Rabbi Akiva and Bar Kochba (cont.) – plus prophecy questions

Question

Dear Rabbi, thank you

1) About Rabbi Akiva, I checked it (Jerusalem Talmud, Ta’anit 24a:1) and I saw this sentences:

תני ר’ שמעון בן יוחי עקיבה ר’ היה דורש (במדבר כ״ד:י״ז) דרך כוכב מיעקב דרך כוזבא מיעקב. ר’ עקיבה כד הוה חמי בר כוזבה הוה אמר דין הוא מלכא משיחא

Dear Rabbi, what is the exact translation of this? Especially this word: (דין) in this text.

2) Why was prophecy taken from the prophets and given to the Sages?

3) And is there any verse in Tanach that proves it?

Thank you

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    1. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught, Rabbi Akiva would explain [the verse, Bamidbar 24:17], “A star has issue from Jacob” [the word star in Aramaic is similar to the name Kuzba] – that Kuzba was issued from Jacob. Each time that Rabbi Akiva would see Bar Kuzba he would announce, “This is the king Messiah.”

    2. The Sages teach that prophecy in its purest form was removed from the world when the desire for idol worship was removed from the world. The residue (in a very diluted form) of prophecy was given over to those who excel in Torah knowledge and good traits.

    3. The end of prophecy came together with the “sealing” of the Tanach at the very beginning of the Second Temple era.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team