AKIBA BEN JOSEPH is known in Jewish his. tory as one of the men who did most to give form to the Mishna—that is, to ccnvert thc “oral” into “written” law. He was a prod i~- of learning and wisdom. But he is of peculiar interest to us because of his activity in a great national tragedy, the details of which are shrouded in mystery, but of which the end was certain and terrible enough. Akiba supported a revolt of the Jews against the Roman tyranny in the reign of the emperor Hadrian. The strug gle is known as the Revolt of Bar Cochba who was its leader. Bar Cochba, “Son of a Star,” died fighting, and Akiba was taken and tortured to death.
AKIBA was a poor lad and tended sheep for a living. His employer was very wealthy, but that did not prevent his daughter from falling in love with the shepherd lad. She was a high-spirited girl, in spite of the fact that she seemed to be choosing so much below her station in life. She recognized the spark of genius in Akiba and she wished him to become a great scholar. So the young couple planned a long term of study in celebrated academies for Akiba. But when the father learned of his daughter’s “folly,” his rage was uncontrolled. The lovers might take each other if they liked but his house should never be made ridiculous by their presence.
THE plan they had cherished was not sc easily carried out as they had dreamed,
but the devoted pair went on undaunted. Akiba pursued his studies with renowned scholars, while his wife encouraged and aided him by all the means in her power. At one time they were reduced to such extremities that the beautiful hair of the young woman was sold to keep them from starvation. Their only furniture consisted of a pallet of straw. It is said that even in that dark period Akiba’s great qualities shone undimmed. A poor man came to them begging for a little of the straw that they still possessed—it was for his wife who lay sick and feverish on the bare stones. Akiba at once gave the man half of his meager bedding. “Thou seest, my child,” he said to his wife, “there are those who are even poorer than we.”
THIS woman who came down from her high station to wed poverty must have been a very remarkable character, indeed. A story that is told of her shows in what high regard she was held by the world that afterwards came to know her. Anecdotes of great men and women, whether true or not, are always true in this sense, they indicate what people are willing to think of the subjects of the anecdotes. The story is that Akiba was absent from his wife twelve years while engaged in studying. As he was returning, he heard voices inside the little house where his wife had been waiting for him all these years. He recognized her voice and that of another woman. “If my husband were to stay away as long as yours,” the other woman was saying, “I would never have anything more to