But when he had climbed half the height of the palm he suddenly came to himself. It was as if a cold wind had icily bedewed him and had blown something away from before his eyes, making him see the complete ludicrousness and unworthiness of his position. He, the renowned Master, teacher and judge among the Jews, climbing, half-naked, up a tall tree, driven and goaded on by lust! He threw himself down, rather than descended, from the tree, rolled himself into a ball at its foot, and burst into bitter tears.
A malicious, mocking voice spoke above him:
“Had it not been decreed in Heaven that you and your Torah should be protected, your life at this moment would not be worth a straw.”
Rabbi Akiba wept more bitterly than ever, striking his breasts and beating his head.
He dressed and continued on his way. The sun no longer shone; heaven and earth were veiled in greyish fog, and the laughter and song of the surrounding scene now ceased. Or perhaps it merely seemed so to him because his heart was bitter and his soul grieved; he looked neither to right nor to left and his ears were deaf to the outer world.
He felt ashamed and debased. And he knew that henceforth he would not mock those who had committed sin.
Now he understood the weakness of man, and how plentifully life was strewn with dangers, and his lips muttered acridly, “All of us here below are even as criminals who are released on bail, and a net of transgression is spread over all existence.”
JOHANAN THE HIGH PRIEST
JOHANAN THE HIGH PRIEST