Learn the גמרא דף כא: “חדשים גם ישנים (ten lines from top of the Amud) until “דרש רבא” (two lines before the very wide lines)
Question:
Why is transgressing a rabinic prohibition deserving of death?
Learn מהרש”א
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14312&st=&pgnum=269
Learn שערי תשובה שער שלישי אות ד-ז
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=52052&st=&pgnum=135
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=52052&st=&pgnum=136
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=52052&st=&pgnum=137
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=52052&st=&pgnum=138
Learn תוס’ “מפני and שו”ת חוות יאיר ס’ קצב for explanation of Tosfos
https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=857&st=&pgnum=213
Why did Rebbe Akiva endanger his life just to wash netalis yadayim to eat bread?
Why couldn’t Rebbe Akiva cover his hands with something and not touch the bread directly as rules in Shulchan Aruch when one does not have water?
Learn תוס’ “מוטב
Learn תורת חיים on when a person can endanger their life (see below).