(147.) R. Akiba began his life as a very poor man and ended it as a very rich one. He had a large crown made for his wife set with many precious stones, and when his children asked him why he gave her such valuble presents, he replied that he could never repay her adequately. She was the daughter of Kalba Shebua who was one of the richest men in Jerusalem and he was at that time a shepherd tending the flocks of her father. She fell in love with him and on his promise to study she betrothed herself to him. She refused to marry a rich man. Driven out of the house by her father, she lived with R. Akiba’s mother. The neighbours used to bring her work secretly, as she belonged to the highest family in the place, and she used to send part of her earnings to R. Akiba who was studying. Once a lame man laughed at her saying, “Her hair will turn grey before that shepherd will ever be a scholar/ ' It is said that R. Akiba was 40 years old when he started to learn and he did not believe that he would ever succeed in learning anything. Once he was sitting before a fountain in Lud and saw there a large stone with a hole in the middle, and he asked, “Who has bored out that hole?” and he was told that the groove in the stone had been caused by the rope with which the bucket was let down into the well passing along the stone. Then he said, “If such a soft material can cut a stone, why should not the words of the Law which are as hard as iron make an inpression on my heart which is flesh?” He was frightened at being laughed at but his wife showed him by practical example
that people only laughed once or twice; then they became accustomed to the sight, and so he devoted himself heart and soul to the study of the Law. It is said that every day he used to gather hay half of which he sold to support himself and the other half he used for lighting the fire. His neighbours said to him: “Akiba! thou art killing us with this smoke; sell us the other half and buy oil with the money and you can study by the light of the oil.” But Akiba said, “I cannot very well do that, because I learn, warm myself and obtain my living by the straw.”— After 12 years he returned to Jerusalem with 2000 pupils and all the people came to meet him. Kalba Shebua came also and asked him what he should do with his daughter whom he had driven away from his house and with regard to whom he had made a vow not to support her. Now she was starving and he wanted R. Akiba to release him from his vow. Akiba asked him the reason and he replied, "She betrothed herself to an ignorant shepherd who could not even say the blessing over meals.” And Akiba replied “But if he has since become a scholar?” Kalba Shebua replied, “If he only knew the blessing I would give him half my fortune.” And Akiba replied, “I am the man,” and his father-in-law at once arose and kissed him and thanked the Lord for His mercy. As Akiba drew near to his house his wife came to meet him and fell at his feet and wanted to kiss them; the pupils wished to push her away not knowing who she was, but Akiba said, “Leave her alone, for all that you know and all that I know is due to her, for it is the wisdom of women that builds up the house.”