The Sages relate that Moses was granted a glimpse into the future, and that he was enthused to see the development of the Torah and the novel ideas stated in it.

When Moses ascended on High, he found the Holy One, blessed be He, sitting and attaching crowns to the letters of the Torah. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, who is preventing You? God said to him: There is a man who is destined to live after several generations, and Akiva ben Yosef is his name; he is destined to derive from each and every stroke of these crowns mounds and mounds of halakhot. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, show him to me. God said to him: Take a step back and look into the future.

Moses went and sat behind eight rows of students in Rabbi Akiva’s study hall and did not understand what they were saying. Moses felt weak. When Rabbi Akiva reached a certain matter, his students said to him: My teacher, from where do you derive this? Rabbi Akiva said to them: It is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai. Moses’ mind was put at ease.

Moses returned and came before the Holy One, blessed be He; he said before Him: Master of the Universe, You have a man like this and You give the Torah through me? God said to him: Be silent; this is My will that arose before Me.

Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, You have shown me Rabbi Akiva’s Torah, show me his reward. God said to him: Take a step back. Moses saw that the Romans were weighing Rabbi Akiva’s flesh in a butcher shop after killing him. Moses said before God: Master of the Universe, this is Torah and this is its reward? God said to him: Be silent; this is My will that arose before Me. (Menaĥot 29b)