Rabbi Akiva was a shepherd for Ben Kalba Savua; Ben Kalba Savua's daughter saw his good character and offered to marry him if he would learn in yeshiva. Her father disowned her for marrying a shepherd. Rabbi Akiva went to learn in yeshiva for twelve years, and returned with 12,000 students. When he came back, he heard her tell an old neighbour that if Rabbi Akiva would listen to her, he would stay away another twelve years. So he did this, and returned with 24,000 students. When Ben Kalba Savua saw this, he recanted and granted them half his estate: Ketuvot 62b-63a
Rabbi Akiva's wife refusing to dress up to greet him when he came home from the yeshiva, and her explanation for why she did this: Ketuvot 62b-63a
Rabbi Akiva's wife fell at his feet when he returned home from the yeshiva. His students tried to push her away; Rabbi Akiva explained to them that all that they had, and all that he had, was actually hers: Ketuvot 63a
"LeChayyim" ["To Life"] toast Rabbi Akiva used at a party for his son: Shabbat 67b
Rabbi Akiva's had a son-in-law named Yehoshua Ben Kefisai: Shabbat 147a
Rabbi Akiva's daughter did for Ben Azzai as Rabbi Akiva's wife did for him, emulating her mother: Ketuvot 63a
Rabbi Akiva was told by a Chaldean Astrologer that his daughter would die on her wedding day, but she was saved in the merit of her Tzedakah: Shabbat 156b
Personal Anecdotes and Characteristics
Rabbi Akiva's love/respect for the Medeans for three outstanding attributes: Berachot 8b
Giving candies to children so that they would stay awake and be involved with the rememberance of our delivery from Egypt, on Pesach night: Pesachim 109a
Rabbi Akiva honored the wealthy: Eruvin 86a
Told the students to leave the Study Hall on the day before Pesach to put the young children to sleep, so that they could stay awake on Pesach night: Pesachim 109a
Told the students to leave the Study Hall on the day before Yom Kippur to feed their children: Pesachim 109a
Speaking of his Life as a lay-person and animosity towards Torah Scholars, before he started learning: Pesachim 49b
Explaining the word "Et [The]" which Nechemiah/Shimon Ha'Amsuni [who had explained all of the rest] couldn't: Pesachim 22b; Bechorot 6b
Determining law from Jail: Yevamot 105b (See Tos.), 108b
When Rabbi Akiva was in jail, Rabbi Yehoshua haGarsi would bring him water. Once the jailor poured out half the water, and Rabbi Akiva insisted on using what remained to wash his hands for his meal rather than to drink, saying, "What can I do? The punishment for violating the words of the rabbis is Death!": Eruvin 21b
Was a collector of Tzedakah for the poor: Kiddushin 27a; Bava Metzia 11b
Thanking those who came to console him on the loss of his two sons: Moed Katan 21b
How much he loved mitzvot: Succah 41b
Rabbi Akiva was "Chochaich leHachmir" on a case: Nedarim 2a
Rabbi Akiva personally visited a sick student and swept his room, when nobody else did: Nedarim 40a
Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon said that had they been on the courts, capital punishment would never have been administered. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel responded that they would then be increasing the number of murders: Makkot 7a
Rabbi Akiva said that a student's Halachic statement, citing Rabbi Yishmael, was not actually something Rabbi Yishmael had said, but the Halachah would follow that student anyway. He either said this to make a point of encouraging students to think independently, or as a simple statement that he agreed with that student's thinking: Eruvin 13a
When an anonymous student cites Rabbi Yishmael in front of Rabbi Akiva, that is Rabbi Meir: Eruvin 13a
Rabbi Yochanan said, "The early ones [a reference to Rabbi Akiva or Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua] had hearts like the entrance to the Temple's large hall, and the later ones [a reference to Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua or Rabbi Oshia Berebi (Berebi=leader of his generation)] like the entrance to the Temple's smaller hall, and ours are like the eye of a clothes-needle." Abbaye added, "Our ability to understand is like that of a peg jammed into a small hole in a wall." Rava added, "Our minds' ability to understand is like a finger stabbing into thick wax." Rav Ashi added, "We forget as easily as a finger fits into a cistern's entrance.": Eruvin 53a
Anecdotes involving other Sages
Nachum Ish Gam Zu whispered a leniency to Rabbi Akiva, who whispered it to Ben Azzai, for fear that if it spread it might lead to improper practices: Berachot 22a
Rabbi Yochanan on the Romans: "As for those who destroyed the Temple, it can be rebuilt. But woe to those who killed Rabbi Akiva and his peers!": Rosh HaShanah 23a
7 Instructions to his son, Rabbi Yehoshua: Pesachim 112a
5 Instructions to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, from jail: Pesachim 112a-b
