he had driven his daughter from his home. Now, the arrival of the tzadik of the generation would give him an opportunity to learn how to right the terrible wrong he had done her. Rabbi Akiva graciously admitted the old man into his presence and listened while he related the story, not knowing that this was his own father-in-law As the man's story unfolded, Akiva realized who he was.
"If you had known that the poor, ignorant shepherd would one day become a great scholar, would you have acted differently?" inquired Rabbi Akiva.
"I promise you, if I had thought that he would know even one Torah law, I would have permitted the marriage!"
"Then know, that I am that shepherd, and it is only through the merit of your daughter that I have achieved this position!"
Rabbi Akiva was able to nullify the vow Ben Kalba Savua rashly made so many years before. The old man, in his happiness, gave the couple half of his great wealth.
Their dream realized, Rachel and Akiva felt the old pain of separation diminish, overwhelmed by the new joy of their reunion. Rabbi Akiva hadn't forgotten the promise he made many years before--he had achieved greatness; and in addition to the crown of Torah, Rachel wore a golden crown of Jerusalem.
Reprinted from the Parashat Behar 5784 edition of L’Chaim, a publication of the Lubavitch Youth Organization in Brooklyn.
