 300 were there, not to count those standing behind the railing. As we have stated there (Mishnah Zebaḥim 1:3) “On the day Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah was appointed to the Academy.” There (Mishnah Ketubot 4:6) we have stated: “This inference did Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah present before the sages at the vineyard of Jabneh.” Was there a vineyard? It means that the scholars sat there in rows like vines in a vineyard. Rabban Gamliel went immediately to pacify each one in his house. He came to Rebbi Joshua and found him occupied with the making of needles. He asked him: This is how you earn your living? He answered him: Until now you did not know? Woe to the generation whose caretaker you are! He said to him: I humble myself before you. They sent a washerman to Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah, but some say that it was Rebbi Aqiba. He told him: The sprinkler, son of a sprinkler, should sprinkle. Should anyone who is neither a sprinkler nor the son of a sprinkler say to the sprinkler: your water is water from a cave and your ashes are ashes from a fireplace? He said to him: You made your peace with him! I and you shall go in the morning to Rabban Gamliel’s door. Nevertheless they did not remove him from his dignity but made him head of the court.

ספרי דברים מ״ח:ה׳

שְׁתֵה־מַ֥יִם מִבּוֹרֶ֑ךָ וְ֝נֹזְלִ֗ים מִתּ֥וֹךְ בְּאֵרֶֽךָ׃

יָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ ח֑וּצָה בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־מָֽיִם׃ (משלי ה׳ טו)

רבי עקיבה אומר הרי הוא אומר שתה מים מבורך באר מתחלתו אין יכול להוציא טיפת מים מאליו לא היה אלא מה שבתוכו כך תלמיד מתחלתו לא למד כל דבר לא היה אלא מה שלמד, ונוזלים מתוך בארך, דומה לבאר מה באר מנזלת מים חיים מכל צדדיה כך באים תלמידים ולמדים הימינו וכן הוא אומר (שם ה טז) יפוצו מעינותיך וגו'

Sifrei Devarim 48:5

R. Yehudah says: An exemplary Torah scholar is like a sponge, which soaks up everything. One second to him is like a cotton wad which soaks up only what he needs — one who says "What my teacher taught me is enough for me." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: It is written (Proverbs 5:15) "Drink water (i.e., Torah) from borecha": from him (a Torah sage [though not necessarily a great one]) who is with you in your city ("be'ircha," like "borecha"), and afterwards from afar. And thus is it written (Ibid. 31:14) "She ('the woman of valor') was like the merchant's ships, bringing her bread (Torah) from afar." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: Drink water from borecha," from the waters (i.e., Torah) of borecha ("your Creator"); and do not drink "sullied" waters, lest you be drawn after the words of the heretics. R. Akiva says: It is written: "Drink waters from your pit." A pit, in the beginning, is unable to supply a drop of water of its own, containing, as it does, only what is put into it. So, a Torah scholar, in the beginning, has learned and reviewed only what his teacher has taught him. (Ibid.) "and flowing waters from your well": Just as a well flows living waters from all of its sides, so, disciples come and learn from him (the "flowing" Torah scholar). And thus is it written (Ibid. 16) "Your fountains will spread abroad." Words of Torah are compared to water. Just as water is life for the world, so, words of Torah, as it is written (Ibid. 4:22) "For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all of his flesh." And just as water raises a man from his uncleanliness, so, words of Torah raise a man from uncleanliness to cleanliness, as it is written (Psalms 19:10) "The fear of the L-rd is pure." And just as water restores a man's soul, so, words of Torah restore a man's soul from the path of evil to that of good, viz. (Ibid. 8) "The Torah of the L-rd is whole, restoring the soul." And just as water is free for the world, so words of Torah are free for the world, viz. (Isaiah 55:1) "Ho! all who thirst, go to the waters!" — But perhaps, just as water has no value, so Torah has no value; it is, therefore, written (Proverbs 3:15) "It is more precious than pearls, and all of your desires cannot be compared to it."

