Ben Koziva, who was called Bar Kokhva, about whom Rabbi Akiva expounded: _a star rises from Jacob_ (Numbers 24:17), rebelled against the Romans and slaughtered a large number of them; and Greeks in Africa, like the sand of the sea which is too numerous to count (alluding to Genesis 32:13), and likewise in Egypt. And the residents of Alexandria also killed over 200,000 Romans [at that time], and the Jews of Cyprus killed all the gentiles until they left none remaining (alluding to Joshua 11:8), etc.

So he made himself the messiah, and R. Akiva said about him, "He is the messianic king." And the people of Beitar anointed him and crowned him as king, see M A, Chapter 12, and see Yerushalmi, Taanit, Midrash Eichah in the chapter [entitled] the Lord swallowed up, and in Bereshit Rabbah, Parashat Toledot (94). And Rabbi Eliezer HaModai prayed that Hadrian should not conquer Beitar. But a Cuthite spoke slanderously before Bar Koziva, that he wanted to make peace with Hadrian, and they killed him, and a rumor went out.

Oh, the worthless shepherd; let a sword descend upon his arm and upon his right eye (alluding to Zechariah 11:17)! And Beitar was conquered on that very day. In Yosifon, Chapter 21, [it is written that] the Jews in the city of Alexandria were all dwelling at one end of the city, and disputes began between them and the Greeks dwelling there in a different end of the city. Alexandro, the governor there, got up in the name of Nero, the Emperor of Rome, and commanded the Jews that they should retreat and give up their weapons.

But they rebelled against his words. He then turned into their enemy (alluding to Isaiah 63:10) and killed over 50,000 Jews with [the assistance] of the Greeks. And they afterward returned to their original strength, until after the destruction [of the Temple] when Emperor Trajan similarly came against them and killed all of them, and destroyed Beitar. And then the horn of Israel was trimmed.

So the residents of Alexandria were punished since they transgressed the commandment not to go down to Egypt again. And some say it was because they played ball on Shabbat. And Philo the Jew, who was among the residents of Alexandria at the time of Emperor Gaius [Caligula], testified that there were then 1,000,000 Jewish homeowners there. And that was about 80 years before the destruction.

And so Bar Kokhva arose 52 years after the destruction. And since he rebelled against Hadrian, they called him Ben Koziva, an expression of falsehood and lying, as he had [also] made himself into the messiah, as mentioned above. And three generations of [this family] ruled over Israel, Romulus, Ben Rufus, and Ben Koziva. And Emperor Hadrian [first] rose against Romulus on the 9th of Av 52 years after the destruction, and some say 73... and killed many in Israel, including Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues.

And he destroyed the city to the point that it was no longer known where its place was. And in Megillat Eichah, [it is written that] there were 500 schools in Beitar, and [that] there were more than 300 youths in the smallest of them. And the decree against Beitar was because they had rejoiced at the destruction of the Temple since the kings of Jerusalem forced the residents of Beitar to be under them, and ruled over them against their will.

And see T D, that Emperor Trajan sent his nephew, Hadrian, and he slaughtered so many that it had not even been heard or seen like it in the days of Nebuzaradan or in the days of Titus. And see in the chapter [entitled] HaNizakin (Gittin 57b:9) about the great slaughter done at that time when they said, "_The voice of Jacob_ (Genesis 27:22) — this is [the cry aroused by] Emperor Vespasian, who killed four million people in the city of Beitar.

And some say, 'Forty million.'" Even though the destruction of Beitar was at least 52 years after the destruction [of Jerusalem by] Titus the son of Vespasian, and there were also four Emperors who reigned after Vespasian before Beitar was destroyed, we nevertheless find that kings and Emperor were called by the name of a previous Emperor. So behold, there are [different] opinions about the story of Ben Koziva and the destruction of Beitar.

