From Yavneh to the Bar Kokhba Revolt and Its Aftermath

1. II. From Yavneh to the Bar Kokhba Revolt and Its Aftermath
A. The Students of Yohanan ben Zakkai
1. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus - a “plastered well” that never loses a
drop. He came as an outsider, born of a wealthy family. He
previously had no Torah grounding but decided he should attain
Torah understanding. He went empty-handed to Jerusalem to
study with YbZ. He worked hard in study. He learned greatly and
retained all, yet, according to YbZ, he also poured forth of his own
accord. He became very prominent at Yavneh, and, though the
Hillel tradition was dominant, was key to keeping traditions he had
learned in the conservative spirit of Shammai.
2. Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh was “an ever-flowing spring.” He was an
exceptional interpreter and original thinker. He preached well and
practiced what he preached. He was a champion of innovative, fresh
new learning.

2. * YbZ says to his best students: go and see which is the right way for a
person to live his life?
Rabbi Eliezer said: a generous eye.
Rabbi Yehoshua said: a good colleague/friend.
Rabbi Jose said: a good neighbor.
Rabbi Shimon said: foresight.
Rabbi Elazar said: a good heart.
Can you see the wisdom in each of these, which might be the best, and
why?
(YbZ says Elazar ben Arakh's, because his includes all the others. (Avot
2:13) Recall that when a student expressed concern at the loss of the
Temple and the inability to atone through sacrifice, YbZ says that they
still have another form of atonement - acts of loving-kindness (Hosea
6:6).

3. The heart is home to all one’s emotions and strengths, so a good heart
leads one to all these paths and the good that comes from them.
Yet, the other answers have great merit, too.
A good friend, as we have discussed, is essential, bedrock, in study, self-
improvement, and support. This adds immeasurably to the strength of
each and the whole community. Yehoshua was an outstanding student,
too. He was creative, a balance in the give and take of conflicting views,
especially between EbH and EbA.
A generous eye is at the heart of loving-kindness, a charitable and kind
attitude toward others.
A good neighbor can mean that one is always near another to help with
a good inclination, or a good spouse.
Foresight is an awareness and concern about the outcome of one’s
deeds, and thus contributes to doing the good and avoiding bad.

4. B. Yavneh to Akiva.
We see the rise of Rabban Gamliel II, the son of Shimon the Patriarch
and grandson of Rabban Gamliel the Elder. The line from Hillel is
restored at Yavneh. YbZ goes with his students to Bror Hayil. After YbZ’s
death, EbH and Yehoshua (YbHanania) come back to Yavneh and
become major sages there, with the former carrying forward traditional
positions and the latter, the more innovative. Yehoshua, in the spirit of
Hillel, increases in influence, and relies on decision by vote.
* Let’s focus on one of Rabbi Eliezer’s sayings, which, it seems to me, is
of great importance in our times: “Let your fellow’s honor be as dear
to you as your own.” (Avot 2:10) What does this mean, how is it done
and why is it so important, especially now?

5. (Just as one does not wish slander for oneself, one shouldn’t slander
another. One should give another the benefit of the doubt, just as one
would wish another to do the same for him. If a millionaire’s entire
wealth were stolen, he might be very sad about it, but his sense of self-
worth and honor would not be diminished. So, neither should he have a
lesser sense of the honor of a poor person. The other person was made
in God’s image, just as we were.
How often these days, especially in politics, do we demean the honor of
others on the opposite side simply because we have differences with
them. This saying surely guides us to consider avoiding such corrosive
behavior.)
* Now let’s look at a statement by Rabbi Yose HaKohen, another
student of YbZ: “Apply yourself to study the Torah, for it is not yours
by inheritance.” (Avot 2:12) We know what Torah meant to these
sages, and we know what the Bible means to many of us. But, for
purposes of our discussion, what other documents or principles might

6. we substitute for Torah in a discussion of ethics and wisdom in our
secular society, and what meaning would we then give to this
statement of wisdom?
(Discussion: the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence,
legislation, court opinions, ethical treatises, mission statements, proverbs,
et. al. The idea is that we can’t just assume that because we’ve inherited
great wisdom and principles, we will remain aware of, and committed to,
them without fresh study, understanding, work, and effort. The greatness
that comes from the past does not automatically transfer to each
generation. Responsibility was, by example, given to Joshua, rather than
Moses’ sons.
Doesn’t this lesson also apply to us as Americans, who must learn and
refresh our knowledge, understanding, and commitment to keep this
great experiment alive and going? The same could be said of religion,
culture, and other important organizations and society. Also, we must
remain fresh in steadfastness to key principles as well as living true to
time-established virtues, such as the giving of charity.)