פסחים ס״ה ב:י׳-ס״ו א:ג׳

מַתְנִי׳ אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים בַּפֶּסַח דּוֹחִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת: שְׁחִיטָתוֹ, וּזְרִיקַת דָּמוֹ, וּמִיחוּי קְרָבָיו, וְהַקְטָרַת חֲלָבָיו. אֲבָל צְלִיָּיתוֹ וַהֲדָחַת קְרָבָיו — אֵינָן דּוֹחִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. הַרְכָּבָתוֹ, וַהֲבָאָתוֹ מִחוּץ לַתְּחוּם, וַחֲתִיכַת יַבַּלְתּוֹ — אֵין דּוֹחִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: דּוֹחִין. אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: וַהֲלֹא דִּין הוּא: מָה אִם שְׁחִיטָה שֶׁהִיא מִשּׁוּם מְלָאכָה — דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, אֵלּוּ, שֶׁהֵן מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת — לֹא יִדְחוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת? אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: יוֹם טוֹב יוֹכִיחַ, שֶׁהִתִּירוּ בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם מְלָאכָה, וְאָסוּר בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: מָה זֶה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ?! מָה רְאָיָה רְשׁוּת לְמִצְוָה? הֵשִׁיב רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, וְאָמַר: הַזָּאָה תּוֹכִיחַ, שֶׁהִיא מִשּׁוּם מִצְוָה, וְהִיא מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת, וְאֵינָהּ דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. אַף אַתָּה אַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל אֵלּוּ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן מִשּׁוּם מִצְוָה, וְהֵן מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת, לֹא יִדְחוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְעָלֶיהָ אֲנִי דָּן: וּמָה אִם שְׁחִיטָה שֶׁהִיא מִשּׁוּם מְלָאכָה — דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, הַזָּאָה שֶׁהִיא מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁדּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת? אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אוֹ חִלּוּף: מָה אִם הַזָּאָה שֶׁהִיא מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת — אֵינָהּ דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, שְׁחִיטָה שֶׁהִיא מִשּׁוּם מְלָאכָה — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁלֹּא תִּדְחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת?! אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: עֲקִיבָא, עָקַרְתָּ מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה: ״בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ״, בֵּין בַּחוֹל בֵּין בַּשַּׁבָּת. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, הָבֵא לִי מוֹעֵד לְאֵלּוּ, כְּמוֹעֵד לַשְּׁחִיטָה. כְּלָל אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת — אֵינָהּ דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. שְׁחִיטָה, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת — דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הֲלָכָה זוֹ נִתְעַלְּמָה מִבְּנֵי בְתִירָא....

ס"ט ע"א הֵשִׁיב רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְאָמַר: הַזָּאָה תּוֹכִיחַ וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: עֲקִיבָא, בִּשְׁחִיטָה הֱשַׁבְתַּנִי, בִּשְׁחִיטָה תְּהֵא מִיתָתוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, אַל תַּכְפִּירֵנִי בִּשְׁעַת הַדִּין, כָּךְ מְקוּבְּלַנִי מִמְּךָ: הַזָּאָה שְׁבוּת הִיא, וְאֵינָהּ דּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת.

