Gertcel Davydov - Akiva and Rachel. One of the greatest love stories of all time

“Akiva, Akiva,” sighed Shimon heavily, “I can see there is nothing anyone can do. Since you mentioned her the first time, I have tried to dissuade you, to frighten you into giving up on the whole idea, but your intentions are obviously serious and I respect you for that.”

Mr. Shimon was silent for a moment and then he said confidently:

“If I was in your shoes and I liked a girl, do you know what I would do? I wouldn’t listen to an old man like me. I would go and talk to her father.”

“I agree but I am so afraid, afraid of losing Rachel. You don’t understand Mr.Shimon. If Kalba Savua refuses to allow it, Rachel and I won’t be able to see each other.”

“I am prepared to go and talk to Kalba Savua myself” the old man offered, “even if it does spoil our relationship.”

“No. This is the most important thing in my life. I have to do it myself,” said Akiva decisively, turning down Shimon’s offer of help.

* * *

Akiva returned to the Kalba Savua estate and set about his duties. Early in the morning, he drove the sheep to the river and waited for Rachel to appear. He turned round to look for her at every sound, but Rachel didn’t appear. It was getting dark. In the hope of seeing his beloved, Akiva decided to hang on by the river for longer than usual but eventually he left to go back for the night and drove the herd into the fold.

Back at the main house, the estate workers were having their supper in the dining room but Akiva didn’t join them making straight for his room. Once inside, he lit a candle and lay down to rest. All his thoughts were occupied with Rachel totally dulling out any thought of food. He didn’t feel the slightest pang of hunger despite not having eaten since morning. He could only think about one thing: Why had not Rachel come that day? However he looked at it, Akiva could not settle on a definitive answer.

Akiva worked hard to drive away his sad thoughts and dreamed only of seeing Rachel again. In his dreams, they walked hand in hand along the banks of the river discussing various topics of conversation. And when the sun began its journey home, they would sit on the tall rock watching a spectacular sunset. In his imagination they sat watching silently as the sun sank smoothly down into the river and the clouds drifted slowly into the distance. The silence was intoxicating broken only by the occasional sounds of leaves and birdsong.

A knock at the door interrupted Akiva’s flight of fantasy. He got up slowly and went to open the door. Ezra stood in the doorway.

“Peace to you, Akiva. Why did not you come for supper?” Asked the manager.

“I was just feeling a bit tired and decided to rest instead,” the shepherd answered, a little surprised by Ezra’s appearance.

“I was worried you might have been taken ill and have brought you some supper. Have something to eat.” Ezra held out the plate.

Akiva thanked him and put the plate of food on the table. Ezra left but Akiva didn’t touch his supper. He just lay down again thinking about Rachel and dreaming of another meeting with her. He wanted to fall asleep as soon as possible so that he would wake up to a new day which had to bring him the opportunity of seeing his beloved Rachel.

The next day however, did not fulfil Akiva’s hopes either and he returned to his room once again without seeing Rachel. He paced around the room unable to settle, going over different scenarios in his mind. The following morning, not having slept a wink all night, Akiva left his room and set off for the fold.

Thunder rolled and the sky was covered in thick, black cloud. It poured with heavy rain all day. Despite the weather, Akiva drove the herd to the river again impatient to see Rachel appear. He waited for several hours but the rain was only getting heavier and the herd threatened to scatter in all directions with every new clap of thunder. Akiva was forced to drive them back to the fold and return to his lodgings earlier than usual. He couldn’t be tempted by supper on this occasion either. One thought replaced another, making him ever gloomier. “Have I really lost her? Will she really belong to someone else?” Avaricious tears built up like shining dew on Akiva’s lashes. “If I don’t see her again I’ll die.”

Akiva tried to eradicate persistent thoughts of his separation with Rachel from his mind. “Perhaps the reason she didn’t come to the pasture like she used to, is because of the unrelenting rain.” Akiva comforted himself.

“Yes, that’s it!” Akiva felt calmer when he realised that it must have been due to the rain that he hadn’t seen Rachel, in addition to which, he had been forced to drive the sheep into the fold much earlier than he usually did. That would explain it.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to him. “What if Rachel decided to come out anyway, despite the terrible weather, and is waiting for me there, whilst I, fool, sit here in the warm. I’ll go now to the river. If Rachel is by the river, she will be cold and soaked to the skin by now.”

Without even stopping to put on his coat, Akiva hurriedly left his room dressed just in a thin shirt and linen trousers, and ran towards the river. It was dark outside and the heavy rain lashed across Akiva’s face. He ran along the wet, slippery road, fell and picked himself up again continuing towards the river. His clothes were soaked in mud but he didn’t mind and hurried onwards. He made for the summerhouse found it empty. The realisation that Rachel had not been there that day at all cut with bitter disappointment.

Akiva imagined the worst. Rachel had accepted the proposal of one of the yeshiva students and they were already celebrating the happy event. Morose thoughts took even greater hold on him driving him to the edge of despair. The thought that Rachel already belonged to another, that he would never see her again broke his heart.

He stood there getting drenched in the pouring rain and it was a long time before he could take his eyes off the empty summerhouse in the hope that Rachel would finally make a sudden appearance. He waited but eventually had to admit that Rachel wasn’t coming and he sank into the madness of despair. Salty tears streamed down his cheeks. The incessant rain washed away the tears from the face of the grown man but his tears came back with ever more force. Akiva hadn’t cried since childhood but now, he just could not help himself. The tears came stronger and stronger.

“What are you crying for?” said Akiva to the rain as he fell to his knees in the mud. He raised his hands to the sky, and said, “You’re not in love like I am. You can’t imagine how wonderful she is or what it is like to have to live another day without seeing her. My head is filled with stupid thoughts but there’s nothing I can do about it. Why, oh why couldn’t we see each other today? Is it because of you that she didn’t come today? Is it all your fault? Why do you pour and pour? Why do you want to separate us? Can’t you see I’m suffering? Can’t you understand that I’ll die without her? She is all that I have in life. She is my last hope of happiness.” Akiva took a few deep breaths before his words came spilling out again, “Rain, once you gave me the greatest gift of my life, you gave me the chance to see Rachel. On that unforgettable day, you rained incessantly, and Rachel and I met in the summerhouse that I’m looking at now. That was the happiest day of my life, and now you have torn us apart. Before I met Rachel, I was blind. I didn’t see anything, didn’t know the joys of this world. After meeting Rachel I grew up. I understood at last that life can be wonderful, that there is a person in this world for whom I would willingly give my life. And now you want to take from me my sight? Why did you show me the light only to blind me again? It would have been better if I had stayed blind and never met her at all. It is easier for a person who is blind from birth and has no idea of what the visual world is like, than for someone who has been able to see, has admired all the colours of the world and then lost their sight. The pain is unbearable.”