Liturgy su Salmi 127:2

The princes of the Jewish people were killed, those who spent long hours in the synagogue.²²⁰This is based upon the verse in Tehillim 127:2. They were filled with mitzvos like a pomegranate is filled with seeds, and like the corners [of the Altar were filled with blood.] They then brought out Rabbi Akiva, who expounded upon the crowns of the letters.²²¹The Talmud Menachos 29b relates as follows: When Moshe ascended to heaven he saw Hashem sitting and placing crowns on top of the Hebrew letters. He said to Him “Master of the World, who is forcing you to add these?” Hashem replied, “There is a man who will live many generations hence, and his name is Akiva ben Yosef. In the future, he will expound upon each of them.” They lacerated his skin with iron combs.²²²The Midrash (version I) says that with each laceration, Rabbi Akiva said, “Hashem’s work is perfect, all His ways are just. He is a faithful God and has no imperfections, He is righteous and just.”²²³As he was brought out to be killed, it was time to recite the Shema. While being lacerated, he accepted upon himself the yoke of Heaven. His students asked him, “Our teacher, even at this point?” He replied, “My sons, all my life I worried about the verse ‘You shall love Adonoy your God with all your heart and all your soul’—even if He takes your soul. And I would wonder, when will the time come for me to fulfill this commandment? Now that the time has come, shouldn’t I fulfill it?” (Midrash version II, Berachos)

in the synagogue.²²⁰This is based upon the verse in Tehillim 127:2.