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I’m given to understand that Roman sources aren’t clear on what the rebellion was about, and some of them describe it as a reaction to Roman anti religious decrees.
In our writings we don’t find such a motivation. What we do find of that famous Gemara in Gittin that it was merely an effort to defend themselves from a Roman onslaught which began from a misunderstanding.
This would upend the whole narrative of a proud revolution.
The consensus of the Ranbonim was critical of the revolt; the idea of it being a proud revolt doesn’t come from Jewish sources.
I’m not going to add on to your sources (or question them for that matter)
I will however take a guess at an Occam’s razor explanation:
IIRC the Gemara in Gittin refers to a few stories where the Romans interfered in certain traditions (such as chopping down a tree planted at childbirth intended to be used a a pole for a chuppah and using it to repair a wagon wheel)Is it possible that defending ourselves from Roman oppression was perceived by the Romans as a reaction to Roman anti religious decrees?
Also, history is written by the victors.
Gemorah describes Jewish nationalists who rebelled against the Romans and inability of Rabbonim to control them (R Yochanan b Zakkai and his nephew).
You can read Gemora Gittin as how inter-Jewish fights bring external attacks when one side appeals to them against the others. As Henry Kissinger observed “Israel does not have international politics, only domestic”.
For a more learnt discussion, I suggest looking at R Berel Wein who brings both Jewish and non-Jewish sources.
FAKENEWS > Also, history is written by the victors.
This is a great counter-example!! Romans won then, and wrote history also, but we wrote more of history by now. We even wrote part of their history (Josephus).
The gemara there states clearly that if not for the Zionists of the time, the baryonim, Jerusalem would never have been destroyed. The gemara indicates that the nephew of RYBZ was a leader of those thugs, as AAQ mentioned. These wicked thugs intentionally destroyed decades worth of stored food, plunging the city into horrific hunger, as the gemara describes, just to attempt to force Jews to join them in fighting the Romans rather than the Rabbonim’s approach of making peace. Again, Jerusalem would have never been destroyed had the wicked thugs not destroyed the people and the city from within.
To build the bes hamidash and establish malchus bes David melech yisrael and the Torah in Yerushalayim, yehuda and possibly all of eretz Yisrael.
Hadrian (starting 58 years after churban) originally supported this idea, as it would get the annoying rebellious jews out of the diaspora, where they were causing major trouble. Just 20 years earlier, in the Kitos war (Andreas Lukas was Moshiach then for Egyptian jews), the jews killed most of the gentiles in Egypt, Libya – called Cyrene – and Cyprus, in response to anti Jewish actions etc… They failed dismally (like most Messianic jewish rebellions – except the Macabees and the modern zionists), and were almost entirely annihilated (the rest sold as slaves).
Hadrian sent his relative, Aquilas, to help the jews come back and rebuild. Long story short, he became a Ger and explained the Torah in Greek.
Bar Kochba was Moshiach and rebuilt the third bes hamikdash in Yerushalayim. It stood for 2.5 years, after which Hadrian destroyed it (65 after churban), causing Him to flee to Betar, where they were eventually mostly annihilated (the rest sold as slaves – mainly to Europe)
What caused Hadrian to change his mind? Good question!
Perhaps the better question is why did Rabbi Akiva support him and inspire the masses to join him in the failed rebellion. How could the leading daas Torah not have seen in his ruach HaKodesh how many hundreds of thousands would be killed just in Beitar?
The rebellion was clearly a mixture of religious and political aspirations. He reasoned if Hashem could help the Maccabees defeat the Syrian Greeks he can help the rebels fight off Rome. The previous rebellion failed because of disunity and his rebellion will succeed. He had the leading rabbi on his side so the people flocked to his side.I have been struggling with this since moving to modern Beitar
HaKatan > These wicked thugs intentionally destroyed decades worth of stored food, plunging the city into horrific hunger, as the gemara describes, just to attempt to force Jews to join them in fighting the Romans rather than the Rabbonim’s approach of making peace.
Exactly. I think the lesson is that Jews in EY should keep their joint strength and supply intact, instead of destroying it on inter-Jewish fights. As Rabbonim were willing to live in peace with Romans, without demanding special privileges and transfer payments from the Caesar; our generation should be able to live in peace with the current government without trying to complicate their fight against true enemies.
Cuz conformity and fallow the leader doesnt work and isn’t biblical.
He obviously didn’t have G-d on his side lol
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