R. Akiba also used to scoff at the people who committed sin. He also said, "Every man can easily subdue his evil passion."

One day the Yezer ha-Re' (evil inclination) took the shape of a beautiful woman and climbed to the top of a tall palm tree. When R. Akiba beheld her, he desired her and began to climb up. When he was half way up, his passion left him.

The Yezer ha-Re' then said to R. Akiba: "If it had not been announced in the heavens: 'Take

care of R. Akiba and his Torah,' I would have thrown you down from the tree so that you would have broken your neck and died instantly."