Rabbi Akiva, Bar Kokhba Revolt, and the Ten Tribes of Israel

Copyright Copyright © 2013, 2014 Alexander Zephyr.

Editor: Julie McGonegal

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-1256-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1257-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013920320

iUniverse rev. date: 01/06/2014

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: The ‘Lost’ Ten Tribes of Israel are Destined to Return

Too Many ‘Whys’

What the Biblical Verses Say

The Destiny of Israel

CHAPTER: I Bar Kokhba

The Character of Bar Kokhba

Was Bar Kokhba The Messiah?

The Failure of the Bar Kokhba Revolt and Its Consequences

CHAPTER II: The Bar Kokhba Revolt and Rabbi Akiva

Was the Revolt Caused by the Roman Ban on Circumcision?

The Building of the Pagan Temple in Jerusalem and the Revolt

The Maccabees, the First Great Jewish Revolt, and the Bar Kokhba Rebellion: Reasons for the Jewish Uprisings

The Role of the Messiah and Messianic Time in the Uprisings of the Jews

Preparation for the Revolt and the Role of the Sages

The Peacemaker R. Joshua ben Hanahiah

The ‘Birth Pangs of Mashiach’ and the Ingathering of the Ten Tribes

The Signs and Times were Wrong

The Talmud Praises Rabbi Akiva and Compares him to Moses

The Revolt of the Maccabees

The Optimism of Rabbi Akiva

Russian Commissars, Politruks, and the 24.000 Students of R. Akiva

The Talmud on R. Akiva’s Involvement in the Revolt

CHAPTER III: Why is a Full and Factual Biography of R. Akiva Missing?

Stories and Legends about R. Akiva

The Wish to Bite a Torah Scholar ‘Like a Donkey’

A Dog Can Become a Lion

How R. Akiva Married the Wife of a Roman Procurator of Judea

R. Akiva’s Arrest and Execution

The Talmud on the Role of R. Akiva in the Revolt: Religious Duties versus Political Activities

Rabbi Akiva and His Students as Political Fugitives.

CHAPTER IV: The Travels of Rabbi Akiva

Why R. Akiva Traveled Abroad so Extensively

The Ten Tribes Will Never Return

How the Exiled Israelites Became the Parthians

The Ten Tribes are Cursed

CHAPTER V: The Disciples of R. Akiva

Why they died

The Role of Leadership: ‘Bring them near the Torah’ versus ‘Love your fellow as yourself’

The Torah Students and Their Master as Soldiers of the Sword

A Generation Not Ready for Redemption

The Opinions of the Rabbis

The State of Jewish Unity

CHAPTER VI: Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai

The Turbulent Times of the First Great Jewish Revolt

The Fate of Jerusalem is Sealed

Heroic Escape

‘Peace be Unto You, O King!’

The Bargain between R. Yohanan and Emperor Vespasian

A Bitter Dispute between R. Akiva and R. Yohanan

Peace and War

Why do You Weep?

The Messianic World and the Vision of R. Akiva

CHAPTER VII: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus and Rabbi Akiva

The Heroism of R. Akiva and R. Eliezer

The Trial of R. Eliezer: The Majority Rules

Excommunication

Both Opinions are the Words of the Living God

Who will go and tell him?

The Snake-Like Aknai Oven

The Relationship between the Master and the Student

CHAPTER VIII: The Death of R. Eliezer

An Unexpected Visit

The Duty to Visit the Sick

I will be surprised if these die a natural death

The Divine Gates of Tears are Always Open

From Rejection to Blessing

Repentance and Reconciliation

CHAPTER IX: The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel Will Return

The Biblical History of the Ten Tribes

Where Are the Ten Tribes Today?

INTRODUCTION

The ‘Lost’ Ten Tribes of Israel are Destined to Return

Will the lost Ten Tribes of Israel ever reunite with the remaining Jews and return to the God of their fathers and to the Promised Land? R. Akiva, ‘The Chief of all Sages,’ answers in the negative: The ten tribes will not return. Just as a day passes and it will never return so too, they will be exiled never to return. His teacher and opponent, R. Eliezer, responds to the same question in the affirmative: Just like a day is followed by darkness, and the light later returns, so too, although it will become dark for the ten tribes, God will ultimately take them out of their darkness (Talmud, Sanhedrin 110b).

