The Delicate Balance   

M

ishpacha readers are probably familiar with the Gemara (Yevamos 62b) that serves as the source for the restrictive customs we observe during the Sefirah period. The Gemara tells us that Rabi Akiva’s 24,000 talmidim (or, more precisely, as the Gemara terms it, 12,000 pairs of talmidim) all perished sometime between Pesach and Shavuos due to their shortcoming of “lo nahagu kavod zeh b’zeh — not giving each other proper respect.” On some level, these outstanding individuals, who were destined to carry out their rebbi’s legacy, were guilty of not according each other proper honor.

While the story may be familiar, it raises many baffling questions. Firstly, we’re discussing the disciples of the one person singled out by Moshe Rabbeinu himself as more worthy than he to receive the Torah. Surely they were talmidei chachamim of tremendous stature.

What’s even more puzzling is that their teacher, Rabi Akiva, taught the entire world that “V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha” is the klal gadol baTorah — the most inclusive and basic tenet we need to follow as Torah Jews. Did his own talmidim not receive the memo?

Equally baffling is how over the course of seven weeks of the plague (or perhaps even only 33 days according to some interpretations of the Gemara) did they not catch on that something was amiss in their bein adam l’chaveiro? For that matter, didn’t Rabi Akiva realize something was terribly wrong?