D.A.F.'s Moadim section

1) Modesty and good Midos -

Rachel saw positive traits and great potential in Rebbi Akiva. But how can this be reconciled with Rebbi Akiva's own admission (Pesachim 49b) that when he was an Am ha'Aretz he wished he could physically attack the Chachamim!

1. Tosfos to Kesuvos 62:9

2) Judging favorably -

What else do the sources tell us about Rebbi Akiva's virtues, even before he began to learn Torah?

1. Point by Point Outlines for Shabbos 127:3:a, til f

2. Background to Shabbos 127:6

3. Yosef Da'as to Shabbos 127:p4, ד"ה ונשכר

3) Kalba Savua's Vow -

Why did Kalba Savua react so harshly against his daughter?

1. Discussion for Nedarim 50:4:2

2. Discussion for Nedarim 50:4:4

4) Straw and Hair -

What is a deeper, allegorical meaning behind "straw" and "hair," in the account of Rebbi Akiva and Rachel?

1. Insights to Nedarim 50:1

5) Jerusalem in gold -

What was the meaning of this particular item of jewelry?

1. Insights to Nedarim 50:1

6) Twelve Years -

What is the significance of a twelve-year period of learning?

1. Insights to Kesuvos 62:2

7) Absence from Home -

What is the Halachic perspective about leaving one's wife and children for extended periods of time, in order to learn Torah? Is this advisable nowadays?

1. Discussion for Kesuvos 62:0

8) The Challenge -

In both Sugyos, just as Rabbi Akiva is about to return home after twelve years, he overhears someone challenging Rachel's devotion to him. Can both accounts refer to the same person?

1. Discussion for Nedarim 50:4:3

2. Discussion for Nedarim 50:4:5

9) Personal Interest -

How could Rabbi Akiva annul a vow that pertained to himself?

1. Yosef Da'as to Kesuvos 63:p1, ד"ה איזיל

10) Nolad -

Rebbi Akiva having become a Chacham seems to be an example of Nolad - a turn of events that was unforeseeable at the time of the vow - which cannot be used as grounds for Hataras Nedarim!

1. Tosfos to Kesuvos 63:1

11) Regret -

Why did Kalba Savua wait 24 years before annulling his vow? What caused him to regret his prior outlook towards his shepherd Akiva - only now?

1. Discussion for Nedarim 50:4, second response, 3:a and on

נדרים נ.	Nedarim 50a
ר' עקיבא איתקדשת ליה ברתיה ד(בר) כלבא שבוע. שמע כלבא שבוע, אדרהּ הנאה מכל נכסיה! אזלא ואיתנסיבה ליה בסיתוא הוה גנו בי תיבנא הוה קא מנקיט ליה תיבנא מן מזייה, אמר לה אי הואי לי רמינא ליך ירושלים דדהבא! אתא אליהו אידמי להון כאנשא וקא קרי אבבא, אמר להו הבו לי פורתא דתיבנא דילדת אתתי ולית לי מידעם לאגונהּ. אמר לה ר' עקיבא לאנתתיה חזי גברא דאפילו תיבנא לא אית ליה!	R. Akiva betrothed (Rachel,) the daughter of Kalba Savu'a. When Kalba Savu'a found out, he vowed that his daughter may not benefit from his property. They got married in winter. They slept where the straw was kept. He would pick the straw from her hair (see Ran). Said R. Akiva: If I would have the means, I would make for you a gold ornament with a picture of Yerushalayim. Eliyahu appeared to them like a man begging for some straw for his wife, who had just given birth. R. Akiva: We are more fortunate than he is. He lacks even straw!
אמרה ליה זיל הוי בי רב. אזל תרתי סרי שנין קמי דר' אליעזר ור' יהושע. למישלם תרתי סרי שנין קא אתא לביתיה, שמע מן אחורי ביתיה דקאמר לה חד רשע לדביתהו שפיר עביד ליך אבוך חדא דלא דמי ליך ועוד [שבקך] ארמלות חיות כולהון שנין. אמרה ליה אי צאית לדילי ליהוי תרתי סרי שנין אחרנייתא! אמר הואיל ויהבת לי רשותא איהדר לאחורי. הדר אזל הוה תרתי סרי שני אחרנייתא. אתא בעשרין וארבעה אלפין זוגי תלמידי נפיק כולי עלמא לאפיה ואף היא קמת למיפק לאפיה .אמר לה ההוא רשיעא ואת להיכא? אמרה ליה, יודע צדיק נפש בהמתו. אתת לאיתחזויי ליה, קא מדחן לה רבנן, אמר להון הניחו לה, שלי ושלכם שלה הוא! שמע (בר) כלבא שבוע ,אתא ואיתשיל על נידריה ואשתריי ואשתרי.	Rachel said to him: Go learn by a Rebbi! R. Akiva learned for 12 years from R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua. He returned home; from outside the house, he heard a Rasha taunt his wife: Your father was right to forbid his property to you! Your husband is not from an important family, like yours. Also, he has abandoned you. You are like a widow in his lifetime! She replied, If he would heed me, he would remain another 12 years! R. Akiva said (to himself): Since she permits me, I will learn more! R. Akiva learned for another 12 years. He returned with 24,000 Talmidim. Everyone came to greet him, including Rachel. A Rasha said to her, How dare you go to greet him, [without nice clothing]?! She said: "A Tzadik knows the soul of his animal" (Mishlei 12:10 - He knows how I toiled for him, and that I don't have better clothing). She came to see him; the Talmidim didn't let her. Said R. Akiva: Allow her! My learning and yours belongs (is due) to her. Kalba Savu'a asked him to permit his vow. R. Akiva did so.

