Pesach - The Rabbis of Bnei Barak

‘Why is this night different from all others?’ R. Shmuel: ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt…and the more one tells of the Exodus, the more they are to be praised.’ Only natural then to provide perfect role models, five of the most eminent Rabbis of the second century observing this principle. The text suggests that they were so deep in study and discussion that they had to be reminded of one of their own fundamental dictums, when to recite the morning Shema.

A number of things seem rather strange about their meeting. Firstly, why these five great Rabbis met in one place and did not have their own Seder’s. Secondly, why it seems that their disciples were excluded. A plausible explanation is that the Seder gave adequate reason for them to meet and use the ultimate Jewish symbols of slavery and redemption to discuss their own contemporary situation: the oppression by the Romans. It is thought that this Seder preceded the Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans by only a few years. Were the Rabbis discussing this?

The Rabbinic writings provide insights into the stances of the Rabbis. R. Akiva, the seder’s host was a supporter of Bar Kochba even possibly having announced him as the Messiah. He was ardently supported by R. Eliezer , the militant. R. Joshua’s teachings seemed to have indicated that he was a pacifist, possibly being joined by Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah who seemed to have been the diplomatic one. What of the Rabbi who may have held the balance of power in the discussions that night?

It is difficult to say where R. Tarfon’s sympathies lay. In Avot 2: 20-21, he is rather vague, ‘it is not incumbent on you to finish the task, neither are you at liberty to neglect it.’

Whatever the decisions made at their Seder table, the Bar Kochba revolt failed and resulted in the near extinction of Jewish life in the southern part of Palestine, the break-up of the Bnei Barak school and the martyrdom of R. Akiva. If I am to take comfort from this story if true, it is that Rabbis of different schools, religious and political approaches sat down to let study lead to discussions of their contemporary situation.

May our seder tables be open to all who wish to share it with us, regardless of their starting-point. Each one brings value to the (re)telling.