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You have to understand how to read the Talmud. It contains MANY contradictory assertions, often in the form of debates. The winning views are passed on orally. Thus Talmud cannot be studied alone, but only with those who already understand it. Akiva's view is the view which won, thus, no Jew will challenge his statement. It is why Jews everywhere pray Kaddish for the dead for only eleven months.
Well I certainly appreciate this unsupported opinion but I think it is largely irrelevant. Akiba was born 50 AD he would not have been a Rabbi until about 80 AD. therefore the beliefs in "hell" which I have quoted predated Akiba's influence. And they were significant enough they were discussed at length in the Talmud and reported in the Jewish Encyclopedia.
ETA: You are correct the Talmud contains contradictory assertions. For example in my previous post I quoted from the school of Hillel in the Talmud, in the same article are the writings of the school of Shammai which differ from Hillel. Even in the NT we see differing views, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection but he Sadduccees did not. Just as with the belief in hell, both views coexisted.
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