B"H
N.B. The first draft of this from 2013 went in a completely different direction, due to my misreading the midrash. I kept the original title as I couldn't think of anything better...
I've also deliberately left Source 2 untranslated, as the 'translation' is best left to each midrash. All translations (including bold bits) are courtesy of Sefaria - I've italicised the sections of interest. Hope this isn't too confusing.
Sources:
1) Devarim 26:16
הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְצַוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְשָׁמַרְתָּ וְעָשִׂיתָ אוֹתָם בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשֶׁךָ׃
"The LORD your God commands you this day to observe these laws and rules; observe them faithfully with all your heart and soul."
מִ֥מְתִֽים יָדְךָ֨ ׀ יְהֹוָ֡ה מִֽמְתִ֬ים מֵחֶ֗לֶד חֶלְקָ֥ם בַּֽחַיִּים֮ (וצפינך) [וּֽצְפוּנְךָ֮] תְּמַלֵּ֢א בִ֫טְנָ֥ם יִשְׂבְּע֥וּ בָנִ֑ים וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ יִ֝תְרָ֗ם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶֽם׃
3) Talmud Bavli, Berachot 61b (abridged)
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: ״בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ״ אֲפִילּוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ.[...]
Rabbi Akiva says: “With all your soul” means: Even if God takes your soul.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: פַּעַם אַחַת גָּזְרָה מַלְכוּת הָרְשָׁעָה שֶׁלֹּא יַעַסְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּתּוֹרָה. בָּא פַּפּוּס בֶּן יְהוּדָה וּמְצָאוֹ לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁהָיָה מַקְהִיל קְהִלּוֹת בָּרַבִּים וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה. אָמַר לוֹ: עֲקִיבָא אִי אַתָּה מִתְיָרֵא מִפְּנֵי מַלְכוּת?
The Gemara relates at length how Rabbi Akiva fulfilled these directives. The Sages taught: One time, after the bar Kokheva rebellion, the evil empire of Rome decreed that Israel may not engage in the study and practice of Torah. Pappos ben Yehuda came and found Rabbi Akiva, who was convening assemblies in public and engaging in Torah study. Pappos said to him: Akiva, are you not afraid of the empire?
אָמַר לוֹ: אֶמְשׁוֹל לְךָ מָשָׁל, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה — לְשׁוּעָל שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עַל גַּב הַנָּהָר, וְרָאָה דָּגִים שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְקַבְּצִים מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם. אָמַר לָהֶם: מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתֶּם בּוֹרְחִים? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מִפְּנֵי רְשָׁתוֹת שֶׁמְּבִיאִין עָלֵינוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם. אָמַר לָהֶם: רְצוֹנְכֶם שֶׁתַּעֲלוּ לַיַּבָּשָׁה, וְנָדוּר אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁדָּרוּ אֲבוֹתַי עִם אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אַתָּה הוּא שֶׁאוֹמְרִים עָלֶיךָ פִּקֵּחַ שֶׁבַּחַיּוֹת?! לֹא פִּקֵּחַ אַתָּה, אֶלָּא טִפֵּשׁ אַתָּה! וּמָה בִּמְקוֹם חִיּוּתֵנוּ, אָנוּ מִתְיָרְאִין, בִּמְקוֹם מִיתָתֵנוּ — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. אַף אֲנַחְנוּ עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאָנוּ יוֹשְׁבִים וְעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהּ: ״כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ״, כָּךְ, אִם אָנוּ הוֹלְכִים וּמְבַטְּלִים מִמֶּנָּה — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה! [...]
Rabbi Akiva answered him: I will relate a parable. To what can this be compared? It is like a fox walking along a riverbank when he sees fish gathering and fleeing from place to place.
The fox said to them: From what are you fleeing?
They said to him: We are fleeing from the nets that people cast upon us.
He said to them: Do you wish to come up onto dry land, and we will reside together just as my ancestors resided with your ancestors?
The fish said to him: You are the one of whom they say, he is the cleverest of animals? You are not clever; you are a fool. If we are afraid in the water, our natural habitat which gives us life, then in a habitat that causes our death, all the more so.
The moral is: So too, we Jews, now that we sit and engage in Torah study, about which it is written: “For that is your life, and the length of your days” (Deuteronomy 30:20), we fear the empire to this extent; if we proceed to sit idle from its study, as its abandonment is the habitat that causes our death, all the more so will we fear the empire.
בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ אֶת רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא לַהֲרִיגָה זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע הָיָה, וְהָיוּ סוֹרְקִים אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ בְּמַסְרְקוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, וְהָיָה מְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבֵּינוּ, עַד כָּאן?! אָמַר לָהֶם: כׇּל יָמַי הָיִיתִי מִצְטַעֵר עַל פָּסוּק זֶה ״בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ״ אֲפִילּוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת נִשְׁמָתְךָ. אָמַרְתִּי: מָתַי יָבֹא לְיָדִי וַאֲקַיְּימֶנּוּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁבָּא לְיָדִי, לֹא אֲקַיְּימֶנּוּ? הָיָה מַאֲרִיךְ בְּ״אֶחָד״, עַד שֶׁיָּצְתָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ בְּ״אֶחָד״. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: ״אַשְׁרֶיךָ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁיָּצְאָה נִשְׁמָתְךָ בְּאֶחָד״.
