hour for the recital of the Shema, and while they combed his flesh with iron combs, he was accepting upon himself the kingship of Heaven by reciting ("Here, O Israel . . . ," Shema Yisrael . . .). His disciples asked him whether his devotion extended even to that point. He replied that all his days, he had been troubled by , "with all your soul," which he interpreted to mean, "even if God takes one's soul." Rabbi Akiva questioned when he would have the opportunity to fulfill this. Now that he had the opportunity, he asked his disciples, should he not fulfill it? He prolonged the word "One" (ehad) in until he expired while saying it. A Heavenly voice went forth and proclaimed: Happy are you, Akiva, that your soul has departed with the word "One"! The ministering angels asked God: Such devotion to Torah, and such a reward? The angels argued that he should have received the reward of , "from them that die by Your hand, O Lord." God replied to the angels (in the continuation of ), "Their portion is in life," and a Heavenly voice proclaimed that Rabbi Akiva was destined for the life of the World to Come. Rabbi Johanan said in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Jehozadak that it was resolved by a majority vote in the upper chambers of the house of Nithza in Lydda that in every other law of the Torah, if a person is forced to choose between transgressing the commandment and death, he may transgress and not die, excepting idolatry, incest (including adultery), and murder. The Gemara questioned whether that would mean that one could practice idolatry to avoid being killed. Rabbi Ishmael taught that if a person is forced to choose between idolatry and death, the person should do so, and not be killed, for says, "You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man does, he shall live in them" — not die by them. The Gemara questioned whether one might think that idolatry may even be practiced openly, says, "Neither shall you profane My Holy Name; but I will be hallowed," and as the public violation of commandments profanes God's Name, one might think that one must die to avoid doing so. The Sages ruled with Rabbi Eliezer, who cited "And you shall love the Lord your God with