An Akiva for Everyone

Barry W. Holtz’s Rabbi Akiva: Sage of the Talmud, part of the Jewish Lives series, is a well-written and plotted examination of Judaism’s most influential sage.  As Holtz shows, there is an Akiva for everyone.  He was an early hero of the Rabbinical movement; as a man without family connections or wealth, he achieved greatness through his own genius, pushing Judaism merit. 

Both of his origin stories stress his poverty and humility.  In the often rough and tumble world of rabbinical argumentation, Akiva is known for his gentleness.  Rabbincal Sages often bruised each other in debates, leading to bad feelings.  Akiva had a soft touch even when he was (nearly) always right on halakah; he was gentle with the vanguished.

He was a man of the people. There is a charming tale of Rabbi Akiva’s intense, long prayers.  But we are told when he prayed with others he shortened them so as not to overburden people. There is the mystic Akiva who was the only sage to make the journedy back and forth through Pardes alive.

Finally, there is the messianic Akiva, betting on the wrong horse in the Bar Kokhba rebellion and being flayed alive by the vengeful Romans when the revolt failed.  His actions and words when martyred would become a model for, unfortunately, all too many Jews after him.

Read this book.  If you want a distillation of what it means to be a rabbinical Jew, you will find it right here.