The Gemara relates: When they took Rabbi Akiva out to be executed, it was time for the recitation of Shema. And they were raking his flesh with iron combs, and he was reciting Shema, thereby accepting upon himself the yoke of Heaven. His students said to him: Our teacher, even now, as you suffer, you recite Shema? He said to them: All my days I have been troubled by the verse: With all your soul, meaning: Even if God takes your soul. I said to myself: When will the opportunity be afforded me to fulfill this verse? Now that it has been afforded me, shall I not fulfill it? He prolonged his uttering of the word: One, until his soul left his body as he uttered his final word: One. A voice descended from heaven and said: Happy are you, Rabbi Akiva, that your soul left your body as you uttered: One.
אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: זוֹ תּוֹרָה וְזוֹ שְׂכָרָהּ? ״מִמְתִים יָדְךָ ה׳ מִמְתִים וְגוֹ׳״! אָמַר לָהֶם: ״חֶלְקָם בַּחַיִּים״. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: ״אַשְׁרֶיךָ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁאַתָּה מְזֻומָּן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא״.
The ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: This is Torah and this its reward? As it is stated: “From death, by Your hand, O Lord, from death of the world” (Psalms 17:14); Your hand, God, kills and does not save. God said the end of the verse to the ministering angels: “Whose portion is in this life.” And then a Divine Voice emerged and said: Happy are you, Rabbi Akiva, as you are destined for life in the World-to-Come, as your portion is already in eternal life.
[...] וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁכֶם (שם), אֲפִלּוּ נוֹטֵל
אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ. פַּעַם אֶחָד גָּזְרָה מַלְכוּת יָוָן שְׁמָד עַל
יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא יַעַסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה. הָלַךְ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא
וַחֲבֵרָיו וְעָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה [...] וּכְשֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ אֶת רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא
לַהֲרִיגָה, זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע הָיָה, וְהָיוּ מְסָרְקִין אֶת
בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמַּסְרְקוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, וְהוּא קָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע.
וְעָלָיו אָמַר דָּוִד, מִמְּתִים יָדְךָ ה' מִמְּתִים מֵחֶלֶד חֶלְקָם
וְגוֹ' (תהלים יז, יד). אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר
פַּפָּא, אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא מִמְּתִים, אֶלָּא קוֹרֵא מְמִיתִים, עַל
תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְנָה עַל יָדְךָ. בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁרוֹאִים אוֹתָן אָמַר,
חֲלֻדָּה מְלֵאִין, חַטָּאִין יֵשׁ בְּיָדָן, לְפִיכָךְ הֵן נֶהֱרָגִין,
וְכֵן הֵן מֵתִים מֵחֶלֶד. וְהֵן אֵינָן יוֹדְעִין שֶׁחֶלְקָן בְּחַיֵּי
עוֹלָם וְכָל טוֹבָה צְפוּנָה לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּצְפוּנְךָ תְּמַלֵּא
בִטְנָם (שם). וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁזּוֹכִין לְזַרְעָם
אַחֲרֵיהֶם.[...]
“And with all your soul (nafsheka) [Deut 26:16],” even though [someone] takes your life (nafshekha). On one occasion [the Romans] decreed a religious persecution against Israel, in which they were not to occupy themselves with the Torah.
R. Aqiva and his colleagues proceeded to [ignore it and] occupy
themselves with the Torah. [...] [Subsequently] when they brought out R. Aqiva for execution, it
was time to recite the Shema'. While they combed his flesh with combs of iron, he was calling out the recitation of the Shema'. About him David has said (in Ps. 17:14), “Of those who die by your hand, O Lord […] from the world (heled), their portion [is life].” R. Hanina bar Pappa said, “Do not read, ‘of those who die,’ but, ‘those who kill,’
[because they kill themselves] for the sake of the Torah, which was
given [by Your hand].” When people see them, they say, “They are full of
rust (hulda), they have sins on their hand; that is the reason
they were killed, and so they die from the world.” But they do not know
that their portion is in eternal life and that everything good is being
kept in store for them. It is so stated (ibid. cont.), “may You fill
their belly with what You have kept in store for them.” And not only
that, but they attain merit for their children after them. [...]
**********************************************************
Funnily enough, I've ended up doing another 'compare and contrast' of the same basic midrash between the Midrash Tanchuma and the Gemara (see my earlier post on Shoftim).
This time around, we have Rabbi Akiva's famous mashal (parable) of the fox and the fish. In the mashal, the fox unsuccessfully tries to tempt the fish (i.e. the Jews) to leave the danger they face - by swimming in 'the water of Torah' - for certain death on dry land i.e. life without Torah study.
