תלמוד בבלי, נדרים נ עמוד א
מעשה בתלמיד אחד מתלמידי ר' עקיבא שחלה ולא נכנסו חכמים לבקרו. ונחנס ר' עקיבא לבקרו, ובשביל שכיבכדו וריבצו לפניו חיה. א"ל: רבי, חייתי.
It happened that one of R. Akiva’s pupils became ill, and the Rabbis did not come to visit him. But R. Akiva did visit him, and because R. Akiva swept and sprinkled the floor before him, he lived. The sick man said to him: “Master, you have given me new life!” [CAJE translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Why didn’t the sick student’s rabbis visit him?
2. What compelled Rabbi Akiva to go see him?
3. How did Rabbi Akiva give him “new life”?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)