It happened in the time of R. Akiba that a man committed a sin with a young woman on the Day of Atonement. The girl had been betrothed to another man and was soon to be married. When the people heard of it, they took the man out of the city and stoned him to death, for it was the same as if he had lain with a married woman.

The woman became pregnant and a few weeks later gave birth to a male child. But the Jews refused to circumcise it, thinking that no good could come of the child since his father had done such a wicked act.

One day, as R. Akiba was walking across the country, he met a man carrying on his shoulders, a heavy load of wood such as no ass or camel could carry.

R. Akiba said: "I adjure you by the Holy Name to tell me whether you are man or demon or what kind of a creature you are."

The man replied ; "I was once a man and departed from this world. Now I am condemned to carry this load of wood daily, and I am burned therewith three times a day."

R. Akiba asked him: "What sin had you committed?"

The man replied that he had lain on the Day of Atonement with a virgin, who was betrothed to another man. And he added: "I have done more. I was overseer of the poor and I spared the rich by not taking from them as much as they should have given, whilst I exacted a heavier toll from the poor."

R. Akiba asked him: "Have you heard whether there is any salvation for you?"

The man replied: "Dear rabbi, do not detain me, for those who are put over me will be angry and then there will be no hope for me. I have heard, however, that if I had a son who would say kaddish for me, there would be hope for my salvation."

R. Akiba asked him whether he had left a son, and he replied: "No, but when I died my wife was pregnant and I do not know whether she gave birth to a male child; but even if she gave birth to a son, the people would not allow him to study the Torah, for they hate me."

Then R. Akiba asked him his name and the name of his wife and his town. He answered his questions and went his way. Then R. Akiba took it upon himself to go to that town and save the man if it were possible.

When he arrived in the city, the elders of the town came out to meet him and showed him great honor. Then R. Akiba asked: "Was there not once a man in this town whose name was so and so?"

The people replied: "Yes, he was stoned to death a long time ago."

Then he asked after the woman and they replied: "May her name be blotted out, she is no longer here, she ran away."

Then he asked further: "Did he not leave a son?"

And they replied: "Yes, but he has not yet been circumcised."

Then R. Akiba rebuked them for refusing to circumcise the boy because his father was a bad man. "The child is not responsible," he said, "he may turn out a good man after all."

Then R. Akiba sent for the boy and circumcised him and began to teach him the Torah, but it was in vain, he could not get the child to learn. Then R. Akiba fasted forty days and prayed to God on behalf of the child, and then he succeeded in teaching him the Torah. He taught him to say his prayers and the grace after meals and took him to the synagogue to recite the benediction Bareku, and the whole congregation responded.

Immediately the man was transferred from hell to paradise, and the same night he appeared to R. Akiba and said to him: "May the Lord reward you in this everlasting world, for you have delivered me from hell."

R. Akiba replied: "The justice of God is everlasting, from generation to generation, therefore the Lord says: 'I have placed you in this world, therefore perform good deeds, study the Torah and observe the commandments, for one good deed leads to another and similarly one sin leads to another sin."

Therefore may every man be found worthy to leave behind children who will say the kaddish and thereby deliver him from hell and bring him into paradise, as happened to this man.