Rabbi Akivaרבי עקיבא

רבי עקיבא רעיא דבן כלבא שבוע הוה חזיתיה ברתיה דהוה צניע ומעלי אמרה ליה אי מקדשנא לך אזלת לבי רב אמר לה אין איקדשא ליה בצנעא ושדרתיה שמע אבוה אפקה מביתיה אדרה הנאה מנכסיה אזל יתיב י״ב שני בבי רב כי אתא אייתיה בהדיה תריסר אלפי תלמידי שמעיה לההוא סבא דקאמר לה עד כמה (דף סג) קא מדברת אלמנות חיות אמרה ליה אי לדידי ציית יתיב תריסר שנין אחריני אמר ברשות קא עבידנא הדר אזל יתיב תרי סרי שנין אחריני בבי רב כי אתא אייתיה בהדיה כ״ד אלפי תלמידי שמעה דביתהו הות קא נפקא לאפיה אמרו לה שיבבתא שאילי מאני לבוש ואיכסאי אמרה להו (משלי יב י) יודע צדיק נפש בהמתו כי מטיא לגביה נפלה על אפה קא מנשקא ליה לכרעיה הוו קא מדחפי לה שמעיה אמר להו שבקוה שלי ושלכם שלה הוא שמע אבוה דאתא גברא (רבה) למתא אמר איזיל לגביה אפשר דמיפר נדראי אתא לגביה א״ל אדעתא דגברא רבה מי נדרת א״ל אפילו פרק אחד ואפילו הלכה אחת א״ל אנא הוא נפל על אנפיה ונשקיה על כרעיה ויהב לי׳ פלגא ממוניה ברתיה דר׳ עקיבא עבדא ליה לבן עזאי הכי והיינו דאמרי אינשי רחילא בתר רחילא אזלא כעובדי אמה כך עובדי ברתה.

R. Akiba was a shepherd [in the employ of the rich] ben Kalba Shebua. The latter's daughter observed him to be a very pious and talented man. She said to him: "If I marry you, will you go to a college [to study the Torah?"] "Indeed, surely, "was his response. They were married secretly and she sent him off to the college. When her father became aware of this secret marriage he ordered her to leave his house and vowed that she should not enjoy the benefit of his estate. Akiba went and spent twelve years at the college, and on his return, led with him twelve thousand disciples. On nearing [the dwelling of his devoted wife] he overheard a conversation of an old woman who said: "How long (Fol. 63) is this unfortunate woman going to lead the life of a widow?" Whereupon she replied: "If my husband would hearken unto me, he would stay there twelve more year." R. Akiba said to himself: "Since she gives me permission I will act according to her advice." He immediately returned and spent twelve years more in the college. When he returned he brought with him twenty-four thousand disciples. His wife, having been informed [of his arrival] went out to meet him, and when her neighbors proposed to her that she borrow dressing garments wherewith to cover herself, she replied to them (Pr. 12, 10) A righteous man feeleth the life of his beast. When she reached him, she prostrated herself before him and kissed his feet. When his attendants were about to push her away, R. Akiba remarked to them: "Let her alone, for mine [Torah] and yours are due to her. Her father [who regretted his hasty decision], having been informed that such a great scholar had arriver in town, said: "I shall go to see him, perhaps he will invalidate my vow [which I made against my suffering daughter."] There he went, and upon the visitor's question whether his intention was to make the vow [against her] even if she had married a great scholar, he replied: "Not even if her husband should be able to learn as little as one chapter or even one Halacha." Thereupon R. Akiba said: "I am the one." Kalba Shebua immediately fell face forward upon R. Akiba's feet and kissed them, giving him one-half of his entire fortune. R. Akiba's daughter did the same thing with ben Azai, and this is the meaning of the saying. "Eve follows eve, as the mother acts, so does the daughter."