Pesachim 65b:10-66a:3

MISHNA: These are the matters related to the Paschal lamb that override Shabbat, when the eve of Passover occurs on Shabbat: Its slaughter, the sprinkling of its blood, the cleaning of its intestines and the burning of its fats on the altar, all of which are services that must be performed on Passover eve while it is still day. However, its roasting and the washing of its intestines, which need not be done by day, do not override Shabbat; rather, one waits until after Shabbat to perform these tasks. Carrying the Paschal lamb through a public domain does not override Shabbat. The Paschal offering consisted of either a lamb or a goat, sometimes quite young and unable to walk the entire way, so that it had to be carried on a person’s shoulders. Similarly, bringing it from outside the Shabbat limit and cutting off its wart do not override Shabbat, as all these tasks could have been performed before Shabbat. A wart is considered a blemish that disqualifies the animal from being brought as an offering, but once the wart is removed, the animal is fit to be sacrificed on the altar. Rabbi Eliezer says: All of these procedures override Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer said: Could this not be derived through an a fortiori inference? If slaughter, which is ordinarily forbidden on Shabbat as a biblically prohibited labor, nonetheless overrides Shabbat when performed for the sake of the Paschal lamb, then these activities, namely carrying the animal, bringing it from outside the Shabbat limit, and the like, which are prohibited due to rabbinic decree, should they not override Shabbat? Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: The law governing a Festival proves otherwise, for the Torah permitted on it acts that are normally prohibited as labor, such as slaughtering, cooking, and baking, and yet it is forbidden to do on it acts that are prohibited due to rabbinic decree. Thus, we cannot derive policy with regard to rabbinic prohibitions from the rules that govern Torah laws. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: What is this, Yehoshua? How can you suggest such a weak proof? What proof can be deduced from optional activities that would apply to a mitzva? How does the fact that rabbinic decrees remain in effect on a Festival with respect to optional activities prove that one is also forbidden to transgress a rabbinic decree in order to fulfill the mitzva of offering the Paschal lamb? Rabbi Akiva responded and said in defense of Rabbi Yehoshua’s opinion: Sprinkling the purifying water of a red heifer upon someone who had contracted ritual impurity through contact with a corpse proves the matter, for it is done for the sake of a mitzva, in order to allow the person to offer the Paschal lamb, and it is prohibited only due to rabbinic decree, and nonetheless it does not override Shabbat, for the purification rite is not performed on the eve of Passover that falls on Shabbat. So, too, you should not be surprised about these activities, namely carrying the animal, bringing it from outside the Shabbat limit, and cutting off its wart, that although they are performed for the sake of a mitzva and they are prohibited only due to rabbinic decree, they do not override Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: I do not accept this proof. With regard to this sprinkling itself, I infer that it, too, is permitted for the same reason: If slaughter, which is a biblically prohibited labor, overrides Shabbat, is it not right that sprinkling the purifying water of a red heifer, which is prohibited only due to rabbinic decree, should override Shabbat? You cannot challenge me based on a premise with which I disagree. Rabbi Akiva said to Rabbi Eliezer: Or perhaps we can reverse the order of your argument and say the opposite: If, as we know by accepted tradition, sprinkling the purifying water on Shabbat, which is prohibited only due to rabbinic decree, does not override Shabbat, then with regard to slaughter, which is prohibited as a biblically prohibited labor, is it not right that it should not override Shabbat? Therefore, it should be prohibited to slaughter the Paschal lamb when the eve of Passover occurs on Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, how can you say this? You have thus uprooted what is written in the Torah: “Let the children of Israel offer the Paschal lamb in its appointed time” (Numbers 9:2); the phrase “at its appointed time” indicates that the offering must be brought on that day, whether it is a weekday or Shabbat. Rabbi Akiva said to Rabbi Eliezer: My teacher, bring me an appointed time stated in the Torah for these tasks, namely, carrying the animal or bringing it from outside the Shabbat limits, like the appointed time stated with respect to slaughter. The Paschal lamb must be slaughtered on the fourteenth of Nisan, but there is no fixed time when the animal must be brought to the Temple, and it is therefore possible to transport it before Shabbat. Rabbi Akiva stated a principle: Any prohibited labor required for the offering of the sacrifice that can be performed on the eve of Shabbat does not override Shabbat; slaughter, which cannot be performed on the eve of Shabbat, overrides Shabbat. GEMARA: The Sages taught a baraita with regard to the basic halakha governing the eve of Passover that occurs on Shabbat: This law was forgotten by the sons of Beteira, who were the leaders of their generation. The fourteenth of Nisan once occurred on Shabbat, and they forgot and did not know whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not. They said: Is there any person who knows whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not? They said to them: There is a certain man in Jerusalem who came up from Babylonia, and Hillel the Babylonian is his name. At one point, he served the two most eminent scholars of the generation, Shemaya and Avtalyon, and he certainly knows whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not. The sons of Beteira sent messengers and called for him. They said to him: Do you know whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not? He said to them: Have we but one Paschal lamb during the year that overrides Shabbat? Do we not have many more than two hundred Paschal lambs, i.e., sacrifices, during the year that override Shabbat?

