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12) R. AKIVA'S RISE TO GREATNESS AND WEALTH

(a) R. Yehudah lifted the mattress and showed the messenger great wealth.

1. 'I have money; I do not want to get physical pleasure in this world'.

(b) R. Akiva engaged (Rachel,) the daughter of Kalba Savua; when Kalba Savua found out, he vowed that his daughter may not benefit from his property.

1. They got married in winter; they slept where the straw was kept; he would pick the straw from her hair.
2. R. Akiva: If I would have the means, I would make for you a gold ornament with a picture of Yerushalayim.

(c) Eliyahu appeared to them as a man begging for some straw for his wife that just gave birth.

1. R. Akiva: We are more fortunate than he - he lacks even straw!
2. Rachel: Go learn by a Rebbi.

(d) R. Akiva learned for 12 years by R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua; he returned home.

1. From outside the house, he heard a troublemaker taunt his wife - 'Your father was right to forbid his property on you!

i. Your husband is not from an important family as yours;
ii. He has abandoned you; you are as a widow in his lifetime!'

2. Rachel: If he would heed me, I would want him to remain another 12 years!
3. R. Akiva (to himself): Since she permits me, I will learn more!

(e) R. Akiva learned for another 12 years; he returned with 24,000 Talmidim. Everyone came to greet him, including Rachel.

1. A troublemaker: How dare you go to greet him, without nice clothing?!
2. Rachel: "A Tzadik knows the soul of his animal" (i.e. he knows I don't have better clothing).

(f) She came to see him; the Talmidim didn't let her.

1. R. Akiva: Allow her! My learning and yours belongs (is due) to her.

(g) Kalba Savua asked him to annul his vow; he did so.
(h) R. Akiva became wealthy from 6 sources.

1. From Kalba Savua.
2. From a wooden image of a ram (filled with coins) that is placed on ships.

i. Once, the crew forgot it on the shore, and R. Akiva found it.

3. From the treasure chest of a ship.

i. R. Akiva once gave 4 Zuz to sailors and asked them to buy something for him. All they found was a chest; they brought it to him. They said - wait until we get more for you.
ii. R. Akiva found that it was full of money.

A. A ship once sank; all the money aboard was in the chest.

4. From a wealthy woman.

i. (R. Akiva once borrowed money from her. He fell sick and could not repay on time; Hash-m sent even more money to her. She gave the excess to R. Akiva.)

5. Turnusrufus' wife (she later converted and married R. Akiva, and gave him great wealth).
6. K'tia Bar Shalom (he gave all his wealth to R. Akiva).

(i) Rav Gamda gave 4 Zuz to sailors and asked them to buy something for him. They didn't find anything; they bought a monkey. The monkey fled and entered a hole; they found it sitting on jewels; the sailors generously gave them all to Rav Gamda.

(a) Kaiser's daughter asked R. Yehoshua: Why is such glorious Torah in such an ugly vessel (yourself)?
(b) R. Yehoshua: Learn from your father's house - what do they put their wine in?
(c) Kaiser's daughter: In earthenware.
(d) R. Yehoshua: Everyone does so! You should put your wine in silver and gold vessels!

1. She did so; the wine spoiled.

(e) R. Yehoshua: Also Torah (spoils if in beautiful vessels).
(f) Kaiser's daughter: But there are beautiful Chachamim!
(g) R. Yehoshua: If they would be ugly, they would learn more.
(h) A woman came before Rav Yehudah for judgment; the outcome was against her.

1. The woman: Would your Rebbi, Shmuel, have judged thusly?
2. Rav Yehudah: Did you know him?
3. The woman: Yes - he was short, had a large stomach, dark (freckled), and had big teeth.
4. Rav Yehudah: Did you come to disgrace him?! You are excommunicated!

i. She died.

(a) (Mishnah): (One who vowed not to eat cooked dishes) may eat a Tormita egg.
(b) Question: What is this?
(c) Answer (Shmuel): One puts an egg 1000 times in hot water, and 1000 times in cold water, until it is small enough to be swallowed whole.

1. If a sick person eats it, the sickness will cling to the egg; when the egg leaves his system, a doctor can look at it and will know how to cure him.
2. A slave that knows how to make this egg is worth 1000 Dinars!

(d) Shmuel tested himself so much in this fashion that he grew weak; his family pulled out their hair from grief.
(e) (Mishnah): A worker working with Klufsin is not entitled to eat from Bnos Shu'ach (a different species of fig), or vice-versa.

1. Klufsin is a species of fig from which Lifdi (a fig dish) is made.

(f) Reuven hired Shimon to teach Reuven's slave 1000 types of Lifdi; he only taught him 800. Reuven summoned Shimon for judgment in front of Rebbi.

1. Rebbi: Our fathers said 'We have forgotten goodness' - we have not even seen goodness (one cannot expect to teach him 1000 types).

(a) Rebbi was marrying off his son R. Shimon; he did not invite Bar Kapara. Bar Kapara wrote on the Chupah 'Rebbi spent 240 million Dinars on this wedding feast, and did not invite Bar Kapara!

1. Bar Kapara (to Rebbi): If Hash-m gives such wealth to those (you) that transgress his will - how much more will he give to those that do his will!
2. Rebbi invited him
3. Bar Kapara: If Hash-m gives so much to those that do his will, in this world - how much more will he give in the world to come!

(b) Any day Rebbi would laugh, punishments would come to the world.

1. Rebbi (to Bar Kapara): Do not make me laugh, and I will give you 40 measures of wheat.
2. Bar Kapara: Watch - I will get as much as I want.