“Rav bar Shilat had sufficient food, drink and housing, and the king’s agent never passed by his house to demand anything from him.”

The commentaries explain that he merited this special Divine protection due to his great dedication to Torah — especially his teaching Torah to the youth. (See Bava Batra 21a where Rav praises him as an extraordinary teacher of Torah to young children. This Divine protection enabled him to pursue his efforts unhindered by hunger, thirst, tiredness or obligations to the Persian king.

• Ketuvot 62a

“Let her come forward – all of my Torah learning and all of your Torah learning is due to her.”

Rabbi Akiva stated this to make everyone aware of the great honor due his wife, Rachel. He made this announcement to his 24,000 Torah students when he returned home after twenty four years of learning and teaching Torah.

• Ketuvot 63a

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