Note: This tale is adapted from Talmud Shabbat 127b and the identification of the main characters as Akiva and Eliezer is from Rav Achai Gaon (see original sources below).
ACT ONE
The Estate of Eliezer ben Hyrkanus, West of Jerusalem, Yom Kippur Eve
NARRATOR: I'm sure you have heard of the incident involving a certain farmhand from Peki'in, in the Upper Galilee who was so destitute that he travelled to the south to work for a wealthy landowner. And there he stayed for three years...
AKIVA: (Standing outside Eliezer’s room, mustering up a bit of courage) Master Eliezer! May I enter?
ELIEZER: (Looks up from his accounts book, waves Akiva in) Yes, of course! Please come in.
AKIVA: (Nervously clears his throat) Master Eliezer! It has been three long years since the day I first arrived here at your grand estate. I have worked hard all this time, hoping to earn enough money to provide for my wife and children. But my heart yearns to return to the Upper Galilee and see my beloved Rachel. Please sir, give me my wages, so I can return home.
ELIEZER: (Pauses and frowns) I’m terribly sorry, young man. But I have no money to pay your wages.
AKIVA: (Surprised, begins to stammer) Well, I-... In that case, perhaps you can give me my wages in the form of produce.
ELIEZER: (Face softens) Again, I must apologise. I do not have any produce.
AKIVA: (Visibly confused)
In that case, may you please give me my wages in the form of a land title.
ELIEZER: (Looks away, closes the accounts book) I would be happy to. But I have no land.
AKIVA: (Grips his bag of tools) Can you give me my wages in the form of cattle?
ELIEZER: (Gets up from the table, walks toward the window, facing away from Akiva) I do not have any cattle.
AKIVA: (Begins to panic) At the very least… give me some cushions and blankets.
ELIEZER: (Continues to stare out the window) I have no cushions or blankets.
AKIVA: (Head bowed, slings the bag of tools over his shoulder and silently leaves the room)
ACT TWO
Peki’in, Upper Galilee, on the edge of town, First day of Cheshvan
CHILD: Look father! A stranger has arrived outside our house! He is riding a donkey and has three more donkeys behind him.
ELIEZER: Akiva, are you there? I was told this is your home.
AKIVA: Yes, Master Eliezer. This is my home.
ELIEZER: Akiva, I have travelled far to see you. I am very weary from the long journey. Please allow me to enter your home and rest and I will share this food I have brought with you and your family.
The family sits together and enjoys a great feast.
ELIEZER: Akiva! I have something for you. (Gives Akiva a large pouch of coins) These are your wages for the three long years you have worked for me.
AKIVA: (Stammering) Th-Thank you sir!
ELIEZER: Akiva, please answer me this: When you said to me: ‘Give me my wages’, and I said: ‘I have no money’, what were you thinking? You must have suspected something was wrong.
AKIVA: Well, I said to myself: Perhaps he came across an opportunity to purchase merchandise inexpensively, and he spent all the money on hand to make the purchase.
ELIEZER: What about when you said to me: ‘Give me cattle’, and I said: ‘I have no cattle’, what did you think then?
AKIVA: I said to myself: Perhaps he had leased out his flocks to others, and none were available at that moment.
ELIEZER: When you said to me: ‘Give me a land title’, and I said: ‘I have no land’, what did you think then?
AKIVA: I said to myself: Perhaps the land was leased to others.
ELIEZER: What about when I said ‘I have no produce’? Were you not suspicious then?
AKIVA: I said to myself: Perhaps he did not yet calculate the tithes to give, so they were unavailable at that time.
ELIEZER: And what about when I said: ‘I have no cushions or blankets’? Surely you must have suspected I was lying to your face?
AKIVA: I said: Perhaps he donated all his property to the Temple and there was really nothing he could give me.
ELIEZER: I swear in the name of Heaven that it happened exactly as you thought. At that time I had just made a vow to donate all my wealth, property and possessions to the Temple in Jerusalem. I did this because I did not wish to leave anything to my son, Hyrcanus.
AKIVA: What did he do wrong?
ELIEZER: My son said he wished to travel to Rome and that he would use my wealth to join Roman society. And I said to myself, how could he betray me like this. So I swore he would have nothing.
AKIVA: What happened next?
ELIEZER: After you had asked me for your wages, I realised my mistake. You had worked faithfully for three long years and I was unable to give you anything. And at the time, I was not sure what to do. Once you left, I consulted with the High Court and they ruled to annul my oath. My wealth and possessions were mine again. So, I immediately travelled to Peki’in to find you and pay your wages. Akiva, just as you judged me favourably, so may the Holy One judge you favourably.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הַדָּן חֲבֵירוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת — דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ לִזְכוּת.
וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁיָּרַד מִגָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן וְנִשְׂכַּר אֵצֶל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת אֶחָד בַּדָּרוֹם שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים.
עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים
אָמַר לוֹ: תֵּן לִי שְׂכָרִי, וְאֵלֵךְ וְאָזוּן אֶת אִשְׁתִּי וּבָנַי.
אָמַר לוֹ: אֵין לִי מָעוֹת.
אָמַר לוֹ: תֵּן לִי פֵּירוֹת.
אָמַר לוֹ: אֵין לִי.
תֵּן לִי קַרְקַע —
אִין לִי.
תֵּן לִי בְּהֵמָה —
אֵין לִי.
תֵּן לִי כָּרִים וּכְסָתוֹת —
אֵין לִי.
הִפְשִׁיל כֵּלָיו לַאֲחוֹרָיו, וְהָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ בְּפַחֵי נֶפֶשׁ.
לְאַחַר הָרֶגֶל נָטַל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת שְׂכָרוֹ בְּיָדוֹ,
וְעִמּוֹ מַשּׂוֹי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲמוֹרִים,
אֶחָד שֶׁל מַאֲכָל,
וְאֶחָד שֶׁל מִשְׁתֶּה,
וְאֶחָד שֶׁל מִינֵי מְגָדִים,
וְהָלַךְ לוֹ לְבֵיתוֹ.
אַחַר שֶׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ נָתַן לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ.
אָמַר לוֹ: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי ״תֵּן לִי שְׂכָרִי״ וְאָמַרְתִּי ״אֵין לִי מָעוֹת״, בַּמֶּה חֲשַׁדְתַּנִי?
אָמַרְתִּי: שֶׁמָּא פְּרַקְמַטְיָא בְּזוֹל נִזְדַּמְּנָה לְךָ, וְלָקַחְתָּ בָּהֶן.
וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי ״תֵּן לִי בְּהֵמָה״, וְאָמַרְתִּי ״אֵין לִי בְּהֵמָה״, בַּמֶּה חֲשַׁדְתַּנִי?
אָמַרְתִּי: שֶׁמָּא מוּשְׂכֶּרֶת בְּיַד אֲחֵרִים.
בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי ״תֵּן לִי קַרְקַע״, וְאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ ״אֵין לִי קַרְקַע״, בַּמֶּה חֲשַׁדְתַּנִי?
אָמַרְתִּי: שֶׁמָּא מוּחְכֶּרֶת בְּיַד אֲחֵרִים הִיא.
וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ ״אֵין לִי פֵּירוֹת״ בַּמֶּה חֲשַׁדְתַּנִי?
אָמַרְתִּי: שֶׁמָּא אֵינָן מְעוּשָּׂרוֹת.
וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ ״אֵין לִי כָּרִים וּכְסָתוֹת״ בַּמֶּה חֲשַׁדְתַּנִי?
אָמַרְתִּי: שֶׁמָּא הִקְדִּישׁ כָּל נְכָסָיו לַשָּׁמַיִם.
אָמַר לוֹ: הָעֲבוֹדָה! כָּךְ הָיָה.
הִדַּרְתִּי כׇּל נְכָסַי בִּשְׁבִיל הוּרְקָנוֹס בְּנִי שֶׁלֹּא עָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה.
וּכְשֶׁבָּאתִי אֵצֶל חֲבֵירַי בַּדָּרוֹם הִתִּירוּ לִי כָּל נְדָרַי.
וְאַתָּה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁדַּנְתַּנִי לִזְכוּת, הַמָּקוֹם יָדִין אוֹתְךָ לִזְכוּת.
