A story about Rabbi Akiva, when the famed second-century Talmudic sage was a young scholar....
Rabban Gamliel, the head of the Sanhedrin, hosted a gathering of scholars in the town of Jericho. The guests were served dates, and Rabban Gamliel honored Rabbi Akiva with reciting the brachah achronah, the blessing after eating. However, Rabban Gamliel and the other sages disagreed about which blessing should be said after eating dates. The young scholar quickly made the blessing — in accordance with the opinion of the other rabbis.
“Akiva!” exclaimed Rabban Gamliel. “When will you stop butting your head into Halachic disagreements?”
“Our master,” Rabbi Akiva replied calmly, “it is true that you and your colleagues disagree in this matter. But did you not teach us that the law is decided according to the majority opinion?”
In fact, it is hard to understand Rabban Gamliel’s criticism. What did he expect Rabbi Akiva to do? Why was he upset?
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