As well known as this mashal is, in both versions it actually forms part of a longer teaching about R' Akiva's martyrdom and his commitment to G-d with 'all his soul', even at the point of death - the connection, presumably, being his insistence on continuing to teach Torah despite this resulting in his arrest and death. For me, the interesting part is actually how each version deals with what happens after the mashal, and the age-old question of 'why do bad things happen to good people?'
First, the basics. The Gemara version (source 3) flows from a discussion of the different elements of the Shema - in particular, what the difference is between loving G-d 'with all your soul' and 'with all your might [me'odecha]'*. R' Akiva emphasises that loving G-d 'with all your soul' means that we must do so even if G-d Himself takes our soul i.e. at death. From this starting point, the Gemara tells us about Rabbi Akiva's mashal and his recitation of the Shema on his deathbed in fulfilment of his teaching.
The Midrash Tanchuma (see source 4) instead 'hooks' this entire midrash to Ki Tavo via the phrase 'with all your heart and with all your soul' in Source 1. While this is not the exact text of the Shema (which comes earlier in Devarim), the midrash interprets 'with all your soul' as meaning 'even if someone takes your soul' (i.e. life) in line with R' Akiva's teaching, forming the link to his mashal and martyrdom.
The linchpin for both versions is their interpretation of a verse from Tehillim (see source 2) in light of R' Akiva's martyrdom. This is a difficult verse to understand in isolation (I certainly struggled), and each version interprets it in different ways.
In the Midrash Tanchuma, R' Chanina bar Pappa uses source 2 to suggest that anyone observing R' Akiva's painful death** may assume that he was full of 'rust' (i.e. sin), hence meeting his end in this way. However, according to R' Chanina this approach is wrong because the end of the verse shows that R' Akiva was in fact destined for eternal life - just in Olam Haba'ah (the world to come), rather than this world.
This is odd. While it's not a philosophy I find easy to stomach, the assumption that someone deserved to die a horrible death because of their sins may well apply to an ordinary person***. But we are talking about the famous R' Akiva here - and if we needed a reminder about what sort of a person he was, the midrash itself has just shown us his own dedication to Torah through the mashal of the fox and the fish. So, why would anyone make such an assumption about R' Akiva?! It almost feels as if the midrash is making a 'straw man' argument to prove a point about R' Akiva's reward in the next world, rather than confronting the challenge of how he could meet such an end in this one.
The Gemara, by contrast, does take on this moral challenge. Here, two groups incredulously question aspects of R' Akiva's death. Firstly, his students ask him 'ad kan?!' - literally 'until here?!'. How can he still have the faith and presence of mind to recite Shema while being tortured by the Romans? A teacher to the end, R' Akiva explains that this is his chance to finally fulfil the command of loving G-d 'with all your soul' as if this means 'even as G-d is taking your soul', just as he himself has taught.
However, it is not humans but angels who raise the real dilemma with G-d Himself - 'this is your Torah and this the reward?' How can it be right that R' Akiva, who risked all for the Torah, be rewarded with such a brutal death? Here, the first part of the same verse that R' Chanina bar Pappa drew on is both reinterpreted (as meaning that G-d kills and does not save men from death), and used as a protest against this idea applying to R' Akiva. G-d responds that the verse's conclusion means that it only applies to those whose reward lies in this world - not to R' Akiva, whose reward is guaranteed in the next instead.
Both groups of questioners are ultimately answered by a bat kol (a voice from heaven) declaring 'Happy are you, R' Akiva [...]', telling us that despite appearances R' Akiva did meet a 'good' end. This is, more or less, the same as R' Chanina bar Pappa's conclusion in the Midrash Tanchuma.
However, it is noticeable is that - even though the broad message is the same - the Gemara is more willing to directly confront the problem of 'why bad things happen to good people' posed by R' Akiva's martyrdom than the Midrash Tanchuma, giving voice to our cry of pain over his fate. A similar contrast - between idealism and messy reality - can be seen in my Shoftim post. Perhaps the answer lies in the different purpose of each text - the Midrash Tanchuma often wants to teach a particular lesson in black-and-white (a.k.a the Rabbi's Shabbat drasha), whereas the Gemara gives room for morally ambiguous 'shades of grey'.
RPT
* An aside - ages ago, I remember hearing the idea that 'me'odecha' really means 'your very veryness', or perhaps 'your essence', which makes sense from a Hebrew perspective. The person citing this happened to be from the Conservative movement, but I would love to know if there is actually a frum source saying this...
** It's easy on a casual read to miss how excruciating R' Akiva's torture and death would have been, both to experience and to watch. For me, when I think of 'combing' or 'combs' my first association is with combing hair, or at a pass wool - both nice, gentle actions. It's only when you pause to actually take in what is happening here - and the translation at source 3 makes this clearer - that you realise how horrific it was and why these midrashim/aggadot react in they way they do.
*** On a first reading I actually misread R' Chanina as referring to Pappas ben Yehuda, not R' Akiva - hence the original draft and blog title.
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