The Sages taught in a baraita: One who judges another favorably is himself judged favorably. And there was an incident involving a certain person who descended from the Upper Galilee and was hired to work for a certain homeowner in the South for three years. On the eve of the Day of Atonement, he said to the homeowner: Give me my wages, and I will go and feed my wife and children. The homeowner said to him: I have no money. He said to him: In that case, give me my wages in the form of produce. He said to him: I have none. The worker said to him: Give me my wages in the form of land. The homeowner said to him: I have none. The worker said to him: Give me my wages in the form of animals. He said to him: I have none. The worker said to him: Give me cushions and blankets. He said to him: I have none. The worker slung his tools over his shoulder behind him and went to his home in anguish. After the festival of Sukkot, the homeowner took the worker’s wages in his hand, along with a burden that required three donkeys, one laden with food, one laden with drink, and one laden with types of sweets, and went to the worker’s home. After they ate and drank, the homeowner gave him his wages. The homeowner said to him: When you said to me: Give me my wages, and I said: I have no money, of what did you suspect me? Why did you not suspect me of trying to avoid paying you? The worker answered, I said: Perhaps the opportunity to purchase merchandise [perakmatya] inexpensively presented itself, and you purchased it with the money that you owed me, and therefore you had no money available. The homeowner asked: And when you said to me: Give me animals, and I said: I have no animals, of what did you suspect me? The worker answered: I said: Perhaps the animals are hired to others. The homeowner asked: When you said to me: Give me land, and I said: I have no land, of what did you suspect me? The worker answered: I said: Perhaps the land is leased to others, and you cannot take the land from the lessees. The homeowner asked: And when you said to me: Give me produce, and I said: I have no produce, of what did you suspect me? The worker answered: I said: Perhaps they are not tithed, and that was why you could not give them to me. The homeowner asked: And when I said: I have no cushions or blankets, of what did you suspect me? The worker answered: I said: Perhaps he consecrated all his property to Heaven and therefore has nothing available at present. The homeowner said to him: I swear by the Temple service that it was so. I had no money available at the time because I vowed and consecrated all my property on account of Hyrcanus, my son, who did not engage in Torah study. The homeowner sought to avoid leaving an inheritance for his son. And when I came to my colleagues in the South, the Sages of that generation, they dissolved all my vows. At that point, the homeowner had immediately gone to pay his worker. Now the homeowner said: And you, just as you judged favorably, so may God judge you favorably.
(א) שאילתא (א) דאסיר להון לדבית ישראל למיחשד חד על חבריה אלא לידייניה לכף זכות דתניא הדן את חבירו לכף זכות דנין אותו מן השמים לכף זכות ומעשה ברבי עקיבא בן יוסף שהיה מושכר אצל רבי אליעזר בן הורקנוס ועשה עמו שלש שנים כשבא ליפטר ממנו בערב יום הכפורים אמר לו תן לי מעותיי ואלך ואפרנס את אשתי ואת בניי אמר לו אין לי מעות שאתן לך והיה רואה מעות בידו תן לי בהמה אמר לו אין לי בהמה שאתן לך והיה רואה בהמה בתוך ביתו תן לי תבואה בשכרי אמר לו אין לי תבואה שאתן לך והיה רואה תבואה בתוך ביתו אמר לו תן לי כרים וכסתות בשכרי אמר לו אין לי כרים וכסתות שאתן לך והיה רואה כרים וכסתות בתוך ביתו תן לי קרקע בשכרי אמר לו אין לי קרקע שאתן לך והיה רואה לו קרקע מה עשה רבי עקיבא הפשיל כליו לאחוריו והלך לביתו בפחי נפש מה עשה רבי אליעזר בן הורקנוס המתין עד שיצא חג הסוכות ונטל משואות שלשה חמורים אחד של יין ואחד של שמן ואחד של כל מיני מגדים ומעות בידו והלך לביתו של ר' עקיבא והניח לפניו ואכלו ושתו והוציא המעות ונתן לו אמר לו בני חייך כשאמרת לי תן לי מעותיי ואמרתי לך אין לי מעות שאתן לך והיית רואה מעות בידי במה חשדתני אמר לו אמרתי שמא שדות וכרמים נזדמנו לו בזול וביקש ליקח מהם כשאמרת לי תן לי בהמה בשכרי ואמרתי לך אין לי בהמה שאתן לך והיית רואה בהמה בתוך ביתי במה חשדתני אמר לו אמרתי שמא מושכרות הם ביד אחרים כשאמרת לי תן לי תבואה בשכרי ואמרתי לך אין לי תבואה שאתן לך והיית רואה תבואה בתוך ביתי במה חשדתני אמר לו אמרתי שמא רוב פירותיו אינן מעושרין כשאמרת לי תן לי כרים וכסתות בשכרי ואמרתי לך אין לי והיית רואה כרים וכסתות בתוך ביתי והיית רואה לי קרקע כמה חשדתני אמר לו אמרתי שמא הקדיש רבי כל נכסיו לשמים אמר לו העבודה כך היה הורקנוס בני לא היה עוסק בתורה והקדשתי כל נכסיי לשמים כדי שיעסוק בתורה עד שבאתי אצל חכמים והתירו את נדרי שכל מי שיאחר נדרו אין נזקקין לו *שנוהג באיסור כדרך שנוהג בהיתר דברי רבי אלעזר ואמר רבי יוסי בד"א בנדר מרובה אבל בנדר מועט שלשים יום אלא כשם שדנתני לכף זכות כך ידינוך מן השמים לכף זכות