Rabbi Akiva Banner

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YOUR GUIDED TOUR TO THE “RABBI AKIVA” BANNERS

Banners on Rabbi Akiva’s life & teachings by Maimonides School Students: Lag B’Omer 2015 A DROP OF A LESSON A famous historic Rabbi, Akiva’s father was a convert to Judaism, and he was an ignorant shepherd until age 40. This banner by 3/4 grade girls is titled “A Drop of a Lesson.” His boss’ daughter, the beautiful Rachel saw something special in him and offered to marry him if he would study Torah. Akiva was afraid he was too thick to learn, but he noticed how water droplets, over time, wore a hole in a solid rock. “If water can do that to a rock, then certainly Torah will slowly penetrate me!

A GOLDEN JERUSALEM TIARA Akiva and Rachel got married.

Rachel’s wealthy father was very upset that his daughter married a simpleton and threw them out.

Living simply, they had little furniture but lots of straw. One day a man came to the door asking if they had straw to spare, so they realized others had even less! Once Rabbi Akiva was picking stray straw out of his wife’s hair and wished aloud that he could one day afford to buy her a golden tiara Jerusalem skyline tiara. 7th grade students made this banner depicting the Golden Jerusalem Tiara. He told his students that all his Torah, and their Torah study, is all in his wife’s merit.

FATHER & SON IN KINDERGARTEN Rabbi Akiva went to study in the same class with his young son. He knew nothing and had to start from the very beginning. They shared the same text, and little by little and more and more Rabbi Akiva continued to learn, until eventually he became the greatest Rabbi in Israel, and headed an academy of 24,000 students! This banner was made by the High School Boys.

“LOVE YOUR FELLOW!” Rabbi Akiva taught that “this is the Great principle of the whole Torah.” First grade helped make this banner.

Ironically, Rabbi Akiva’s own students didn’t appreciate or internalize this message and died in a great plague during the Omer because they did not properly respect one another. Lag B’Omer is a day of rejoicing for that is when the plague ended. His surviving five students each became great Rabbis of the Mishna, including Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (whose passing is marked on Lag B’Omer), Rabbi Elazar ben Shamuah and Rabbi Yosi ben Chalafta. Their students wrote the Mishna.

“HUMAN DIGNITY!” In Pirkay-Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers) Rabbi Akiva is quoted: “Beloved is man who was created in the Divine Image.” This banner

by Grades 5/6 depicts products and their origins: boots from Italy, a dress from Taiwan, oranges from Israel… but a person is “Made in G-d’s Image!” Every single person, regardless of race, religion, or social status is made in G-d’s Image, even if its not apparent outside. This perspective helps us view others - and how we ought to view ourselves, too! This teaching of Rabbi Akiva is the main theme of this year’s Maimonides Lag B’Omer Parade.

IN & OUT IN PEACE Rabbi Akiva was very balanced in his learning, and very organized.

The Talmud describes his way of learning as filling a bag with all kinds of stuff and then sorting it out and organizing it, finding the proper place for each thing. Along with three colleagues, he entered “The Orchard” deep, mystical Torah teachings. The others were negatively affected, but not Rabbi Akiva, who “Entered in peace and came out in peace.” The Hebrew peace Shalom which also means wholesome and complete. This banner was painted by 3/4 grade boys. On the right is Orchard PARDES spelled in Hebrew representing 4 levels of “Orchard” learning .

AND RABBI AKIVA LAUGHED This story is in the conclusion of Talmud tractate Makkos. One time the Rabbis and Rabbi Akiva saw a fox exit from the ruins of the Holy Temple. The Rabbis cried and Rabbi Akiva laughed. The Rabbis explained their tears, and Rabbi Akiva explained that his joy was his belief in the future, how negative will be transformed into positive.

This optimism inspired the Rabbis to say: “Akiva you comforted us!

Akiva you comforted us!” In 1965 the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught a very deep, comprehensive and relevant analysis of this story which inspired Rabbi Rubin’s study of the Rabbinic personalities of the Talmud. This banner was painted by the High School girls.

THE FOX AND THE FISHES The Romans forbade public Torah study.

Rabbi Akiva defied the Roman decree and continued teaching. He was challenged by Papus ben Yehudah who criticized putting his life in danger. Rabbi Akiva answered with this parable: One day a fox walked along the riverbank and saw fish swimming to and fro. “What’s the matter?” asked the fox, “What do you fear?” The fish feared the fishermen’s nets. So the fox slyly made the fish an offer: “Why not come up here with me on dry land? The fishermen can’t get you here!” The fish replied that leaving the water would be certain death, so they must remain in the water. The same, said Rabbi Akiva to Papus, applies to us, our very survival depends on being immersed in Torah! This banner was painted by the 2nd graders.