[Zionist Conspirator]

Excellent examination into the hidden truths of La"G Ba`Omer.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Ping.

[antceecee]

Great read.

[babble-on]

wow, I didn’t know that

[Mugwump]

Interesting tidbit: Mel Blanc, of Bugs Bunny fame, was married on Lag B’omer. I read it in his autobiography

[Diego1618]

Good piece of history. Thanks for posting.

[kitchen]

From the article:

Bar Kochba's army achieved many initial victories and the rebellion raged for six years. Many non-Jews joined Bar Kochba's army as well. It is reported that it grew to 400,000 men - larger than the Roman Army. Bar Kochba was so successful that Hadrian called in all of his best troops from England and Gaul. Rome felt threatened as never before. On Lag B'Omer, it is believed by some, Bar Kochba's army reconquered Jerusalem, and we celebrate that great event today. Jewish independence was restored for four years. Many believe that Bar Kochba actually began to rebuild the Beis Hamikdash, the Holy Temple.

One writer — Rabbi Leibel Resnick in "The Mystery of Bar Kokhba" (Jason Aaronson, 1996) believes that he completed the building of the Third Temple.

There were two Roman legions in the country when the uprising began, one in Jerusalem and one near Megiddo. Both were decimated by Bar Kochba's men. Reinforcements were dispatched from what are today Jordan, Syria and Egypt but these, too, were mauled. Legion 22, sent from Egypt, disappeared from the listings of military units published in Rome. Scholars speculate that it was so badly beaten (most likely in the area of Lachish) that it ceased to exist as an organized force. [emphasis added] The Jews apparently employed guerilla tactics, utilizing underground lairs, ambushing convoys and striking at night.

In desperation, Hadrian sent for his best commander, Julius Severus, who was then engaged in battle in far off Wales. Severus imported legions from Britain, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. The Romans were hurt so badly in the bruising campaign against the Jews, that upon returning to report to the Senate in Rome, Severus omitted the customary formula, "I and my army are well."

[Question_Assumptions]

Reading through that, I find it difficult to see Rabbi Akiva as a hero. It says that Rabbi Akiva withdrew his support from Bar Kochba after Bar Kochba accused his cousing Rabbi Elazarof revealing the secret entrances Betar tot he Romans and killed him. So here we have, according to this article a Rabbi who decided that Bar Kochba is Messianic material, which puts the whole rebellion into motion and then at a crucial moment, decides that maybe he isn't Messianic material, after all, contributing to the whole thing falling apart. It's not that difficult to point the finger of blame in a different direction.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Today is La”G Ba`Omer. Here is an excellent article from last year. Hope it’s still accessible.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Ping.

[Wuli]

Not to make light of this great story, of Rabbi Akiva, or of anyone else, but many find the same element - “love they neighbor as thyself” - as core in the teachings of Yeshua, whom Christians accepted as Messiah.

If only it were also true that Christians followed Rabbi Akiva’s advice concerning the necessity of the application of that teaching to the study and teaching of scripture.

I believe the advice, and the necessity for it, comes from the fact that G-d is divine, perfect and the Inspiration given from G-d is divine, perfect but the human mind and heart are not divine, perfect and thus as receptors of that inspiration we are not able, not capable of divine, perfect transmission, translation to others the inspiration we have received. If we have love and respect for our fellow believers then we must accept that our differences are due to our own imperfections and not G-d’s inspiration.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Bump.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Bump.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Wow! Answers a few questions I have had about Lag B’Omer.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Annual (5775) La”G Ba`Omer ping.

[Nachum]

I will celebrate the holiday by getting a hair cut!

[onedoug]

As always ZC, very interesting post.

Thank you.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Annual bump.

[Zionist Conspirator]

The title should of course read "mystery," not "myster."

Can that be corrected?

[rmlew]

Serious mistakes in this piece. The claim that there was no Jewish army until the 20th century is laughable

It would be 2,000 years before there would be a Jewish fighting force. In the great and tragic defeat, not only were between 250,000-600,000 Jews killed, but the Romans were encouraged, once and for all, to uproot the Jewish religion and the Jewish People, to bring an end to their revolutionary hopes and their redemptive dreams.

During the last Persian-Byzantine war of 602-628, Nehemiah ben Hushiel, supposedly the son of the Jewish Exilarch /Reish Galuta in Babylon, led 20,000 Persian Jews into Byzantine occupied Israel. In 614, after Byzantine Jews revolted, Jerusalem was liberated and under nominal Jewish control until 617, when the Persians betrayed the Jews in Israel in a vain effort to get Christian support.

Other instances included the Berber queen Kahina, who led Berbers and Berber Jews in a fight against Islamic invasion.
The failed messianic claimaint David Al Roy comes to mind. And then there were the Khazar nobles who converted to Judaism and married Jews.

[Zionist Conspirator]

La"G Ba`Omer songs