R' Akiva knew what he had to do. He gathered large congregations publicly and taught them Torah. His fried and colleague, Papus be Yehudah, was appalled a R' Akiva's temerity. "Akiva, aren't you afraid of the government?" R' Akiva answered, "I will explain our predicament with a parable. Once a fox was walking along a river bank when he saw schools of fish frenziedly swimming from one part of the river to another. He called out to the fish, From what do you flee? The fish ansered, We seek to escape the nets that fishermen put out to catch us. Feigning concern, the fox shouted, If only you would come up on the dry land! Then you and I could live together as peaceful neighbors, just as our forebears did before humans came along to disturb our harmony.
the fish responded, Are you the fox, about whom it is said that you are the shrewdest of all animals? You are not shrewd, but a fool! If our lives are in danger even in the water which is our source of life, how much greater would be our peril on lind where our death is certain?
We are in the same predicament." R' Akiva told Papus. "If we are in danger when we study the Torah, about which we are taught for it is your life and the length of your days (Deuteronomy (Devarim) 30:20), then our very survival will surely be in danger if we forsake the Torah!"

Before long, Roman soldiers discovered R' Akiva and threw him into a dungeon - and not long afterward Papus ben Yehudah, too, was arrested and imprisoned together with him. Upon seeing his dear friend, Papus exclaimed, "Akiva, how fortunate your are - you were arrested for the sake of Torah. But sad it is for Papus - I was arrested for a mere triviality."

It was the time of the morning Shema reading when R' Akiva was taken out to be tortured to death publicly. The Romans tore his flesh with iron combs, but during his frightful ordeal he accepted G-d's sovereignty upon himself by reciting the Shema. He was joyous, oblivious to the pain. Turnus Rufus, the Roman commander who ordered the barbarous execution, was flabbergasted. "Have you no feeling of pain that you can laugh in the face of such intense suffering!" he exclaimed. Even R' Akiva's own students wondered, "Our teacher, evwen to this extent?"

The dying sage explained, "All my life I was concerned over a phrase of the Torah. We are taught in the Shema to accept G-d's sovereignty and decrees upon ourselves, with all your soul, even if He takes your life. I used to wonder if I would ever have the privilege of serving Hashem to such a degree. Now that the chance has come to me, shall I not grasp it with joy?"

He repeated the first vers of Shema, Hear O Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One, until his soul left him.

A Heavenly voice was heard, saying, "You are praiseworthy, R' Akiva, for your soul left you as you proclaimed Hashem's Oneness!... You are praiseworthy, R' Akiva, for you are ready to enter the life of the World to Come" (Berachot 61b).