By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

There is an amazing story in the Midrash about Rabbi Tarfon, who besides being a great Torah scholar, was very wealthy and an astute investor. On one occasion, his student, Rabbi Akiva approached him and asked if he’d like to buy a city… or even two. Having full faith in his beloved student, Rabbi Tarfon accepted the offer, and gave Rabbi Akiva 4,000 “dinarei zahav”, gold coins to close the deal.

Sometime later, Rabbi Tarfon requested to see the cities and find out what happened to his investment.

Rabbi Akiva took Rabbi Tarfon by the hand and led him into a beis medrash, a house of Torah learning, filled with students immersed in study. They stood alongside a student who was saying Psalms. They listened attentively to each passage, till he reached the verse “He distributed (funds) to the poor, his charity endures forever, his power will be exalted in honor.” (Tehillim/Psalms 112:9)

Rabbi Akiva didn’t have to say anything more. Rabbi Tarfon understood that building a house of Torah study, and supporting scholars in learning, is the greatest investment. An investment in the future of our nation. An investment that would bring much honor and merit, and remain with him for all time.

Rabbi Tarfon hugged Rabbi Akiva. Even though Rabbi Akiva was his student, Rabbi Tarfon thanked him for being his “teacher”, saying “From you I learn wisdom, from you I learn how to conduct myself”. With that, Rabbi Tarfon gave Rabbi Akiva additional gold coins for “future cities”.

We count forty-nine days from Pesach to Shavuos, the Yom Tov that celebrates our receiving the Torah. During the days of Sefira we also remember the students of Rabbi Akiva, who lost their lives to a devastating epidemic. The epidemic finally came to a halt on Lag B’Omer, the thirty-third day of the count.

This year, Lab B’Omer is on Tuesday, May 9. While we celebrate the epidemic’s end, we also celebrate the indomitable spirit of Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Akiva taught us that no matter what, Torah study continues. After losing many thousands of students, he could have easily said, I’m old, I did mine, I built up a yeshiva once, it’s enough. He could have said, it’s time to retire and let someone else take over. But Rabbi Akiva would have none of that. He mustered his strength, and gathered a new group of students. He realized the importance of continuing the chain of Torah study that stretched all the way back to Sinai.

Rabbi Akiva’s love of learning and teaching extended to all ages, even to the children, the purest of souls.

The Talmud (Pesachim 109a) relates how on Erev Pesach, Rabbi Akiva would distribute walnuts to the little ones. It was to keep them alert and awake during the Seder. He wanted them to be taking in the moment, asking questions about the unusual proceedings of the Seder night. (Seder might, I took a cue from Rabbi Akiva, and gave out chocolate chips whenever one of the grandchildren shared a Torah thought. A little treat that went a long way keeping them not only happy, but engaged.)

Recently, my husband spoke to our grandson’s elementary school rebbe. The rebbe commented that at times, to reach and motivate children one must do “edutainment”. While one might think that this is a new concept, Rabbi Akiva realized it years ago, when he handed out the walnuts. Rabbi Akiva understood that to build the leaders of tomorrow one must create an atmosphere of love for Torah and mitzvos.

Rabbi Akiva’s love extended to his adult students as well. The Talmud relates that upon hearing that one of his students was ill, Rabbi Akiva went to visit. He found the room in disarray. A total mess. Rabbi Akiva himself cleaned up the room, even washing the floor. His love for his students was so strong, that nothing was beneath him.

Rabbi Akiva lived during the period of harsh Roman rule. The Romans tried to break the Jewish spirit by forbidding Torah learning. With great inner strength, Rabbi Akiva defied their tyrannical laws.

Pappas ben Yehudah was an acquaintance of Rabbi Akiva. Pappas wanted to find favor in the Romans’ eyes, and began to live an outwardly Roman lifestyle. Seeing that Rabbi Akiva continued to study Torah, Pappas cautioned him that he was living dangerously. Rabbi Akiva responded with a parable.

Rabbi Akiva told Pappas of a fox that went to the riverside warning the fish, “Come out of the water, join me on dry land, before the fishermen’s nets catch you.”

The fish retorted, “At least in the water we have the ability to swim away and avoid the net. But once we are on dry land, we don’t stand a chance of living.”

Rabbi Akiva explained that this is the story of our people. As long as we are in the water, in our Torah environment, we can survive as a Jewish nation. Take us out of the water… without Torah, there is no life.

Ultimately, the Romans caught Rabbi Akiva and he was imprisoned. There, in the decrepit Roman prison he met up with his old friend Pappas – the Romans got to Pappas as well.

“Oy”, Pappas called out. “Rabbi Akiva, you stuck to your beliefs and ideals. You have a life in this world, and in the World to Come. But me – I lost my place in this world and in the World to Come.”

Rabbi Akiva teaches us not to give up, but to keep on learning, growing and building for the future.

I think of my parents, both Holocaust survivors. Both endured much pain and challenge. Yet, they never stopped learning, never stopped teaching. Like Rabbi Akiva, they reached out to people of all ages, and always with love.

I grew up hearing my grandmother, Mama, singing the Yiddish lullaby “Torah is the beste s’chorah, Torah is the greatest possession”. The words live on. I sang it to my children, and then to my grandchildren.

Torah. The best investment. How true.

L’zecher Nishmas / In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l & Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l