Venue: Yeshivat Hakotel Yeshivat Hakotel

Gemara:

Aggadeta 

History:

Roman Period 

Machshava:

Lag BaOmer,  Rav Kook 

Collections: R' Shvat Religious Zionism

Description

Did the 24,000 students of R. Akiva die in a plague, or were they killed by the Romans in the Bar Kochva rebellion? Many know that there is a connection between Lag BaOmer, R. Akiva, Bar Yochai and Bar Kochva's revolt which took place at the time, but are confused regarding this association. The Talmud Yerushalmi, Rambam, Rav Kook and a long-lost passage from the Geniza, successfully explain many innocent passages in chazal which "by-passed" the Roman censors, but are only understood in the backdrop of the hushed-up Bar Kochva rebellion, which didn't wait for Mashiach, but tried to bring him, and achieved a Jewish Independent State for several years. This chapter in history, has obvious modern ramifications regarding religious-Zionism.