The Power of The Constant Drip

I am sure all of you have heard the story of Rabbi Akiva. I want to touch on just a small part of it.

After Akiva learned the basic knowledge of the Torah, he and his wife agreed that he was to go to the academy of the great scholars of those days, headed by Rabbi Eliezer, to devote 12 years to intensive study. Thus, the two parted, and for 12 long years, Rachel worked hard to support herself, while her husband grew to become one of the most learned men that ever lived. At the end of 12 years, Rabbi Akiva returned to his wife, as he had promised. When he came to his house, and before he opened the door, he heard a conversation between his wife and a neighbor taunting Rachel for being foolish enough to wait and slave for her husband, who had left her to study Torah. 

"For my part, he could stay away another 12 years at the Yeshivah to acquire more knowledge," was Rachel's reply.

When Rabbi Akiva heard this from his wife, he turned around and did as Rachel wanted - he went back to Yeshivah.

At the end of 24 years, Rabbi Akiva became the most famous living scholar. Youth of Israel came from all over Israel to study under his guidance. Rabbi Akiva was the rabbi of 24,000 scholars.

Accompanied by them, Rabbi Akiva returned home in a triumphant journey from city to city, welcomed everywhere by the highest nobility.

My question would be, how come Rabbi Akiva didn't even come to the house or say hello to his wife?

Below, as always, is just my opinion.

I believe that just like the young Yosef was atoning for Kayin, Rabbi Akiva has taken it upon himself to atone for Yaakov Avinu. 

Why would Yaakov Avinu need an atonement for, you may ask? 

Parashat Vayetzeh 29:18-30 says Yaakov came to Lavan and agreed to work for Rachel for seven years. Seven years had passed, and on the night of the wedding, Lavan switched the sisters, and Yaakov married Leah. Indignant, but determined to marry Rachel, Yaakov agrees to work another seven years for Rachel. So at the end of 14 years, Yaakov leaves Lavan's house with four wives, 12 children, and lots of livestock. Yaakov Avinu has become rich.

But during this time, he concentrated on his work; "he worked hard," as it says in Vayetzeh 31:6. One thing lacking in this effort was the deep study of Torah. I am sure he learned in his free time, but most of this free time was dedicated to diligently delivering work to Lavan, his employer. 

So, centuries later, Rabbi Akiva comes and amasses many students. He fills the gaps that Yaakov Avinu left, where no Torah was learned. Rabbi Akiva has filled them with his years of learning, no matter the time and effort it took; thus, he has become the greatest sage with fame and fortune.

When Rabbi Akiva was a 40-year-old shepherd, he saw drops of water falling on a huge stone – drip, drop – and directly where the drops were falling, there was a deep hole in the stone.

"What mighty power there is in a drop of water," thought the shepherd. "Could my stony heart ever be softened up that way? Look what the little drops of water did to the rock. Suppose I began to study the Torah, little by little, drop by drop, perhaps my mind would soften up?"

This motivated him to study Torah and become the greatest sage.

How about you? Are you still looking for your rock with a hole made by water drips to motivate you to study Torah?

Many have "used" Rabbi Akiva's rock and reached the heights in Torah and holiness.

Drip, drop.. drip, drop.. So, let's hurry and reach those heights!!

Shmuel Katanov