Page 99 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich

A Walk to Caesarea: A Historical-Archaeological Perspective 85

The Imprisonment and Death of Rabbi Aqiba in the Prison in Caesarea

A story is told of R. Aqiba who was confined in prison and was cared for by Joshua of Gerasa.
Once, on the eve of a holy day, Joshua took leave of his master and went home, whereupon Elijah
the priest came by and stood at the door of his house, calling, “Come out, Joshua! Come out,
Joshua!”

Joshua asked, “Who are you?”
Elijah replied, “I am Elijah the priest, who has come to tell you that your master, R. Aqiba, has
died in prison.”
They both rushed off and found the gate of the prison open and the warden and everyone else
asleep, while R. Aqiba was lying on his bed. Elijah took charge of him and hoisted the corpse upon
his shoulder, whereupon Joshua of Gerasa said to him, “Did you not tell me ‘I am Elijah a priest’?
Surely a priest is forbidden to render himself unfit by [contact with] a corpse!?”
Elijah replied, “Enough of this, Joshua, my son! God forbid – there is no unfitness attached to
the righteous nor is there any in their disciples.”
Having left the prison they traveled all night until they reached the four-arched gateway
(tetrapylon) of Caesarea. When they arrived at the four-arched gateway of Caesarea, they went
down some descents and up three ascents. There they found a bier spread out, a bench, a table,
and a lamp (menorah). They placed R. Aqiba’s corpse upon the bier, and immediately the lamp
was lit up and the table was set [of their own accord]. At that moment they exclaimed, “Happy are
you O ye laborers in Torah! Happy are you who fear God! Happy are you, R. Aqiba, for whom a
good setting-place has been found at the moment of your death!” (Midrash Mishlei 9:2, ed. Buber,
p. 62, tr. B.L. Visotzky, p. 49).
Another tradition says that Rabbi Aqiba was tortured to death and the Gentiles were weighing
out his flesh at the market-stalls (BT, Menah. oth, 29b).

His Torture in Jail and his Piety

When R. Aqiba was taken out for execution, it was the hour for the recital of the Shemca, and
while they combed his flesh with iron combs, he was accepting upon himself the kingship of
heaven. His disciples said to him: Our teacher, even to this point? He said to them: All my days I
have been troubled by this verse ‘with all thy soul’, [which I interpret,] ‘even if He takes thy soul’.
I said: When shall I have the opportunity of fulfilling this? Now that I have the opportunity shall
I not fulfill it? He prolonged the word eh. ad (the One) until he expired while saying it. A Heavenly
voice (bath kol) went forth and proclaimed: Happy art thou, Akiba, that thy soul has departed with
the word eh. ad! (BT, Berakhot 61b, tr. M. Simon, p. 386).

Rabbinic sources mention Jews whose cases were brought for judgment before the
governor, among them a woman named Tamar – a rich heiress of Tiberias who
wished to be judged by the governor in Caesarea, refusing to accept the verdict of
the court of Sages (Beth Din) in her own city.