Rabbi Akiva and the Fox and Fish Parable on Torah and Martyrdom

"With all your heart" (Deuteronomy 26:16) — Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: The text comes to warn Israel concerning something else. "And with all your soul" (ibid.) — even if He takes your soul. Once they decreed a persecution that they should not occupy themselves with the Torah. Rabbi Akiva went and sat and occupied himself with the Torah. Pappus ben Judah came and found him. He said to him: Rabbi, are you not endangering yourself, for you are transgressing the decree of the king? Rabbi Akiva said to him: I will tell you a parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a fox that was walking along the bank of a river. He saw fish there. He said to them: Come to me, and I will hide you in the clefts of the rocks, and do not be afraid. They said to him: Are you the cleverest of the animals? You are nothing but a fool! All our life is only in the water, and you tell us to go onto the dry land! So too, all the life of Israel is only in the Torah, as it is written, "For it is your life and the length of your days" (Deuteronomy 30:20); and you say, "You are endangering yourself." After a few days they seized them both. He said to him: It is better for you that you were seized over words of Torah. Woe to Pappus, who was seized over idle matters! Later, when they took Rabbi Akiva out to be killed, it was the time for the recitation of the Shema, and they were combing his flesh, and he was reciting the Shema. Concerning them David said, "From men by Your hand, O Lord" (Psalms 17:14). Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said: Do not read "from men" (mimtim), but "those who put to death" (memitim), for they put themselves to death over the Torah, which was given for this. For people who see them say to one another: They have sins in their hands, that is why they are killed — and they do not know that their portion is in the life of the world to come, and that all good is stored up for them, as it is said, "And You fill their belly with Your treasure" (ibid.). And not only this, but they merit it for their children after them. And because Israel give over their lives for the Torah and for the sanctity of the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, makes for them a blessing in the world, as it is said, "You have affirmed the Lord this day" (Deuteronomy 26:17). And just as Israel make the Holy One, blessed be He, a unique distinction, so the Holy One, blessed be He, makes them a unique distinction, as it is said, "And the Lord has affirmed you this day" (ibid. 18). Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: Just as the upper story crushes, so Israel are destined to crush four kingdoms, as it is said, "And to set you on high above all the nations that He has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor" (Deuteronomy 26:19).