תלמוד ירושלמי פסחים ו׳:ג׳:ב׳

הלכה: שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה עָשָׂה רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה נִכְנַס אֶצֶל רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ בוֹ. וְזוֹ הִיא תְּחִילַּת תְשׁוּבָתוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לִפְנֵי רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר. אָמַר לוֹ רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. הֲלֹ֨א זֶ֤ה הָעָם֙ אֲשֶֽׁר מָאַסְתָּ בּ֔וֹ צֵא־נָ֥א עַתָּ֖ה וְהִלָּ֥חֶם בּֽוֹ׃

Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 6:3:2

HALAKHAH: Thirteen years did Rebbi Aqiba enter at Rebbi Eliezer’s and he did not take notice of him. This is his first retort before Rebbi Eliezer. Rebbi Joshua said to him, is this not the people which you despised; go now and fight against it.

שבת ל״ט ב:ו׳

אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף: בְּפֵירוּשׁ שְׁמִיעַ לָךְ, אוֹ מִכְּלָלָא שְׁמִיעַ לָךְ? מַאי כְּלָלָא? — דְּאָמַר רַב תַּנְחוּם אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי אָמַר (רַב) [רַבִּי]: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא שְׁנַיִם חֲלוּקִין וְאֶחָד מַכְרִיעַ — הֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי הַמַּכְרִיעַ. חוּץ מִקּוּלֵּי מַטְלָנִיּוֹת, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מַחְמִיר, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מֵיקֵל, וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מַכְרִיעַ — אֵין הֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי הַמַּכְרִיעַ. חֲדָא: דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא תַּלְמִיד הוּא.

Shabbat 39b:6

Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The halakha in this dispute is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. Rav Yosef said to him: Did you learn this from Rabbi Yoḥanan explicitly, or did you learn it by inference from something else that he said? The Gemara remarks: What was the statement of Rabbi Yoḥanan from which this conclusion could be inferred? As Rav Tanḥum said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said that Rabbi Yannai said that Rav said: Every place that you find two who disagree and each one of them establishes his opinion in a series of cases, and one of the Sages, a third one, adopts a compromise opinion and says that in some cases the halakha is in accordance with one, and in some cases the halakha is in accordance with the other, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of the compromiser. This principle holds true except for the case of the ritual impurity of insignificant strips of material. In that case, even though Rabbi Eliezer is stringent, and Rabbi Yehoshua is lenient, and Rabbi Akiva compromises, the halakha is not in accordance with the statement of the compromiser: First, because Rabbi Akiva is a student of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua and lacks the authority to decide between the opinions of his rabbis. And furthermore, didn’t

ברכות ל״ז א:י״ג-י״ד

...זה הַכְּלָל: כֹּל שֶׁהוּא מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים, רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים בְּרָכָה אַחַת מֵעֵין שָׁלֹשׁ. וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְהַזְּקֵנִים שֶׁהָיוּ מְסוּבִּין בַּעֲלִיָּיה בִּירִיחוֹ, וְהֵבִיאוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם כּוֹתָבוֹת וְאָכְלוּ, וְנָתַן רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל רְשׁוּת לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא לְבָרֵךְ. קָפַץ וּבֵרַךְ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא בְּרָכָה אַחַת מֵעֵין שָׁלֹשׁ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: עֲקִיבָא, עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מַכְנִיס רֹאשְׁךָ בֵּין הַמַּחֲלוֹקֶת! אָמַר לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר כֵּן וַחֲבֵרֶיךָ אוֹמְרִים כֵּן, לִמַּדְתָּנוּ רַבֵּינוּ יָחִיד וְרַבִּים הֲלָכָה כָּרַבִּים....

