Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 50a

נדרים נ׳ ע״א

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Topic

The story of רבי עקיבא and his wife: poverty, twenty-four years of learning, the release of her father's נדר, and the six sources of his wealth.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a story about a poor sage, רבי יהודה, who shows a messenger hidden wealth but says he does not want to enjoy this world. The גמרא then tells the famous story of רבי עקיבא and his wife, the daughter of the rich man כלבא שבוע. Her father cuts her off with a נדר of הנאה, but she marries רבי עקיבא anyway, and they live in deep poverty, sleeping on straw. She sends him to learn תורה for twelve years. When he comes home, he overhears her say she would gladly have him learn twelve more, so he goes back. He returns with 24,000 pairs of students and tells them that all his תורה and theirs belongs to her. Her father then has his נדר released. The amud ends by listing how רבי עקיבא became rich from six things: his father-in-law, a ship's ram figure, a log full of coins, the סרוקיתא, and a noble lady. The details of the last items continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

דַּלִּי צִיפְּתָא

He lifted the mat

וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ לִשְׁלוּחָא:

and said to the messenger:

חֲזִי מַאי אִיכָּא.

See what there is here.

מִיהוּ, לָא נִיחָא לִי

However, it is not pleasing to me

The steps (16)

  1. ConclusionThe sage shows hidden wealth but refuses to enjoy this world
  2. Statementרבי עקיבא's engagement and the father's vow
  3. StatementSleeping on straw and the promise of a golden crown
  4. Statementאליהו comes asking for straw
  5. StatementHis wife sends him to learn תורה
  6. StatementComing home and overhearing an insult
  7. StatementHer answer and his return for twelve more years
  8. Statementרבי עקיבא returns with 24,000 pairs of students
  9. StatementThe wicked man mocks her, and she answers with a verse
  10. Statementרבי עקיבא says all his תורה and theirs belongs to her
  11. Statementכלבא שבוע has his vow released
  12. Statementרבי עקיבא became rich from six things, starting with his father-in-law
  13. StatementSecond source: a ship's ram figure left on the shore
  14. StatementThird source: the sailors bring him only a log
  15. StatementThe log turns out to be full of coins
  16. StatementFourth and fifth sources: the סרוקיתא and a noble lady