"It is well that man should be afflicted, for his distresses atone for
his sins."
"Does the Bible make such an assertion, Akiba?" asked his teacher.
"Yes," answered Akiba. "'Twelve years old was Manassah when he became
king, and fifty-and-five years did he reign in Jerusalem, and he did
what was evil in the eyes of the Lord' (Kings). Now, how was this? Did
Hezekiah teach the law to the whole world and not to his son Manassah?
Assuredly not; but Manassah paid no attention to his precepts, and
neglected the word of God until he was afflicted with bodily pain, as it
is written, 'And the Lord spoke to Manassah and to his people, but they
listened not, wherefore the Lord brought over them the captains of the
armies belonging to the king of Assyria, and they took Manassah prisoner
with chains, and bound him with fetters, and led him off to Babylon; and
when he was in distress he besought the Lord his God, and humbled
himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he prayed to Him, and
He permitted Himself to be entreated by him and heard his supplication,
and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom. Then did Manassah
feel conscious that the Lord is indeed the (true) God.'
"Now, what did the king of Assyria to Manassah? He placed him in a
copper barrel and had a fire kindled beneath it, and while enduring
great torture of his body, Manassah was further tortured in his mind.
'Shall I call upon the Almighty?' he thought. 'Alas! His anger burns
against me. To call upon my idols is to call in vain,--alas, alas, what
hope remains to me!'
"He prayed to the greatest of his idols, and waited in vain for a reply.
He called to the lesser gods, and remained unanswered. Then with
trembling heart he addressed the great Eternal.
"'O Eternal! God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants,
the heavens and the earth are the works of Thy hand. Thou didst give to
the sea a shore, controlling with a word the power of the mighty deep.
Thou art merciful as Thou art great, and Thou hast promised to accept
the repentance of those who return to Thee with upright hearts. As
numerous are my sins as the sands which cover the seashore. I have done
evil before Thee, committing abominations in Thy presence and acting
wickedly. Bound with fetters I come before Thee, and on my knees I
entreat Thee, in the name of Thy great attributes of mercy, to
compassionate my suffering and my distress. Pardon me, O Lord, forgive
me. Do not utterly destroy me because of my transgressions. Let not my
punishment eternally continue. Though I am unworthy of Thy goodness, O
Lord, yet save me in Thy mercy. Henceforth will I praise Thy name all
the days of my life, for all Thy creatures delight in praising Thee, and
unto Thee is the greatness and the goodness forever and ever, Selah!'"
"God heard this prayer, even as it is written, 'And He permitted Himself
to be entreated by him, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his
kingdom.'"
"From which we may learn," continued Akiba, "that affliction is an
atonement for sin."
* * * * *
Said Rabbi Eleazer, the great, "It is commanded 'thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy soul and with all that is loved by thee.'
"Does not 'with all thy soul' include 'with all that is loved by thee?'
"Some people love themselves more than they love their money; to them
'tis said, 'with all thy soul;' while for those who love their money
more than themselves the commandment reads, 'with all that is loved by
thee.'"
But Rabbi Akiba always expounded the words, "with all thy soul," to mean
"even though thy life be demanded of thee."
When the decree was issued forbidding the Israelites to study the law,
what did Rabbi Akiba?
He installed many congregations secretly, and in secret lectured before
them.