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He Lost 24,000 Disciples; Then He Started All Over Again

How Reb Akiva and His Wife Transformed Jewish History

1 hr 38 min

Class Summary:

This women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Behar, 16 Iyar, 5779, May 21, 2019 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY 

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  • Anonymous -4 years ago

    More powerful these days. I wonder if Rabbi YY knew how prophetic and weighty his words would be

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  • L

    liba -5 years ago

    The shiur was an unbelievable and unforgettable chizuk. Not only to me, but to the rest of the family who I shared it with.

    My grandmother who survived Aushwitz just passed away.

    What priceless words!! My grandmother left over 200 descendants ka"h, all who are deeply mourning her. She knew each grandchild, great-grandchild and great-great grandchild intimately. Even my 11 year old son went to the Bais Olam to take part in the kvura. The vort about kvura being a planting for Techias Hamaisim was so profoundly uplifting for all these children....

    I am replaying the shiur over and over in my mind, drawing wellsprings of strength and encouragement, and my mother-in-law as well asked me to mention what a chizuk it was for her too.

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  • R

    Rachel -5 years ago

    Till today Rabbi Akiva was this Zadick that was above the human experience, I wasn’t even sure that he possessed a human body. Thank you for allowing me to get a glimpse of the human side and greatness of Rabbi Akiva. You made him so human, real and alive. I feel I was privilege to get a glimpse into his struggles, challenges and triumph.
    Only today, I was able to relate to his triumph or connect to his human side.
    Today I was able to connect very deeply to all the challenges, struggles and devastation that he had to endure and deal with. And then I understood what inner strength Rabbi Akiva had to muster to not cave into surrender or hopelessness. I now understand his greatness in a whole new way. He inspired me to want to try to see life and live it from his perspective. Wow, how he chose to see and interpret the realities that surrounded him throughout his life.
    I realized how hard he worked to become Rabbi Akiva the first time around and then lost everything in such a tragic way. And instead of wallowing in self pity, guilt and surrenders, he picked himself up again to continue to be Rabbi Akiva the leader, teacher and went down South to rebuild from scratch. Wow!!!
    In my own life I too thought I triumphed with everything. I made it, I accomplished. My life was running on track, and I thought i have it all. I was sure that it would remain that way, running smoothly forever. I had everything in place to support that. But when the winds blew me away I lost more than I ever lost in my entire life, I lost my complete self. The me I knew was gone. Gone with the wind. What I learned today is that it’s not important to recapture the me that was.
    Rabbi Akiva moved on to the new that was available and continued from there. Trying to recapture what was, is the inability to move down south. 
    I learned to appreciate the value of each drop of transformation in our life and how valuable it is to God. Wow, so powerful. Your moshel with the Father was so powerful. 
    The only way we can learn and connect to all those holy saints mentioned in Tenach is if we can see the human side of them, that’s how we can become inspired to follow in their path.

    Thank you so much!

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Women's Lag Ba'omer Class

Rabbi YY Jacobson

  • May 21, 2019
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  • 16 Iyyar 5779
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  • 3907 views

Dedicated by Peter Triestman, in memory of Gedalya ben Yehudah a"h.

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