Rabbi Akiva Ben Yosef ‘The Convert’ Had 24,00 Students – OpEd

Rabbi Akiva is one of the most charismatic, imaginative, and prolific sages of the Talmud. Yet, we are told that a terrible plague killed 24,000 of his students between Passover and Shavuot. (Yevamot 63b). 

Why did 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiba die? Because they did not behave respectfully toward one another. The number...