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Rabbi Akiva

the Optimist

Rabbi Yechiel
Wasserman It happened that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva went up to Jerusalem. When they reached
Mount Scopus, they tore their clothing. When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the Holy of Holies. The
others started weeping; Rabbi Akiva laughed. They said: “Why are you laughing?” He responded: “Why are you crying?” They said: “A
place so holy that it is said of it, ‘the stranger that approaches it shall die,’ now foxes walk there, and we shouldn't cry?” Rabbi Akiva said:
“That is why I laugh. For it is written, ‘I shall have bear witness for Me faithful witnesses, Uriah the Priest and Zechariah’ (Yishayahu
8:2). What is the connection between Uriah and Zechariah? Uriah lived at the time of the First Temple, and Zechariah was at the time of
the Second Temple! The Torah is making Zechariah’s prophecy dependent upon Uriah’s prophecy. With Uriah, it is written: ‘Therefore,
because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the Temple Mount like the high places of a forest’
(Michah 3:12). With Zechariah it is written, ‘Old men and women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem’ (Zechariah 8:4). As long as Uriah’s
prophecy was not fulfilled, I feared that Zechariah’s prophecy may not be fulfilled either. But now that Uriah’s prophecy has been fulfilled,
it is certain that Zechariah’s prophecy will be fulfilled.” With these words they replied to him: “Akiva, you have comforted us! Akiva, you
have comforted us!” (Makkot 24b)
his famous passage is diffi- who sang so beautifully there. How consolation and hope. Yes, the other
cult to understand. When could they not be depressed? rabbis knew these verses, but only
the rabbis reached Mount Rabbi Akiva could think of them at
TScopus and saw the destruc- Our rabbis taught: When the Temple was such a time. “Akiva, you have com-
tion of the Temple Mount, all of them destroyed, many Jews became ascetics, forted us! Your optimism has infused
tore their clothing in accordance with binding themselves neither to eat meat nor us with optimism!”
halachah – including Rabbi Akiva. But to drink wine… Rabbi Yehoshua said: “My
a short while later, when they reached sons, listen to me. Not to mourn at all is Rabbi Akiva’s entire life was one of
the Temple Mount, Rabbi Akiva began impossible, because the blow has fallen. To optimism and faith. It is what gave
to laugh. What changed during the mourn too much is also impossible, because him the strength to begin learning
time of that short trip? Why did only we do not impose on the community a hard- Torah at the age of forty, and to per-
Rabbi Akiva laugh? And why did ship which the majority cannot endure”… severe through many years of terrible
Rabbi Akiva’s insight make such an The rabbis have therefore decreed: A man poverty. It was Rabbi Akiva who said
impact on the other rabbis? Surely may stucco his house, but he should leave that “all G-d does is for the best”, and
they already knew the verses Rabbi a little bare… A woman can put on all her it was Rabbi Akiva who established
Akiva cited! ornaments, but leave off one or two.” (Bava the blessing of redemption. And it is
Batra 60b)
A careful study of the story brings us to Rabbi Akiva who continues to give us
one conclusion: only Rabbi Akiva, with After tearing his clothing at Mount strength and optimism, even during
his extraordinary personality, vision Scopus, Rabbi Akiva thought to him- the most difficult times.
and optimism, could have responded self: “Will we forever live depressed? This, too, is the mission of World Miz-
this way. Imagine the socio-political Isn’t it our duty to inspire a new spirit rachi – to bring optimism to every
situation of the Jewish people during and hope in the hearts of the people?” corner of the Diaspora. After two
the time following the destruction of As he walked in heavy silence with the thousand years of exile, our people are
the Beit HaMikdash and the trauma of other rabbis to the Temple Mount, finally returning home to our Land,
war and destruction which was per- Rabbi Akiva became determined to working together to rebuild the Beit
manently etched in their conscious- change the attitude of his friends – HaMikdash. May we soon see that day!
ness. They still remembered the Beit and the entire Jewish people. Seeing
HaMikdash in its glory, the kohanim a fox at the Holy of Holies, Rabbi Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman is Co-President of
doing their holy work and the levi’im Akiva consciously sought verses of World Mizrachi.

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