[Avodah] ALL 24000 died

[Rabbi Meir G. Rabi]

What were the last 1000 talmidim thinking
after having witnessed 23,000 dying?

It seems that Talmidim from other Yeshivos
were not afflicted

If Heaven forbid, in our times
500 talmidim would perish in an epidemic
but only of one Yeshivah
would there not be a massive outcry
many days of Tefillos
Fasting
Exhortations from all the prominent Rabbanim

What was R Akiva doing during those days

ALL died
not one survived
did not even one recognise the cause of HKBH's distress
and their shortcomings
did not even one repent and change?

Is it possible that their mutual lack of respect
went unnoticed
and R Akiva's exhortations went unheeded
because this flaw of lacking respect
was baked into their self-righteous-image
it had become an element of their identity and their learning
a feature of their Yeshivah culture
it was part of their uniform that they wore with pride;
when they disagreed with one another
there was an element of attack not just on the argument
but on the bar-plugta's character
playing the man rather than playing the ball
performed under the cosmetic shield of honouring HKBH and His Torah

why did none see this flaw?

Chazal say once a person has repeated an Aveirah
it appears to be permitted - it loses the sting of having violated HKBH's
trust
The BaAlei Mussar say
after the third time it is rationalised as being a Mitzvah

Perhaps we need to reflect
that we might have aspects of similar flaws
that we not only justify
but actually honour because we have persuaded ourselves
that it is part of our Avodas HaShem?




Best,

Meir G. Rabi

0423 207 837
+61 423 207 837
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