Of course, there are some scholars who have attempted to reconcile the commonly unaccepted negative position of Rabbi Akiva towards the Ten Tribes by saying that what he meant is that most of the Ten Tribes had already returned during the time of the Second Temple: the remainder of the Ten Tribes is lost forever and will never return (Rabbi Joseph Albo, 1380-1444 CE, Sefer ha-Ikkarim 4:42). The other commentators say that R. Akiva was misunderstood. What he actually said is that the original generation of the exiled Ten Tribes (or Generation of the Wilderness, as it is sometimes called) would not be resurrected and stands in Judgment, but rather that their future descendants would.

But even this narrow interpretation of R. Akiva’s position was strongly refuted by R. Eliezer the Great: They [the Generation of the Wilderness] will enter into the future world, for it is written, ‘Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice’ (Sanhedrin 110b; Exodus 24:5, 8). Rabbah b. Bar Hana expressed the same critical opinion of R. Akiva’s position concerning the cursed ‘Generation of the Wilderness,’ saying in R. Johanan’s name: "[Here] R. Akiba abandoned his love. For it is written, ‘Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord: I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown; if others will enter [the future world] in their merit, surely they themselves most certainly will!’" (Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Sanhedrin, 110b; Jeremiah 2:2, emphasis mine).

These interpretations are not really reflective what R. Akiva meant. Why would the other great sages, such as R. Eliezer, R. Yehudah the Prince, and the rabbis of the Talmud, have understood him correctly and uncompromisingly argued against his statement? R. Akiva himself forestalled any such speculations by introducing a very powerful example of a widow whose husband died naturally or was killed and never came back to her (Eichah Rabbah 1:3). This parable strengthened his position that the Ten Tribes will never come back and will not have a part in the World-To-Come (Rabbi Don Yitzchak Abarbanel, 1437-1508 CE, Yeshuot Meshicho, Iyun 1:4).

Rabbah Bar Hana said in R. Johanan’s name: [Here] R. Akiva abandoned his love, for it is written, ‘Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep mine anger forever’ (Jeremiah 3:12). The rabbi’s answer shows that he, and others of his day, perfectly understood R. Akiva’s position towards the Ten Tribes to apply not only to the sinful ‘Generation of the Wilderness’ but rather to the ‘lost’ backsliding Israel in exile from the north.

The negative position of Rabbi Akiva contradicts the teachings of the Bible (Tanakh), the Talmud, and the sages, of whose opinions he undoubtedly had been aware. Despite that, this great scholar continued with incredible incomprehensibility to defend his negative conclusion towards the Ten Tribes: All Israel will be admitted to the future world, with the exception of the generation of the Wilderness and the Ten Lost Tribes (Tractate Sanhedrin xi. 3; 110b).

Too Many ‘Whys’

Why did Rabbi Akiva take such a consistently unjust attitude towards the Ten Tribes? The Talmud itself seems to disagree with his position and reprimands Rabbi Akiva for his view, saying that shavkah Rabbi Akiva lechasiduteh. In other words, Rabbi Akiva had abandoned his usual spirit of kindness and generosity; he would usually try to exonerate the Jewish people. (Note: the Ten Tribes of Israel are not the Jewish people but rather their brother Israelites, who separated from them, were exiled, and lost their national identity).

To properly understand R. Akiva’s negative position concerning the return of the Ten Tribes, we need to understand the life and deeds of this great man. It may also be helpful to ask some unexpected questions: Why were his closest disciples, R. Simeon ben Yochai and R. Meir, against his position regarding the Ten Tribes? R. Simeon b. Judah, of the Kefar of Acco, said on R. Simeon’s authority: If their deeds are as this day’s, they will not return; otherwise they shall (Sanhedrin 110b). His words indicate that R. Simeon ben Judah, R. Simeon ben Yochai, and R. Meir made the return of the Ten Tribes conditional upon their repentance. If they repented, God would bring them back. The Bible verses teach precisely the same message.

Why did R. Eliezer the Great, the mentor and teacher of Rabbi Akiva, consistently oppose him on many occasions? Rabbi Eliezer contradicted him on different matters of Torah, and especially on this very subject of Israel’s return. R. Eliezer said: I never taught anything which I had not learned from my masters (Sukkah 28a). Who was his teacher? It was none other than the much-revered wise man of Israel, Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai! The Talmud instructs those searching justice and truth: Seek a reliable court; go after R. Eliezer to Lydda or after Johanan ben Zakkai to Beror Hel (Sanhedrin 32b). The brilliant editor of the Mishnah, R. Yehudah Ha Nasi (The Prince, 135-219 CE), known as Rebbi or Rabbeinu HaKadosh (which in Hebrew means ‘our Master, the holy one’) also rejected R. Akiva’s opinion, saying The ten tribes are destined for the World to come [emphasis mine]. R. Akiva’s explanations of the idea that Ten Tribes will not return are ultimately theologically shallow (cf. Deuteronomy 29:28; Leviticus 26:38), reminding one of the practice, so common among Christian fundamentalists, of taking verses out of context in order to prove a point.