Rabbi Akiva refusing to teach Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai from jail, for fear of the government grabbing Rabbi Shimon as well: Pesachim 112a
Rabbi Akiva on a boat with Rabban Gamliel: Succah 23a
Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah and Rabbi Akiva on a boat: Succah 41b
Whether Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Karchah was Rabbi Akiva's son or not: Tos. Pesachim 112a #1
Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas comforting Rabbi Yehoshua, when Rabban Gamliel forced him to forgo his own ruling for Rabban Gamliel's: Rosh HaShanah 25a, 25b
Called "Akiva" by Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaryah: Shabbat 132a; Makkot 24b
Called "Akiva" by Rabbi Eliezer, and he called Rabbi Eliezer "Rebbe": Pesachim 66a
Called "Akiva" by Rabbi Yehudah Ben Betaira in a discussion: Shabbat 96b
Called "Akiva ben Yosef" by Rabban Gamliel: Kiddushin 27a; Bava Metzia 11b
Called "Akiva" by Rabban Gamliel: Succah 23a; Makkot 24b
Called "Akiva" by Rabbi Yehoshua: Rosh HaShanah 25a; Makkot 24b
Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah and Rabbi Yehoshua cried about the happiness of Roman idolaters as compared to the destruction of the Temple, but Rabbi Akiva laughed, saying that those who follow Gd will be all the more rewarded, as compared to those idolaters: Makkot 24a-b
Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah and Rabbi Yehoshua cried when they saw a fox walking in the former Holy of Holies, but Rabbi Akiva laughed, saying that just as the prophecy of a fox walking there had been fulfilled, so the prophecy of the Jewish elders returning to the streets of Jerusalem would be fulfilled, too. The sages responded, "Akiva, you have comforted us, Akiva, you have comforted us!": Makkot 24b
Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah were at sea on Shabbat. Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yehoshua chose to be strict on themselves and remain in a four-cubit space, whereas Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah travelled the breadth of the boat: Eruvin 41b
Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah were at sea on Shabbat, and arrived at a port on Shabbat. The sages asked Rabban Gamliel what they could do, and he replied they were all right, since he had noted their arrival within the borders of the town before Shabbat began: Eruvin 41b, 43a
Rabbi Akiva reporting the practice of Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua, presumably to consider that as the correct practice: Succah 37b
Rabbi Akiva asked Rabbi Nechunyah HaGadol how he merited a long life. When Rabbi Nechunyah's aides chased him away, he proved his knowledge to demonstrate his sincerity: Megillah 28a
Rabbi Akiva was told by Rabbi Yehudah Ben Beteira that one may not allege that a righteous figure [from the Torah] committed a sin, if the Torah concealed it: Shabbat 96b-97a
Accurately Predicted Rabbi Yehudah Bar Nachmeni's death, for his joy at answering Rabbi Tarfon's question: Menachos 68b
Rebbe changing a personal practice when he found out that Rabbi Akiva ruled it was forbidden: Shabbat 147a
Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Yosi HaGelili, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah and Rabbi Akiva attempting to console Rabbi Yishmael on the loss of his sons: Moed Katan 28b
Rabbi Tarfon said he had heard a lesson on a subject but he could not explain it, and then Rabbi Akiva explained it. Rabbi Tarfon swore "ha'Avodah," by the service in the beit hamikdash [or by the Name of Gd, per some commentators], that Rabbi Akiva was correct, and declared that anyone who departed from Rabbi Akiva was as though he was departing from his own life: Zevachim 13a
Anecdote in which Rabbi Akiva [or actually an official] detained witnesses who were travelling unnecessarily on Shabbat to testify on the New Moon, and Rabban Gamliel chastised him: Rosh HaShanah 21b, 22a
A law was stated in one way, until Rabbi Akiva came along and revolutionized it: Nedarim 25b
Rabban Gamliel wept at a verse in which King David gave a list of eleven Mitzvah practices and said that a person who fulfilled them would not fall. Rabban Gamliel interpreted that to mean one must fulfill all of them in order not to fall, but Rabbi Akiva showed that even a person who properly fulfilled one of them would not fall: Makkot 24a
Rabbi Meir tried to learn before Rabbi Akiva, but Rabbi Akiva was too sharp, and so he learned before Rabbi Yishmael, and then before Rabbi Akiva: Eruvin 13a
Rabbi Yehudah reporting a pedagogic practice Rabbi Akiva performed when Rabbi Yehudah learned before him: Eruvin 41a
Rabbi Yeshevav calling Rabbi Akiva "Akiva ben Yosef" in apparent exasperation: Ketuvot 29b
Either Rabbi Yeshevav prevented someone from giving more than 20% to tzedakah, or Rabbi Yeshevav wanted to give more than 20% and Rabbi Akiva prevented him from doing it: Ketuvot 50a
Personal Legal Topics/Issues
How we decide law when Rabbi Akiva disagrees with someone: Eruvin 46b