כתובות סב: - סג.	Kesuvos 62b-63a
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 בצינעה, ושדרתיה. שמע אבוה אפקה מביתיה אדרה הנאה מנכסיה. אזיל יתיב תרי סרי שנין בבי רב, כי אתא אייתי בהדיה תרי סרי אלפי תלמידי. שמעיה לההוא סבא דקאמר לה, עד כמה קא מדברת אלמנות חיים? אמרה ליה אי לדידי ציית יתיב תרי סרי שני אחריני! אמר, ברשות קא עבידנא, הדר אזיל ויתיב תרי סרי שני אחריני בבי רב. כי אתא אייתי בהדיה עשרין וארבעה אלפי תלמידי. שמעה דביתהו הות קא נפקא לאפיה אמרו לה שיבבתא, שאילי מאני לבוש ואיכסאי! אמרה להו, 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!	R. Akiva was a shepherd for Ben Kalba Savu'a. Ben Kalba Savu'a's daughter saw modesty and good Midos in R. Akiva. She agreed to become Mekudeshes to him on condition that he would go to learn. He agreed. He was Mekadesh her covertly, and she sent him off [to learn]. Her father heard about this, expelled her from his house, and vowed that she would not benefit from his property (because R. Akiva was unlearned at the time). R. Akiva learned for 12 years; he returned with 12,000 Talmidim. He heard a man ask his wife 'How long will you be like a widow (waiting for him)?' She replied that she would prefer that he learn for another 12 years! R. Akiva saw that she desired that he continue learning, so he learned for another 12 years. He returned home with 24,000 Talmidim. His wife heard that he was returning, and went to greet him. Said the neighbors: You should borrow better clothes to greet him! She replied: "A Tzadik knows the soul of his animal" (Mishlei 12:10). When she reached him, she bowed to the ground and kissed his feet. R. Akiva's attendants started to dispel her. He said, Leave her! My Torah and yours is due to her!
שמע אבוה דאתא גברא רבה למתא, אמר איזיל לגביה אפשר דמפר נדראי. אתא לגביה, אמר ליה אדעתא דגברא רבה מי נדרת? אמר ליה אפילו פרק אחד ואפילו הלכה אחת! אמר ליה, אנא הוא! נפל על אפיה ונשקיה על כרעיה ויהיב ליה פלגא ממוניה.	Her father heard that a great Chacham came. He went to see him, hoping to annul his vow. R. Akiva asked: When you vowed, did you intend to forbid her even if her husband would become a great Chacham? Ben Kalba Savu'a: Had I known that he would learn even one Perek, or even one Halacha, I would not have vowed. Said R. Akiva: I am your son-in-law! His father-in-law bowed and kissed his foot, and gave half his money to him.

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BEFORE HAVING LEARNED

MARRIAGE

RACHEL'S ENCOURAGEMENT

KALBA SAVUA'S VOW