Manfred and Anne Lehmann Foundation

Rabbi Akiva and Bar Kochba – Two National Heroes

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May 14, 1993 - In many communities, children celebrate Lag B’Omer by going out to the forests with bows and arrows. Do they play Cowboys and Indians? No, they reenact the heroic fights of Bar Kochba’s fighters against the Roman oppressors. Many of these fighters were the disciples of the famous Rabbi Akiva, and when many of them died during those tragic days, the mourning of Sefira was instituted. On Lag B’Omer the deaths stopped, at least for a while. Who was this Bar Kochba, who left behind such a deep impression on the Jewish people?

The Jews revolted twice against the mighty Roman Empire. The first revolution took place in 68 C.E., and it ended in the destruction of the Temple on the 9th of Av, in 70 C.E. However, the Jews stayed in the land, and when Emperor Hadrian, in 132 C.E., imposed oppressive measures against the Jewish religion, a mighty fighter named Ben Kosiba, rallied the Jewish people to revolt again, the so-called “Second Revolt.” Unlike the first revolt, the second revolt was 100% successful, at least initially. To the utter consternation of the Roman rulers, who controlled the entire known world from India to England, the tiny Jewish people, for the first time in Roman history, was able to expel the occupation army from every inch of its soil!

Rabbi Akiva Declares Bar Kochba Moshiach

At this point, Rabbi Akiva and his contemporary chachamim pronounced Ben Kosiba the long-awaited Moshiach, and bestowed upon him a royal title of “melech” and “nassi.”

What do we know about this electrifying event in our history? Till now we knew very little. Roman historians understandably keep quiet about this latter-day David, who vanquished mighty Goliath-Rome. Christians hated him outright, for reasons which will soon become apparent.

At first all we knew about this great leader came from some cryptic references to him in the Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin, and in Seder Olam. We also knew about him from the huge quantity of coins which he struck. In my own numismatic collection I have a large number of his copper and silver coins. Some are overstruck Roman coins, captured during the fighting. On some of them you can still see the Latin inscription underlying the proud Hebrew text (in ancient Hebrew script) proclaiming the ge’ulat Yisrael,” or “cherut Yerushalayim.” Some large silver coins show the fronto f the Beit Hamikdash, with scholars who take this to mean that Ben Kosiba, or Bar Kochba as he was later called, actually started to rebuild the Temple! Some coins show the trumpets, the lyre and other instruments used by the Levites in the Temple.

Sensational Bar Kochba Finds

But some years ago the famous archaeologist Yigal Yadin made some sensational finds when he excavated the caves along the Dead Sea. Among his discoveries were a large number of letters and contracts written by Jews in Bar Kochba’s camp, and some written by Bar Kochba himself!

These writings throw an entirely new light on this heroic figure in our history: He was a first-class administrator, who declared the land to be the property of the State, to be distributed to farmers on a share-cropping basis. He gave vivid instructions to his people, calling on them to follow the mitzvoth in every detail: to take maaser, to keep the Shabbat and the other commandments.

One very moving letter Bar Kochba wrote to his commander in Ein Gedi, noting that he was sending him donkeys laden with Lulavim and etrogim, and instructing the commander to return the donkeys with hadasim and aravot, so that in both camps they would have the “four species” needed for the holiday of Sukot – and that in the heat of ferocious battles against the Romans!

Disloyalty of Early Christians

Another letter throws extremely important light on the history of the cleavage between the Jews and the early Christians. These early Christians considered themselves to be good Jews, but since they believed that their Messiah had already come, they could not accept Bar Kochba as the Moshiach, and therefore did not join the national uprising headed by him. In one letter, therefore, we find that Bar Kochba gives harsh instructions to arrest and shackle any Galilean (Christian) who acts treasonably! In fact, the Bar Kochba revolt marked the clear parting of the ways between the Jews and the early Christians. No wonder that the latter had no love for Bar Kochba, who to us, however, is the epitome of a Jewish hero.

After the initial triumph of the rebels, Emperor Hadrain was desperate. He could not tolerate that such a small band of renegades had ousted his proud army. He searched his entire Empire to find his most gifted general, and finally he recalled General Severus from England, there he gained recognition by fighting off the fierce English barbarians, north of the so-called “Hadrian’s Wall,” which till this day cuts across the English countryside.

Emperor Hadrian ordered Severus to mobilize a special army against Bar Kochba. When the skilled general arrived in the holy land, he decided to conduct a “guerilla-style” campaign: slowly whittling away at Jewish strongholds, and not engaging them in open battle. Finally, the Romans captured Bar Kochba’s largest base, the city of Betar, on the 9th of Av in 135 C.E. The massacre that ensued, which no doubt also involved Rabbi Akiva’s disciples, really defies description, although out sages graphically recorded what they could in the Talmud and Midrash. According to their testimony, Bar Kochba died in the besieged city.

The Roman Senate did not think very highly of the performance of Hadrain’s troops, and did not salute them with the customary congratulatory salutation upon their return to Rome. This was an indirect tribute to the heroism of the Jews.

Bar Kochba Remembered Daily

How has Jewish history treated Bar Kochba? First, by changing his native name, Ben Kosiba, to Bar Kochba, the messianic nature of his character has been confirmed forever, for that designation is based on the prophetic saying of Bilaam (Numbers 24:17), ”dorach kochav mi’Yaakov,” “A star will shoot forth from Jacob” – which the commentators agree is a messianic reference. Secondly, although it is not generally known, we commemorate Bar Kochba and his valiant fighters at every meal we eat, for the fourth blessing of the “Grace after meals” was added as thanks to G-d for the burial of Bar Kochba’s fallen who for some time had been forbidden to be buried by Romans.

But beyond this, Bar Kochba has entered halacha forever; The Ramban legislates (Hilchot Melochim 11:2) that Bar Kochba personifies the exact characteristics of the legitimate Moshiach – he has to be true to the Torah, must teach the Written and Oral Law and strengthen their observance, and although he does not have to perform any miracles, he must accomplish the political freeing of the Jews from oppression. Therefore, when Bar Kochba failed, the Moshiach title was removed from him.

At the end of this law, the Rambam writes an unusual addition: “the Torah’s statutes and rules are eternal and forever. They may not be added to or subtracted from.” I see in these words a hint regarding other religions, like Christianity, which attribute the Messiaship to a man who passed none of these tests set down in the halacha! The one they glorify was not an expert in Torah – in fact, he caused his followers to abandon the Torah – and he made no dent in the political oppression exercised by Rome. As the Rambam stresses, instead of bringing peace and tranquility to his people, as the Moshiach should, he brought them nothing but suffering and death.

Despite the tragic ending of the Bar Kochba revolt, we celebrate Lag B’Omer joyously. Maybe this is in part because of the appearance of Bar Kochba – and through him Rabbi Akiva’s lasting definition of the qualifications for the authentic Moshiach – which instills in us the clear hope that the authentic Moshiach will come soon, and bring our ultimate deliverance from all persecution and suffering. Can there be greater grounds for joyous celebration?

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