Berakhot 37a:13-14

The Gemara raises the challenge: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that in that case, at the end one need not recite any of the blessings recited over the fruits of Eretz Yisrael, but rather: Who creates the many forms of life. Rav Sheshet said: This is not difficult, as this is the subject of a tannaitic dispute. This, that one recites one blessing abridged from the three blessings of Grace after Meals, is the opinion of Rabban Gamliel. This, that one need only recite: Who creates the many forms of life, is the opinion of the Rabbis. As it was taught in a Tosefta that this is the principle: Anything that is from the seven species of grain and fruits for which Eretz Yisrael is praised, Rabban Gamliel says: Afterwards, one recites the three blessings of the Grace after Meals. And the Rabbis say: One blessing abridged from the three blessings of Grace after Meals is sufficient. The Gemara relates: And there was an incident involving Rabban Gamliel and the Sages who were sitting in an upper floor in Jericho and they brought dates before them and they ate. And afterwards, Rabban Gamliel gave Rabbi Akiva permission to recite the blessing. Rabbi Akiva hurried and recited one blessing abridged from the three blessings of Grace after Meals. Rabban Gamliel said: Akiva, until when will you continue to stick your head into the dispute among the Sages with regard to what you did? Rabbi Akiva said to him: Our teacher, even though you say this while your colleagues disagree and say that, you taught us, our teacher, the general principle that guides resolution of halakhic disputes: In a dispute between an individual and the many, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of the many. Although you are the Nasi, it is appropriate to act in accordance with the opinion of the many.

משנה ברכות ו׳:ח׳

אָכַל תְּאֵנִים עֲנָבִים וְרִמּוֹנִים, מְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶן שָׁלשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, בְּרָכָה אַחַת מֵעֵין שָׁלשׁ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ אָכַל שֶׁלֶק וְהוּא מְזוֹנוֹ, מְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו שָׁלשׁ בְּרָכוֹת. הַשּׁוֹתֶה מַיִם לִצְמָאוֹ, אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיֶה בִּדְבָרוֹ. רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, בּוֹרֵא נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת:

Mishnah Berakhot 6:8

One who ate from the fruit for which Eretz Yisrael was praised, grapes and figs and pomegranates, recites the three blessings of Grace after Meals, as he would after eating bread; this is the statement of Rabban Gamliel. And the Rabbis say: One need only recite one blessing abridged from the three blessings of Grace after Meals. Rabbi Akiva says: The three blessings of Grace after Meals are not restricted to bread; rather, even if one ate boiled vegetables, but it is his primary sustenance, he recites the three blessings of Grace after Meals. Additionally: One who drinks water to quench his thirst recites: By whose word all things came to be. Rabbi Tarfon says: He recites: Who creates the many forms of life and their needs.

רבי עקיבא
רבקה זוהר
מילים: דליה רביקוביץ'
לחן: מוני אמריליו
רבי עקיבא איש צנוע
היה רועה בין הרועים
את עדרי כלבא שבוע
עד שנתו הארבעים

ראתה אותו רחל
בתו של כלבא שבוע
ראתה אותו רחל
והוא מעולה וצנוע
אמרה לו רחל בחשאי
קח אותי לאישה
בתנאי שתקדיש זמנך
ללימוד התורה הקדושה
רבי עקיבא....

והיו גרים במתבן
בגורן אחד לא ידוע
זוג אחד פשוט ללא שם
שהיה מעולה וצנוע

ובבוקר היה מלקט
התבן מתוך שערה
אמרה לו רחל - תהיה אהובי
גדול בתורה
רבי עקיבא....
קם הרב ונסע לבירה
לגמוע תורה כמבוע
ושם בגורן נשארה
ביתו של כלבא שבוע

ומקץ עשרים שנה
כאשר הלבין שערה
שב בעלה לביתו
והוא גדול בתורה
רבי עקיבא...

חזר הרב לביתו
וכל נפשו געגוע
חזר הרב אל אשתו
בתו של כלבא שבוע

הדפוה משם תלמידיו
אמרו לה סורי אשה
אמר הרב - הניחוה
כי היא תורתי הקדושה
רבי עקיבא....

