He defended the Song of Solomon's canonicity despite its lack of mention of God, holding that if the Torah is holy, then the Song of Solomon is the Holy of Holies.
A Midrashic legend claims that this man named God and the sea as guarantors for a loan, and when he was unable to repay it, a treasure chest was carried by the sea to the creditor as payment. This main is said to have died at the hands of Turnus Rufus, who questioned why God did not make the poor rich if he loved them. He defended the Song of Solomon's canonicity despite its lack of mention of God, holding that if the Torah is holy, then the Song of Solomon is the Holy of Holies. Of four people who entered paradise, he was said to be the only one that emerged unscathed. Despite being (*) illiterate until age 40, this man was inspired to learn to read after seeing water carve out a hole in a stone drop by drop. He claimed Simon Bar Kokhba was the messiah and gave him the appellation "Bar Kochba," and was the first to systematize halakhot, which was expanded upon by his successors into the Mishnah. For 10 points, name this first-century CE rabbi.
A Midrashic legend claims that this man named God and the sea as guarantors for a loan, and when he was unable to repay it, a treasure chest was carried by the sea to the creditor as payment.
Akiva ben Joseph [or Akiba]