7. 1. Rabbi Gamliel II. Roughly 85-115. Jewish law (still bearing
principally the influence of Hillel) began to become
institutionalized under a central authority, and to reduce disputes,
mostly as to prayer, the courts, safeguarding Israel, improving
economy, and dealing with heretics. Gamaliel pushed to create
halakha. This was not expressly done, as it evolved, by “the voice
from Heaven.” As we see in the story of Eliezer with the oven, it
was achieved instead by deliberation, judgment (with wisdom,
reason, and logic) and vote of the rabbis in an appropriate way.
Yehoshua (see above), who while dealing with Gamliel’s patriarchy,
led in this approach.
2. Rabbi Tarfon was a contemporary of YbZ, serving as a priest in
Jerusalem at the end of the Second Temple period. He was associated
with the Shammai School, but was moderated by the influence of Akiva.
He started out rich, but generally ruled in ways sensitive to the poor.
* Tarfon said: “The day is short, the task is abundant, the laborers are
lazy, the wage is great, and the Master is insistent.” Further, “You are not
required to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it.”
(Avot 2:20-21) Religious people believe, of course, the Master is God.

8. Let’s simply see it as our deepest ideals, conscience, source of dearest
principles. Whichever, what meaning do we ascribe to these words?
(Discussion: We have limited time in our lives and much to do to create
value, either in the good we do or what we create. There is an
inclination to laziness, and many fall into that bad habit. Yet, God (or
our principles/standards) insists we do the best. We have the gift of life
and have a duty to do what we can with it to do the good. Though
fulfilling all our possible goals is not required, we must work at it with
diligence as much as we can.)
3. After a dispute between Yehoshua and Gamliel, we see the rise of
Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, who was a favorite of the Beit Midrash, where
there was a desire to move away from the patriarchy. EbA becomes the
chief judge, responsible for matters of Torah, a lover of tradition and the
active exchange of views. (EbA taught about the metaphor of a tree with
its span and roots, likened to a person who studies Torah and/or does
good deeds.) Still Gamliel’s leadership tended to prevail overall, with a
great legacy of halakhah, courts, holidays, prayers, and study tradition.

9. 4. Wisdom of Rabbi Chananyah S’gan HaKohanim, a sage who had been
a Deputy Priest, experienced the destruction of the Temple, and later
studied with Akiba.
He taught that placing the words of Torah on one’s heart helps us
remove many negative thoughts, including thoughts of the enemy’s
sword, foolishness, the evil inclination, et. al.
For religious people, this has certain meanings that we will leave on the
table. Let me ask the question this way: Are there ways of being in
which core, essential virtues, principles, standards, ethics, values so
weigh upon the heart that one’s strength, one’s attitude, one’s behavior
can be affected substantially to the better?
What does it mean that they are “placed on the heart?” How could one,
for instance, be freed from thoughts of “the enemy’s sword,” in a broad
sense?

10. (We learn wisdom not merely to “know” of it, but rather to fulfill it.
Having it on one’s heart/head means it’s ingrained in all that we are. It
dominates us, changes us, to strengthen us. We live by this with no
ulterior or incomplete purpose, but rather with a duty of wholeness. The
upright way comes to gladden us, enlighten our eyes, and remove the
burden of negativity that weakens us, perhaps to overcome us.
Thought of the “enemy” is largely worry of harm, or, if beyond that,
debilitating fear and other weakening thoughts. What good are they,
even and especially when we’re in battle? So, the teachings must be
more than intellectual or casual; they must be transformative.)
5. Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas - contemporary of YbZ, experienced the loss
of the Second Temple and lived another 60 years. He had no
relationship with Gamliel and, apparently frustrated with differences and
habits he didn’t like, did not participate at Yavneh later in life.

