Venue: YU Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov YU Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Halacha:

Tzedakah 

Machshava:

Emunah 

References: Nedarim: 50A ,  Ketuvot: 62B ,  Ketuvot: 63A ,  Pesachim: 112A ,  Nedarim: 50B ,  Chagiga: 9B ,  Berachot: 60B ,  Berachot: 61B ,  Bava Batra: 10A  

Description

Rabbi Akiva spent much of his life as a pauper, before becoming fabulously wealthy. How could he have said that poverty is a beautiful adornment for a Jew, and how could he have told his son not to pursue tzedakah even if he needed it for Shabbat?