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Livesc. 50–135 CE

Rabbi Akivaרבי עקיבא

The whole life, beginning to end, told by the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud and the Midrash in their own words. One chapter at a time.
chapters
11
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14

Chapter 4 of 11

On the road and at sea

Berakhot 60b:12-61a:1

Berakhot 60b:12-61a:1 · Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא אָמַר רַב מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר, וְכֵן תָּנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: לְעוֹלָם יְהֵא אָדָם רָגִיל לוֹמַר: ״כׇּל דְּעָבֵיד רַחֲמָנָא לְטָב עָבֵיד״.

Rab Huna stated that Rab said in the name of R. Meir, (and it has been similarly taught in the name of R. 'Akiba) : A man should always accustom himself to say, "Whatever the All-merciful does, He does for the best."

כִּי הָא דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא דַּהֲוָה קָאָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא. מְטָא לְהַהִיא מָתָא, בְּעָא אוּשְׁפִּיזָא לָא יָהֲבִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר: ״כׇּל דְּעָבֵיד רַחֲמָנָא — לְטָב״. אֲזַל וּבָת בְּדַבְרָא, וַהֲוָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ תַּרְנְגוֹלָא וַחֲמָרָא וּשְׁרָגָא. אֲתָא זִיקָא כַּבְיֵיהּ לִשְׁרָגָא. אֲתָא שׁוּנָּרָא אַכְלֵיהּ לְתַרְנְגוֹלָא. אֲתָא אַרְיָה אַכְלֵיהּ לַחֲמָרָא. אֲמַר: ״כׇּל דְּעָבֵיד רַחֲמָנָא — לְטָב״. בֵּיהּ בְּלֵילְיָא אֲתָא גְּיָיסָא, שַׁבְיַיהּ לְמָתָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָאו אֲמַרִי לְכוּ כׇּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹשֶׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

As when R.'Akiba was journeying by the way, he came to a certain town and asked for hospitality, but it was refused him ; so he exclaimed, "Whatever the All - merciful does is for the best." He went and spent the night in the field, having with him a cock, an ass and a lamp. A gust of wind came and extinguished the lamp, a cat came and ate the cock, and a lion came and devoured the ass ; but he exclaimed, "Whatever the All-merciful does is for the best." That same night a band of robbers came and captured the town. He thereupon said to them, "Did I not tell you that whatever the Holy One, blessed be He, does is

הַכֹּל לְטוֹבָה.

all for the best!"

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Yevamot 16:3

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Yevamot 16:3 · En Jacob, translated by SH Glick, 1916

תניא אמר ר״ג פעם אחת הייתי מהלך בספינה וראיתי ספינה אחת שנשברה (בים) והייתי מצטער על ת״ח שבה ומנו ר״ע וכשעליתי ביבשה בא וישב ודן לפני בהלכה. אמרתי לו בני מי העלך אמר לי דף של ספינה נזדמן לי וכל גל וגל שבא עלי נעניתי לו ראשי. מכאן אמרו חכמים אם יבאו רשעים על אדם ינענע לו ראשו. אמרי באותה שעה כמה גדולים דברי חכמים שאומרים מים שיש להם סוף מותרת. מים שאין להם אסורה. תניא א״ר עקיבא פעם אחת הייתי מהלך בספינה וראיתי ספינה אחת שמטרפת בים והייתי מצטער על ת״ח שבה ומנו ר״מ כשעליתי למדינת קפוטקיא בא וישב ודן לפני בהלכה. אמרתי לו בני מי העלך אמר לי גל טרדני לחבירו וחבירו לחבירו עד שהקיאוני ליבשה. אמרתי באותה שעה כמה גדולים דברי חכמים שאמרו מים שיש להם סוף אשתו מותרת, שאין להם סוף אשתו אסורה:

We are taught that Rabban Gamaliel said: "I was once sailing on a ship and observed that another ship was wrecked on the ocean. I felt sorry for the scholar that was [a passenger] on that ship, who was R. Akiba. When I reached shore he came, sat down, and discussed Halacha before me. 'My son', I asked him, 'who brought thee up?' He replied, 'I happened to catch a board of the ship [upon which I swam], and as each wave came I dipped my head under to let it pass over me.' From this it may be learned, remarked our Rabbis, if wicked people come over man let him bow his head. I then said: 'How great are the words of our sages, who say that [if one gets lost in] water that has an end she [his wife] is permitted to remarry; but [if one is lost in] water without an end she is prohibited from remarrying.'" We are taught in a Baraitha that R. Akiba says: "Once I was sailing on a ship and observed that another ship was stranded in the ocean. I felt sorry for the scholar that was in it [as a passenger], and this was R. Maier. When I landed at Kaputkia he came, sat down, and discussed Halacha before me. I asked him: 'My son, who brought you up?' Whereupon he replied: 'One wave carried me to the other and so on until it washed me out upon the shore.' In that hour I said: "How great are the words of our sages who said, [if one gets lost in] water that has an end she [his wife] is permitted to remarry but [if one is lost] in water without an end she is prohibited from marrying again.' "

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Every word is the text itself, with its translator named. Texts from Sefaria.