11. * Wisdom: “Late morning sleep, midday wine, children’s chatter, and
sitting in the assemblies of the unlearned remove a person from the
world.”
Wait a minute! Aren’t those things the ways of the real world? And, by
the way, what is “children’s chatter?”
(His wisdom is that these things of the “real” world that we generally
experience are not the ways of the real world that we should live in and
improve. Make the world what it ought to be. Choose the world you
want to live in. Don’t assume your world must be the way the world is
for many but shouldn’t be. These ways will rob you of value, soul, and
productive and good ways that are supportive of life.
As to sleeping late, here’s wisdom from Proverbs: the door turns on its
hinges, and a lazy person on his bed.

12. Children’s chatter might be understood literally. Or, more interesting, we
might explore the idea that one should avoid getting caught up in
chatter (of, for example, all the media) where the chatter is no better
than that of children.
As to the unlearned, they may be scorners, loafers, et. al.)
6. Ben Zoma (lived in 2nd century CE) said: “Who is strong? He who
subdues his personal inclination, as it is said: “He who is slow to anger is
better than the strong man, and a master of his passions is better than
a conqueror of a city.” Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot, as it is
said: “When you eat of the labor of your hands, you are praiseworthy
and all is well with you….” (Avot 4:1)
a) Thoughts about the metaphors the sage uses to describe the person
who is slow to anger and a master of his passions? (How is it to be
better than the “strong man” or a conqueror of a city?) Do you
believe this? How is it so?

13. (Discussion)
b) Why is a person who is happy with his lot the one who is rich?
(A person is not rich if he feels that he is lacking, no matter how “rich”
he is, materially.)
7. Ben Azzai (contemporary of Ben Zoma, close in time to Akiva in 2nd
century CE), highly intelligent in Torah, though not ordained. He saw
love of neighbor as rooted in our common humanity, all made in Divine
image. He says: “Run to perform even a “minor” mitzvah (good deed).”
(Avot 4:2) Why?

14. (Doing a good deed of any sort has intrinsic value to the doer and the
beneficiary. If one does one good deed, it inclines one to doing more,
thus making it more second nature for one to do the good. With a
reputation of helping, one may be called upon more to help. This also
has the effect of multiplying the doing of good deeds, which helps yet
more beneficiaries. It also has the “double benefit” of increasing joy in
the giver.
Waiting to do only “major” good deeds is not a good habit. Too much
time weighing the goodness of deeds is wasted effort and, perhaps
even more, arrogant, in that we can’t really know the value of each
deed. Further, “reserving” oneself for the major deed at some future
date is not characteristic behavior of a good person. It’s as if we might
expect a reward for the major deed, too.
Of course, the pattern of getting into the habit of doing bad may likely
result from rushing to commit a “minor” sin.)
8. Elisha ben Avuyah: “Whoever performs a mitzvah (good deed)
through another person is regarded as if he performed it with none
other than his own person.” What’s the ethical importance of this idea?

15. (This idea makes one more invested in other people and helping them
do the good. It places value in the organizer of others to do the good
and thus increases those who so organize, thus multiplying the doing of
good. For example, if I am better at organizing others than simply acting
myself, I should devote my time and energy to organizing. And, if I can
get 50 people to do good and if it’s as if 50 good deeds were done by
me to do so, it’s true that my effort was worth 50 good deeds and all
are to the better because I did good through others.)
9. Rabbi Yishmael, born in the Upper Galilee, deported to Rome, saved,
sent back to Yavneh, became a student of Yehoshua. He resisted
liberality in the Oral Law, when there was simple clarity in the Written.
His opinions were logical and wise, combining Torah and living in the
world. There was a different, more expansive, esoteric, profound,
penetrating, more exegetical view in Akiva.
10. Rabbi Akiva - arguably the greatest sage of the Mishnah. Roughly
50-132. There is a wonderful love story with his wife, a woman (the

16. daughter of a wealthy man) who supported his studies, while he was a
poor man. She initially was pushed away by her father, so she viewed
her “income” as largely measured in all Akiva’s many and growing
number of students. (The father later appears to relent.) Akiva starts
studies later in life.
A student of Eliezer and Yehoshua, he learns the substance of the
sources from the “the plastered well” but also learns creativity from the
mind of Y, the ever-flowing fountain. He blends the two approaches.
He’s a person of wisdom, grace, and courtesy. He ruled on the basis of
the arguments and correct principles, not wealth, pedigree, or political
status.
a) We’ll look at several wisdom sayings of Akiva, but here are two
statements he would teach from Hillel: “A bashful person cannot learn,
and a short tempered person cannot teach.” (Avot 2:5). Now, I don’t
think this is meant to be critical of people who are shy and don’t speak
much per se. That conceded, what’s the takeaway here?

