The Orchard of Love

Abstract

In this chapter addresses Rabbi Akiva’s perception of Pardes—the “Orchard”. The story of the four who entered the Orchard is a formative text, a cornerstone of mystical tradition throughout the generations. Great sages have attempted to walk its paths and have paid a heavy price in the process, while the sage of love entered and emerged safely. The detailed accounts of his ascent and that of his companions, their failures and of his success in overcoming the obstacles placed in their paths by angels or of their own making. Rabbi Akiva himself claimed that the ability to enter and emerge safely from the Orchard should not be considered a privilege reserved for a select few, but rather a function of moral commitment to which anyone may aspire.