According to Raavad, he was at the time of Emperor Domitian, the brother of Titus, 52 years after the destruction, and Koziva died during his reign. Then his son, Rufus, reigned in his place, and afterward, his grandson, Romulus, who was also called Koziva after his grandfather. And it was in his days that there was the great slaughter in Beitar, 72 years from the destruction. So the rule of Koziva and his progeny lasted 21 years.

And [regarding] that which the sages, may their memory be blessed, [wrote] in Seder Olam 30, and also in [the chapter entitled] Chelek (Sanhedrin 93b), that Ben Koziva reigned two and a half years, it can be said that their intention was about the later Koziva.

However, that which they wrote that the slaughter of Beitar was 72 years after the destruction does not seem exact.

Hence, it appears that it was fifty years after the destruction, in the year 3880.

**Bar Koziba** [was a reincarnation of Gechazi whom Rabbi Eliezer brought back from the dead before the proper time (see year 3830)].

**The Great Killing** [in Alexandria in the chapter of the elders is attributed to Adrianus (this Caesar rebuilt Yerushalayim anew and enlarged it until he placed inside the walls the grave of the Messiah [i.e., Jesus], and this Caesar was the first to grow a beard, for the earlier ones shaved their beards, Sha'ar HaDorot 128), and he killed myriads upon myriads. In the Yerushalmi, chapter HaChalil, it is attributed to Caesar Trianus.

And in the Talmud it was attributed to Alexander of Macedon. Seder Olam chapter 12 wrote that the word "Macedon" is a typographical error, but rather he was a general of the Roman army for Nero or for Trianus, and he was from the land of Macedon (Tzeda) (and in Josephus it says he was from the seed of Alexander of Macedon)].

**Rabbi Akiva** was killed in year 3880, and he was the principal one among the Ten Martyrs, for they said "Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues." And the Ra'avad wrote that all this was in the war of Adrianus because of his anger over Bar Koziba. They killed many, and three of them were killed in 3828 as mentioned above. These are all the Ten Martyrs: The first was Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder at the time of the destruction.

The second was Rabbi Chananyah Deputy of the Kohanim at the time of the destruction. The third was Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha the Kohen Gadol who was killed after the destruction. The fourth was Rabbi Akiva [(who was killed on the 25th of Tishrei, Sha'ar HaDorot 30)]. The fifth was Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava [(see there)].

The sixth was Chanina ben Teradion [(who was 25th of Sivan or 25th of Sivan, Sha'ar HaDorot 30)] who was burned along with his Torah scroll. The seventh was Rabbi Chutzpit the Interpreter. The eighth was Rabbi Yeshevav the Scribe. The ninth was Rabbi El'azar ben Shammua.

And it appears he was killed a long time after Rabbi Akiva, for on the day Rabbi Akiva died, Rabbeinu HaKadosh was born, and Rabbi El'azar ben Shammua was the teacher of Rebbi [(and in the Talmud: "For the son of the earlier ones it was like the opening of the Hall - this is Rabbi Akiva; and for the later ones it was like the opening of the Heichal - this is Rabbi El'azar ben Shammua" - behold Rabbi El'azar ben Shammua is called "later" compared to Rabbi Akiva, proving there was much time between them)]. The tenth is said to be Rabbi Yehudah ben Teima, and some say Rabbi Eliezer ben Dama.

Abarbanel in Nachalat Avot wrote that Rabbi Yehudah ben Teima was called ben Dama - see Yuchsin pages 40, 52, and 60 [(Tzeda). And see Yuchsin in Seder HaDorot end of the first group after the destruction - some say Rabbi Chanina ben Chakinai was one of the Ten Martyrs, and some say Rabbi Yehudah the Baker. (See year 3888). See Yarei'ach VeYeshev section 46, chapter 4: Rabban Shimon. Rabbi Yishmael.

Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion. Rabbi Tarfon. Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava.

Rabbi El'azar ben Shammua. Rabbi Yeshevav. Rabbi Yehudah the Baker. Rabbi Chutzpit...].

**Rebbi** - the unspecified "Rebbi" is Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, and he was born on the day Rabbi Akiva died.