Rabbi Akiva Archives - Matters of Interest

Rabbinic Literature / Talmud / Talmud Bavli

May 19, 2015

Questions, Notes, and Comments Regarding the 12,000 Pairs of Students of Rabbi Akiva who died 19 Centuries Ago [Talmud Tuesday]

There is a Talmudic tradition that 24,000 students died in the early part of the second century in the land of Israel all within a springtime period. According to that tradition, they died between Passover and Shavuot, the latter of...

Talmud Bavli

March 31, 2015

The Missing Statement of Rabbi Akiva of Receiving Reproof [Talmud Tuesday]

Thank God we are not stuck with simply printed editions of the Talmud and that we have manuscripts, as well, otherwise, we would be missing a statement of Rabbi Akiva‘s. Found on bArakhin 16b, there is a beraita about the...

Talmud / Talmud Bavli

November 4, 2014

Who is Wealthy? [איזה הוא עשיר] (or Who is a Rich Person?) [Talmud Tuesday]

One of the most popular statements in Pirkei Avot is that fourfold statement of Shimon ben Zoma at the outset of chapter four, included in which he inquires איזה הוא עשיר? השמח בחלקו, שנאמר יגיע כפיך, כי תאכל; אשריך, וטוב...

Talmud / Talmud Bavli / Talmud Yerushalmi / Tosefta

October 28, 2014

The Sorcerer Rabbi? Rabbi Eliezer and His Sorcery [Talmud Tuesday]

The most famous sorcery done by a rabbi in rabbinic literature is that by Rabbi Eliezer, the late first century rabbi. Not only does rabbinic literature portray him as being the most knowledgeable about sorcery, but even engaging in some!...