Eduyos 2:8-9

Eduyos 2:8

Rabbi Akiva said three things, two of which the Sages agreed with and one they disagreed with. The two they agreed with were that the protective sandals worn by lime-burners are susceptible to midras impurity (i.e., if worn by a zav), and that pieces of an oven remain unclean until they are smaller than four handbreadths (about 12 inches). The Sages used to say three handbreadths but when Rabbi Akiva expounded four, they agreed with him. The matter on which they did not agree with Rabbi Akiva was regarding on a chair on which two adjacent coverings were removed. Rabbi Akiva declared such a chair susceptible to ritual impurity but the Sages disagreed.

Eduyos 2:9

Rabbi Akiva used to say that a father can give his son looks, strength, wealth, wisdom and longevity; the merit of preceding generations can help him, though there are limits, as per Isaiah 41:4, “The One Who called the generations from the beginning,” even though Genesis 15:13 says “they will serve them, and they will afflict them for 400 years” and verse 16 says, “In the fourth generation, they will return here” (i.e., Avraham’s merits were not enough to prevent his descendants’ exile and slavery in Egypt).