סוכה מ״א ב:ו׳-ז׳

וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁהָיוּ בָּאִין בִּסְפִינָה, וְלֹא הָיָה לוּלָב אֶלָּא לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בִּלְבַד, שֶׁלְּקָחוֹ בְּאֶלֶף זוּז. נְטָלוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְיָצָא בּוֹ, וּנְתָנוֹ לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּמַתָּנָה. נְטָלוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְיָצָא בּוֹ, וּנְתָנוֹ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה בְּמַתָּנָה. נְטָלוֹ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה וְיָצָא בּוֹ, וּנְתָנוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. נְטָלוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְיָצָא בּוֹ, וְהֶחְזִירוֹ לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. לְמָה לִי לְמֵימַר הֶחְזִירוֹ? מִלְּתָא אַגַּב אוֹרְחֵיהּ קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן: מַתָּנָה עַל מְנָת לְהַחְזִיר — שְׁמָהּ מַתָּנָה....

Sukkah 41b:6-7

There was an incident involving Rabban Gamliel, and Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, and Rabbi Akiva, who were all traveling on a ship during the festival of Sukkot and only Rabban Gamliel had a lulav, which he had bought for one thousand zuz. Rabban Gamliel took it and fulfilled his obligation with it and then gave it to Rabbi Yehoshua as a gift. Rabbi Yehoshua took it and fulfilled his obligation with it and gave it to Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya as a gift. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya took it and fulfilled his obligation with it and gave it to Rabbi Akiva as a gift. Rabbi Akiva took it and fulfilled his obligation with it and returned it to Rabban Gamliel. The Gemara asks: Why do I need to say that Rabbi Akiva returned the lulav to Rabban Gamliel? The crux of the story is that each of the Sages fulfilled his obligation with the same lulav after receiving it as a gift. The Gemara answers: By including that detail, the tanna teaches us another matter in passing, namely that a gift given on the condition that it be returned is considered a full-fledged gift. Even if the owner stipulates from the outset that the gift would be returned, since he gives it as a gift in the interim, its halakhic status is that of a full-fledged gift.

סוכה כ״ב ב:ט׳-כ״ג א:ג׳

מַתְנִי׳ הָעוֹשֶׂה סוּכָּתוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ הָעֲגָלָה אוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ הַסְּפִינָה — כְּשֵׁרָה, וְעוֹלִין לָהּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב. בְּרֹאשׁ הָאִילָן אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי גָּמָל — כְּשֵׁרָה, וְאֵין עוֹלִין לָהּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב. שְׁתַּיִם בָּאִילָן וְאַחַת בִּידֵי אָדָם, אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם בִּידֵי אָדָם וְאַחַת בָּאִילָן — כְּשֵׁרָה, וְאֵין עוֹלִין לָהּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב. שָׁלֹשׁ בִּידֵי אָדָם וְאַחַת בָּאִילָן — כְּשֵׁרָה, וְעוֹלִין לָהּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב. זֶה הַכְּלָל: כׇּל שֶׁיִּנָּטֵל הָאִילָן וִיכוֹלָה לַעֲמוֹד בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ — כְּשֵׁרָה וְעוֹלִין לָהּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב. גְּמָ׳ מַנִּי מַתְנִיתִין — רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא: הָעוֹשֶׂה סוּכָּתוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ הַסְּפִינָה — רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל פּוֹסֵל, וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מַכְשִׁיר. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁהָיוּ בָּאִין בִּסְפִינָה, עָמַד רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְעָשָׂה סוּכָּה בְּרֹאשׁ הַסְּפִינָה. לְמָחָר נָשְׁבָה רוּחַ וַעֲקָרַתָּה. אָמַר לוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: עֲקִיבָא! הֵיכָן סוּכָּתְךָ?...

