Episode Details

The Hida, explains that Rabbi Akiba after the death of his 24,000 students refused to give up and simply retire to Miami Beach and on Lag BaOmer, he began teaching his five new students.  

 The gemara then states that the world was subsequently desolate, until Rabi Akiva came to the rabbis in the south and taught them, these being Rabi Meir, Rabi Yehudah, Rabi Yossi, Rabi Shimon [bar Yochai], and Rabi Nechemyah. It was through these five that the Torah would continue and flourish.  

 Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava was a third generation Tana and a friend of Rabbi Akiva. He sacrificed his life at age 70 to ordain five of his students and continue the Smicha tradition. Rabbi Yehuda ben Baba is considered one of the Asara Hargay Malchus.  

 Following
the Bar Kochva revolt, the Hedrianic Roman government issued many cruel,
ruthless decrees against the Jews. Realizing the continuity of the Jewish
Nation was depended on the chain of Smicha, they decreed that any individual that
ordains or is ordained will be executed and the entire city that housed the
ceremony will be demolished. Despite the grave danger, Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava
then age 70, went ahead and ordained the leading elders of the forthcoming
generation; Rabbi
Yehuda bar Ilai, Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi
Meir, Rabbi
Yossi ben Chalafta, Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua and possibly Rabbi
Nichemya.  

In order to prevent the destruction of the hosting city, the Smicha was performed in between two large cities Usha and Shafram but outside their city limits. Ordaining the student