We will continue our sacred journey by introducing a related teaching from Rabbi Tzaddok HaKohen, zy”a, in Pri Tzaddik (Vayechi 10) on the subject. He says that even though HKB”H informed Moshe with the remark “You will see My back, but My face may not be seen” that he would not be able to recognize from the start that everything HKB”H does is for our benefit—only after the event has occurred, would it be possible to comprehend this truth; nevertheless, Rabbi Akiva was granted this perception in Olam HaZeh, i.e., the ability to recognize ahead of time, prior to the event, that everything is done truly for the good of Yisrael.
Hence, it was specifically Rabbi Akiva who taught (Berachos 60b): לעולם יהא אדם רגיל לומר, כל דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד—a person should always be accustomed to say: “Whatever the Merciful One does, He does for the best.” Because he made this statement based on his own personal experience. Chazal had this in mind when they said (Bamidbar Rabbah 19, 6): Things that were not revealed to Moshe Rabeinu were revealed to Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. “And His eye saw all precious things” refers to Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. In other words, Rabbi Akiva perceived from the onset that everything is done benevolently, whereas Moshe Rabeinu did not perceive this truth.
Based on this intriguing insight from Rabbi Tzaddok HaKohen, zy”a, we can shed some light on the esoteric, transcendental dialogue between Rabbi Akiva and his entourage recorded in the Gemara (Makkos 24a):
וכבר היה רבן גמליאל ורבי אלעזר בן עזריה ורבי יהושע ורבי עקיבא מהלכין בדרך, ושמעו קול המונה של רומי מפלטה ברחוק מאה ועשרים מיל, והתחילו בוכין ורבי עקיבא משחק. אמרו לו, מפני מה אתה משחק, אמר להם, ואתם מפני מה אתם בוכים, אמרו לו, הללו כושיים שמשתחוים לעצבים ומקטרים לעבודת כוכבים יושבין בטח והשקט, ואנו בית הדום רגלי אלקינו שרוף באש ולא נבכה. אמר להן לכך אני מצחק, ומה לעוברי רצונו כך לעושי רצונו על אחת כמה וכמה.
שוב פעם אחת היו עולין לירושלים, כיון שהגיעו להר הצופים קרעו בגדיהם, כיון שהגיע להר הבית ראו שועל שיצא מבית קדשי הקדשים, התחילו הן בוכין ורבי עקיבא מצחק, אמרו לו, מפני מה אתה מצחק, אמר להם, מפני מה אתם בוכים, אמרו לו, מקום שכתוב בו והזר הקרב יומת, ועכשיו שועלים הלכו בו ולא נבכה. אמר להן, לכך אני מצחק... באוריה כתיב לכן בגללכם ציון שדה תחרש וגו', בזכריה כתיב עוד ישבו זקנים וזקנות ברחובות ירושלים, עד שלא נתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה, הייתי מתיירא שלא תתקיים נבואתו של זכריה, עכשיו שנתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה, בידוע שנבואתו של זכריה מתקיימת. בלשון הזה אמרו לו, עקיבא ניחמתני עקיבא ניחמתני.
Once, Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva were traveling on the road, and they heard the sound of the Roman crowds in its plaza (in Rome), one hundred and twenty mil away, and they started to weep. But Rabbi Akiva was smiling. They asked him: Why are you smiling? He replied to them: And you, why are you weeping? They answered him: These heathens who bow down to idols and burn incense to idolatry live in security and calm, and we, the Temple which is the footstool of our G-d is consumed by fire, should we not weep? He said to them: This is why I am smiling. If this is the reward for those who transgress His will, then for those who do His will, how much more so!
On another occasion, they were going up to Yerushalayim. When they reached Har HaTzofim, they tore their garments. When they came to Har HaBayis, they saw a fox emerging from Kodesh HaKodashim, and they began to cry; however, Rabbi Akiva smiled. They said to him, “Why are you smiling?” He responded to them, “Why are you crying?” They answered him, “A place about which it is written (Bamidbar 1, 51): ‘The non-kohen who comes close shall be put to death,’ and now (Eichah 5, 18) ‘foxes are walking about there,’ should we not cry?” He said to them, “This is why I am smiling... In the prophecy of Uriah, it is written (Michah 3, 12): ‘Therefore, because of you, Tziyon will be plowed like a field etc.’ In the prophecy of Zechariah, it is written (Zechariah 8, 4): ‘Old men and old women will yet sit in the streets of Yerushalayim.’ As long as the nevuah of Uriah had not been fulfilled, I feared that the nevuah of Zechariah would not be fulfilled. Now, that the nevuah of Uriah has been fulfilled, it is apparent that the nevuah of Zechariah will be fulfilled.” They responded to him in these words, “Akiva, you have consoled us; Akiva, you have consoled us!”
The commentaries find this perplexing. It seems unimaginable that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, and Rabbi Yehoshua would doubt the fulfillment of Zechariah’s nevuah. Surely, they believed that the words Hashem, our G-d, spoke to His servants, the neviim, would be fulfilled fully. So, what novel lesson did Rabbi Akiva teach them by convincing them that the navi’s prophecy would come true?
In light of Rabbi Tzaddok’s insight, it makes perfect sense. Without a doubt, these holy Tannaim also believed wholeheartedly that the future geulah would become a reality. Notwithstanding, seeing the devastation of the churban with their own eyes, they were distressed by the sight of foxes roaming around freely in the holiest of sites, they felt obliged to abide by the halachah of mourning the churban of the Beis HaMikdash and the desecration of Hashem’s name in the world. They understood that people in Olam HaZeh are oblivious to the fact that everything is done with benevolence.