What the Biblical Verses Say

Let us take a look at the passage from Deuteronomy 29:28: "And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day" [italics added]. R. Akiva claimed that the pronoun ‘they’ refers to the Ten Tribes. He has been understood to mean: ‘As it is this day’ is to be read to signify forever, implying that the Ten Tribes will be exiled in perpetuity. As mentioned earlier, R. Akiva even gave an example of a widow whose husband died naturally or was killed and never come back to her, so as to strengthen his position that the Ten Tribes would never come back and will not have a part in the World-To-Come (Eichah Rabbah 1:3).

What was God’s reason for delivering such a harsh punishment? Here is the answer: For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom He had not given to them. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring on it all the curses that are written in this book (Deuteronomy 29:26-27).

R. Akiva’s attitude is all the more distressing when we see that the very next chapter of Deuteronomy fully retracts God’s conditional curses against Israel and speaks of God’s blessings awaiting Israel if its people repent and turn to God: Then the LORD your God will return you from captivity, and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations, where the LORD your God has scattered you (30:3). This passage explains why R. Simeon ben Judah, R. Simeon ben Yochai, and R. Meir taught that the return of the Ten Tribes depends on their repentance.

This is exactly what God says: But from there you shall seek HaShem your God, and shall find, when you search for Him with all your heart and with all your being. For HaShem your God is a compassionate God, He does not forsake you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them (Deuteronomy 4:29-31).

As Joseph revealed his identity with loud cry to shocking brothers in the land of Egypt (Genesis 45:1-2), so it would be in the future when the descendants of Joseph, who represent the Ten Tribes, with cry and joy come to Judah for reunification, With cries they will come, and with mercy I will lead them (Jeremiah 31:8). As in the past, the Jewish nation will be in a shock to see this magnificent Exodus of multitude Israelites of the Ten Tribes coming to join them. Their hearts will be thrilled and exulted with joy and their eyes will shine. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been (Isaiah 49:21)? What a precise description of this touching moment!

For R. Akiva to say that the Ten Tribes will not return is equivalent to stating that Ten Tribes will never repent and acknowledge the God of their fathers and His live-giving Torah; that they will never reunite with the rest of their brothers and sisters of the whole House of Israel in the days of Moshiach and never be redeemed by the Almighty. It also implies denial of God’s prophets, the Hebrew Bible, the Great Sages, the Talmud, Rabbinical literature, and more, all of which speak positively of the Messiah and the return of the Ten Tribes. How can they all be wrong? Is everyone mistaken except for Rabbi Akiva?

The truth is that Judaism does not esteem the Talmud as being holier than the Bible. There is a great difference between the Bible, which is the Sacred Word of God, and the Talmud compiled by men (no matter how wise they are), discussing traditions and the logic of interpretation. The Talmud explains the Bible: It is not suppose to contradict it.

Let us compare the verse of Deuteronomy 29:28 with a verse from Jeremiah, "Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely (32:37, emphasis mine). Is this not a direct answer to R. Akiva’s negative position? The Ten Tribes will definitely return if we use the Tanakh as our guide. Or consider this passage: For thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search for my sheep, and seek them out. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country" (Ezekiel 34:11,13). In the Tanakh there are numerous passages where God makes it perfectly clear that there will be a reunification and redemption of the two Houses of Judah and Israel in the time of the Messiah. Those who reject these prophecies reject the sacred Word of the Almighty.

The same goes for further so-called evidence that R. Akiva uses to justify his position. Let us turn to Leviticus, a verse of which reads, And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up (26:38). Before considering the verse, let us first place it in the context of the chapter as a whole. In short, it consists of the blessings with which God will reward the Israelites for obedience and keeping His Laws, as well as the curses for rejecting God and His Torah. After naming the curses, God says that Israel will repent and return to Him. God will punish its people, but never break His Covenant. R. Akiva cites, as proof of his negative position towards return of the Ten Tribes, the following passage from Leviticus: And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up (26:38).

This curse against the Israelites for disobedience is, as mentioned, followed by the verses of blessings consequent to repentance:

"But they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers. And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and