So far the romantic side of his life. On its literary side he was a great _Tanna_, and famous scholars came from his School. His method of interpreting new Law from old was based on the theory that no word or particle in the Pentateuch was redundant; if any appeared in the text that it seemed could be dispensed with, then it must have some hidden significance. This changed the law of Moses from a limited group of unvarying precepts to a living fount of continuous tradition, and made the laws of the days of the Jewish monarchy capable of modification and enlargement to fit Israel's life under the Roman Empire. Interpretation that would produce new precepts to meet the changing conditions of later times was undertaken by Hillel (p. 113) but never before reduced to so complete a system as was done by Rabbi Akiba. On such a principle there was no end of the possible deductions from Scripture. Yet the Rabbis were too earnest and too conscientious knowingly to abuse it. The theory worked in the interest of progress. The institution of this method has earned for Akiba the title of "father of rabbinic Judaism." He further gave an impetus to the classification of the _Halachoth_ already begun before his day. This classification of the Oral Law was called _Mishna_, or Second Law, of which we shall hear more later on. He, too, had a voice in fixing the canon of Scripture. Akiba's Ethics. Here follow some of his sayings: "How favored is man for he was created in the Image" (of God). "--Who slays a man sins against the devine image." "Take thy seat below thy rank until bidden to take a higher place." "God is merciful but He does not permit this mercy to impair His justice." "Everything is foreseen, yet freedom of will is given to man." There is also ascribed to him on doubtful authority the maxim, "Whatever God doeth He doeth for the best." There is a mystic note throughout his teachings; mark the following: "Everything is given in pledge ... the office is open, the broker gives credit; there is the ledger and the hand writes; whoever wishes to borrow may borrow, but the bailiffs daily exact; the judgment is fair; and everything is prepared for the Banquet." In the spirit of Hillel's Golden Rule he regarded the greatest principle of Judaism the law "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." He was always entrusted with tasks of delicacy and consideration--the notification to R. Gamaliel that he had been impeached, to R. Eliezar that he had been excommunicated. To the latter he broke the disagreeable news in these words: "It seems your brethren turn away from you." Law and Faith.