Sukkah 22b:9-23a:3

MISHNA: In the case of one who establishes his sukka at the top of the wagon or at the top of the ship, although it is portable it is fit, as it is sufficient for a sukka to be a temporary residence. And one may ascend and enter it even on the first Festival day. In the case of one who establishes his sukka at the top of a tree or atop a camel, the sukka is fit, but one may not ascend and enter it on the first Festival day because the Sages prohibit climbing or using trees or animals on the Festival. If two of the walls of the sukka are in the tree and one is established on the ground by a person, or if two are established on the ground by a person and one is in the tree, the sukka is fit, but one may not ascend and enter it on the first Festival day because it is prohibited to use the tree. However, if three of the walls are established on the ground by a person and one is in the tree, then since it contains the minimum number of walls required, it is fit, and one may enter it on the first Festival day. The mishna summarizes that this is the principle: Any case where, were the tree removed, the sukka would be able to remain standing in and of itself, it is fit, and one may ascend and enter it on the Festival, since the tree is not its primary support. GEMARA: The Gemara comments: In accordance with whose opinion is the mishna? It is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, as it is taught in a baraita: In the case of one who establishes his sukka at the top of the ship, Rabban Gamliel deems it unfit and Rabbi Akiva deems it fit. There was an incident involving Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Akiva, who were coming on a ship. Rabbi Akiva arose and established a sukka at the top of the ship. The next day the wind blew and uprooted it. Rabban Gamliel said to him: Akiva, where is your sukka? It was unfit from the start.

שיר השירים רבה ב׳:י״ד:ה׳

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי פָּתַר קְרָיָה בְּמַלְכֻיּוֹת, יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע, שֶׁחֲבוּיִין בְּסִתְרָן שֶׁל מַלְכֻיּוֹת. הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ, זֶה הַתַּלְמוּד. הַשְׁמִיעִנִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ, זֶה מַעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב. וּכְבָר נִמְנוּ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּבֵית עֲלִיַּת עָרִים בְּלוֹד וְאָמְרוּ מִי גָדוֹל הַתַּלְמוּד אוֹ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר גָּדוֹל הוּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר גָּדוֹל הוּא הַתַּלְמוּד, נִמְנוּ וְגָמְרוּ גָּדוֹל הוּא הַתַּלְמוּד שֶׁמֵּבִיא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה. כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב, זֶה הַתַּלְמוּד. וּמַרְאֵיךְ נָאוֶה, זֶה מַעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב.

Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:14:5

Rabbi Yosei HaGelili interpreted the verse regarding the kingdoms. “My dove, in the clefts of the rock,” as [Israel is] shadowed in the recesses of the kingdoms. “Show me your appearance,” this is [Torah] study. “Let me hear your voice,” this is a good deed. They already once voted in the house of Aliyat Arim in Lod and they said: ‘Which is greater, study or action?’ Rabbi Tarfon said: ‘Action is greater.’ Rabbi Akiva said: ‘Study is greater.’ They voted and concluded: Study is greater, as it engenders action. “For your voice is pleasant,” this is study. “And your appearance is lovely,” this is a good deed.

מועד קטן כ״א ב:ה׳-ו׳

...וְהָתַנְיָא: מַעֲשֶׂה וּמֵתוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, נִכְנְסוּ כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִסְפִּידוּם הֶסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל. בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתָן, עָמַד רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא עַל סַפְסָל גָּדוֹל וְאָמַר: אַחֵינוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ! אֲפִילּוּ שְׁנֵי בָנִים חֲתָנִים — מְנוּחָם הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל כָּבוֹד שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם. וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל עֲקִיבָא בָּאתֶם, הֲרֵי כַּמָּה עֲקִיבָא בַּשּׁוּק. אֶלָּא כָּךְ אֲמַרְתֶּם: תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהָיו בְּלִבּוֹ. וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁשְּׂכַרְכֶם כָּפוּל, לְכוּ לְבָתֵּיכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם!...

Moed Katan 21b:5-6

The Gemara asks: Is he really prohibited from extending greetings during the first three days of mourning? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: There was an incident and the sons of Rabbi Akiva died, and all the Jews entered to eulogize them with a great eulogy. When they were about to take leave, Rabbi Akiva stood on a large bench and said: Our brothers, the house of Israel, listen! Even had my two sons been bridegrooms, I would have been consoled on account of the honor you have shown them. If you came to console for the sake of Akiva, there are many Akivas in the marketplace whom the Jews do all not come to console. Rather, certainly this is what you said to yourselves: “The Torah of his God is in his heart” (Psalms 37:31), and you wished to show your respect for the Torah. All the more so is your reward doubled, for you have consoled mourners and shown respect for the Torah. Return now to your homes in peace. This indicates that a mourner may greet other people even on the first day of his mourning.