Omer Personalities - R' Akiva and R' Shimon Bar Yochai

The period of the Omer was transformed from a season of spiritual anticipation into one of depression on account of the deaths of 24,000 disciples of R' Akiva at the hands of the Romans. The Talmud relates (Yevamos 62b) that these students died between Pesach and Shavuout. We thus comport ourselves for 48 of the 49 days in accordance with various customs of mourning.

One day, however, is excepted, and is treated as a day of celebration - the 33rd day, known as Lag BaOmer. R' Menachem HaMeiri (1249-1306) explains that the deaths of the students ceased on that day and therefore we may increase our joy. However other sources associate the day with R' Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the five "Sages of the South" whom R' Akiva taught as he sought to reestablish Torah after his other students perished. This was either the day he emerged from the cave where he hid with his son for twelve years to avoid a Roman death warrant or the day of his death, when he revealed many of the secrets of the Torah to his own students.

It should not be surprising that there are many similarities between these two sages - i.e., their comprehension of kabala, their defiant attitudes toward Rome, or their legacies as guardians of Torah transmission. After all we are dealing with a master teacher and one of his greatest disciples. What is unique is a bond of circumstance that they share that may help us to understand how they successfully experienced the secret levels of Torah that had consumed and corrupted so many others (see, e.g., Chagigah 14b, regarding the four who entered PRD'S)?

During his transformation from shepherd to sage, R' Akiva initially left his wife Rachel, who had sacrificed wealth and aristocratic status for him, for a period of twelve years. The Talmud relates that upon his return he overheard a wicked man taunting her. Rather than bemoaning her fate, she retorted "If he listened to my voice I would have him continue his studies for another twelve years." Without informing Rachel that he was even there, R' Akiva returned to the study hall for an additional twelve years. His greatness was forged in those extra years.

R' Shimon Bar Yochai defied the Romans and was forced to hide in a cave. For twelve years he studied with his son, eating nothing other than carobs, drinking nothing other than water, and spending his waking hours buried up to his neck in sand since he had no clothes. This sacrifice led to an understanding of the mystical parts of Torah set forth in the Zohar.

For R' Akiva it was twelve years of almost superhuman emotional sacrifice. For R' Shimon it was twelve years of almost superhuman physical sacrifice. For us it is a lesson in how one acquires the Torah - which is quite appropriate as we approach Shavuot. No, we cannot be expected to emulate such righteousness. However, we can at least appreciate what it takes to reach such levels and to respect those who have reached higher than we have.

The Omer and Honey
Peaks and Valleys - The Good Omer and the Bad Omer
Omer Personalities - R' Akiva and R' Shimon Bar Yochai
From Beast to Man
From Matzos to Cheesecake
Lag B'Omer - Breaking up the Count
Mitzvah lesaper et haMispar hamesaper
Not Fowl, but Foul
One Long Party: Pesach to Shavuot
Oops, I forgot to Count the Omer
Sheva Shabbatot temimot tiyenah
The Best Unbroken Chain
The Mourning after the Night Before
The Students of Rabbi Akiva
What Does Lev Tov Have to do with Sfira?
The Counting of The Omer
Lag B'Omer - The 33rd Day