what did rabbi shimon say that was so disrespectful that he had to fast and have his teeth turn black for it? all he said was i know rabbi akiva didn't retract during his life maybe he retracted after his life.
is it possible to say the following: "i don't know if rabbi akiva retracted after his life", meaning once r ' akiva got to the olam ha'emet and heard the true halacha he then saw that his opinoin was wrong and after his life he then retracted. therefore it's disrespectful for him to say "i know r' akiva was never able to retract (stubbornly) during his life but only after he was proven wrong he give in to retract."
ike sultan, west orange, NJ
I think your answer is basically correct. However, it should be stressed that it was a very subtle comment, only having a slight undertone of implying that perhaps when Rebbi Akiva died he saw the Halachah was unlike him and repented. Being that it was unnecessary and disrespectful to say such a thing about his Rebbi on his level, he fasted many fasts to repent.
All the best,
Yaakov Montrose