Rabbi Akiva’s Children
05/09/2025 04:12:17 PM
Parsha Halacha – Parshat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim
Rabbi Akiva’s Children
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The Torah portion of Acharei Mot - Kedoshim contains the mitzvah of loving your fellow-Jew as yourself.[1] Rabbi Akiva declared that this is a great rule in the Torah.[2]Rabbi Akiva exhibited his love for his fellow-Jews by advocating to the Almighty on behalf of Jews who were deemed “sinners of Israel.” The Talmud calls this practice of Rabbi Akiva “his piety.”[3]
This article will focus on the children of Rabbi Akiva. It’s appropriate to write about Rabbi Akiva as this Friday will be Lag Ba’Omer, the day on which his students stopped dying.[4]
According to the Talmud and other Rabbinic sources,[5] Rabbi Akiva’s sons were Torah scholars, and his daughters married Torah scholars. This was a testament to his and his wife’s devotion to Torah.[6]
What We Know
It seems from the various Rabbinic sources that Rabbi Akiva had (at least) two sons by the names of Rabbi Shimon and Yehoshua. Some say that the latter was also known as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha. In addition, he had a daughter who was married to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Kefosa’i and one who was married briefly (or engaged) to Rabbi Shimon ben Azai. Two of his sons passed away during his lifetime[7] (Rabbi Akiva lived to the ripe old age of 120) while his son Rabbi Yehoshua outlived him.[8]
Here are some of the details about this:
Yehoshua ben Rabbi Akiva
There are several references to the son of Rabbi Akiva by the name of Yehoshua. In most cases he isn’t given the title “Rabbi” although he was a great Torah scholar who was completely devoted to Torah.
● There’s a scholarly conversation between him and his father about the colors of Tzara’at recorded in the beginning of Tractate Shavu’ot.[9]
● Before getting married, Yehoshua made an agreement with his wife that she would work to support the family so that he would be able to continue with his Torah studies.[10] The arrangement they made specified that even if there were to be a famine she would continue to support the family rather than ask him to go to work.[11]
o This arrangement resembled the one that his father Rabbi Akiva made with his mother Rachel[12] in which he studied for 24 years during which time he didn’t support her at all.[13]
● On his wedding night, Yehoshua studied Torah throughout the night while his (new) wife held the candle and rolled the scroll for him while he studied.[14]
● Before passing away, Rabbi Akiva gave his son Yehoshua seven instructions as to proper behavior. This is the only occasion in the Talmud in which he is referred to as “Rabbi” Yehoshua.[15] It is possible that he had received semicha by that time.[16]
● The Zohar says[17] that one who passes away leaving a son who studies Torah in this world is lucky and that Rabbi Akiva merited to have such a son. (The name of the son isn’t cited.)
Shimon, Son of Rabbi Akiva
The Jerusalem Talmud says[18] that at the wedding of his son Shimon, Rabbi Akiva was opening barrels of wine and saying, “(It’s) good wine which should bring life to the rabbis and to their students (חמרא טבא לחיי רבנין ולתלמידיהון)”
Passed Away
The Talmud says[19] that Rabbi Akiva’s sons passed away during his lifetime. We only know the names of two of his sons, Yehoshua and Shimon, and as mentioned above, Yehoshua outlived his father. As such, it seems that the name of one of the sons who predeceased Rabbi Akiva is unknown.
When his son Rabbi Shimon was ill, Rabbi Akiva continued to study Torah until Rabbi Shimon passed away. After his passing, Rabbi Akiva arranged his funeral and eulogized him as one who brought merit to the Jewish people.[20]
A Son from his First Wife
It seems that Rabbi Akiva had a son from his first wife whom he married before his famous wife Rachel.[21] The name of this son is unknown. It is possible that he is the Shimon or Yehoshua mentioned above and/or that that he was one of the sons who predeceased Rabbi Akiva.
Daughters
The Talmud[22] tells the story of how Rabbi Akiva’s daughter was saved from a snake bite on the day of her wedding in the merit of the Tzedakah (charity) she gave on that day.
Sons in Law
● Rabbi Yehoshua ben Kefosa’i
The Talmud[23] quotes Rabbi Yehoshua ben Kefosa’i, the son-in-law of Rabbi Akiva, as giving over his father in law’s teachings. He is quoted several other times in the Talmud.[24]
● Ben Azai
The Talmud says[25] Rabbi Akiva’s daughter influenced Ben Azzai (her husband) to study Torah just like her mother influenced her father. Regarding this, people said, “Like mother, like daughter.”
Tosfot points out[26] that elsewhere[27] it indicates that Ben Azzai was so consumed with Torah study that he couldn’t live a married life. He either never got married or he was married and then got divorced. Based on this, it’s possible that Ben Azzai was married to the daughter of Rabbi Akiva and that they were then divorced or that he was only betrothed to her but they never got married as he realized that he was too occupied with Torah study.
Was Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha his Son?
The Talmud says[28] that Ben Azzai said about Rabbi Akiva, “All of the Torah scholars are like a garlic peel besides this bald one (חוּץ מִן הַקֵּרֵחַ הַזֶּה),” i.e., that Rabbi Akiva was far superior to the other scholars of his time.
Rashi says that since Rabbi Akiva is called קֵּרֵחַ (the bald one), we can infer that when the Talmud mentions Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha, it’s referring to Rabbi Yehoshua, the son of Rabbi Akiva. It has been suggested that Rabbi Yehoshua used a nickname for his father rather than a real name so as to conceal their familial connection since Rabbi Akiva was considered a rebel by the Roman government.[29]
Many commentaries disagree[30] with Rashi and say that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha was not the son of Rabbi Akiva. Several proofs from the Talmud are cited to support their position.[31]
May We Merit to Study Torah with Diligence and Devotion!
[4] See Me’iri on Yevamot 62b.
[5] See Avot DeRabi Natan 6, “After all, Rabbi Akiva had sons and daughters.”
[6] See Ketubot 63a (cited below).
[8] See Pesachim 112a and the Zohar Chadash quoted below.
[11] Chasdei David on ibid.
[12] But see below that Yehoshua may have been the son of an earlier wife of Rabbi Akiva.
[15] In a manuscript version of the Talmud he is called simply “Yeshohua, son of Rabbi Akiva.”
[18] Berachot 6:8. This story is also recounted in the Babylonian Talmud (Shabbat 67b) but without the name of Rabbi Akiva’s son.
[20] Tractate Semacht (8:1). In that source it only mentions the passing of one son, “Rabbi Shimon, the son of Rabbi Akiva.”
[21] Avot DeRabi Nattan 6:2 as explained in Binyan Yehoshua.
[24] Bechorot 35b and 39a.
[26] On ibid., D.H. Bartei.
[27] Sotah 4b and Yevamot 63b.
[29] See Alei Tamar (by Rabbi Yissachar Tamar, Tel Aviv 1980) on Jerusalem Talmud, Bikurrim 2:2.
[30] Tosfot D.H. Chutz on ibid. Rabbeinu Nissim says that Ben Azai was referring to Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariyah when he said קֵּרֵחַ. According to Rabbeinu Tam, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha’s father was a man by the name of Korcha.
[31] See Sanhedrin 110b where Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha mentions Rabbi Akiva without saying that he was his father.
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