17. (If a person does not ask questions and go deeper into what’s presented
with some aggressiveness and boldness, exploring, asking questions,
even doubting and contesting, deeper learning will not take place
and/or be retained.
As to teaching, success comes when there’s real learning. If a student
either doesn't yet learn or is still grappling to do more to learn, the
teacher must be patient to be effective. A cheerful and open disposition
encourages a student to ask questions and try answers that advance
learning.)
b) On a separate and more sort of “personal advice” note, Akiva warned
against marrying another who is not right. Suffice to say doing so can
lead to all sorts of really bad actions and consequences. So, marry well!
c) Here’s a tough one: “Everything is foreseen, yet the freedom of choice
is given; everything follows the will of the person.” (from Avot 3:15)
What does this mean? Can both be true? If so, how?

18. (The religious believe that God knows all but has given us free choice.
This could mean that we are free to make our choices but that God
knows how we will choose.
Another idea is that we have a proclivity to act in a certain way but that
we can choose differently, for better or worse, and that how we act and
balance all that, in any set of circumstances, is knowable, and certainly
so by the All-Knowing-One.
One nice ethical twist on this is to see that we may be wired in a certain
way of action, but we are free to choose. Indeed, we are free to choose
to act in the interest of the good. Further, it is knowable at any time
how we’ll handle the inclination/freedom balance, say, by God, and our
task is to push the balance always toward choosing the good. After all,
in this hopeful, yet accountable way of thinking, “everything follows the
will of the person.”)
d) There’s a debate between Akiva and Tarfon (and Yishmael) on the
importance of study versus action. The matter for Akiva, of course, was

19. the study of Torah and related texts. For our purposes, let’s extend it at
least to the study of ethics. Action, let’s presume, is living in an ethical
manner. Akiva takes the view that study for its own sake is superior.
Tarfon takes the view that action is. Make the case for either or both.
And, in what ways, is Akiva right?
(If we don’t study these ethics and principles, we’re far less likely to live
true to them. Surely, it’s important for teachers to spend considerable or
full time studying in order that all of us learners have the best shot at
knowing what’s right. This is essential for the greater good of having
more people who can act for the good based on such knowledge.
However, if we don’t live ethically, of what use is the study? Indeed
many who study little still live good lives and do good things, and it
ultimately is the doing of good that we (and God) prize most. As
mentioned above, one argument for Akiva’s position is that unless some
devote considerable or full time to study, we wouldn’t have the teachers
and sages that we and all people need to help guide us in the thinking
and decisions we need to maximize the good in our lives.)

20. C. The Stirrings of Rebellion in the Age of Trajan and Hadrian and
Defeat
1. Debate over whether mitzvot require accepting death instead of
accepting idolatrous ways.
2. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah was the moderate in trying to deal
with the Romans. Akiva appears more committed to rebellion or at least
defiance, particularly as the oppression becomes more serious, even as
the consequences become more severe.
3. The persecution intensifies with killings, including those of rabbis.
4. The Bar Kokhba revolt begins. Akiva gives it his support (unwisely?
irrespective of Bar Kokhba’s arrogance?). Some thought Bar Kochba was
the Messiah.

21. 5. Defeat and the death of Akiva and the other rabbis. We note the
famous citing of the Shema by Akiva at the time of death.
6. The fall of Beitar and the study center there.
7. The Hadrianic Decrees - terrible persecution afterwards.
8. Several prominent rabbis in the aftermath of the revolt were killed,
such as Hanina ben Teradion.
9. Survivors mostly went to Galilee, various other towns, or fled Israel
altogether, including to Babylonia.