Date Discrepancy: How Could Rabbi Meir Be a Disciple of Rabbi Akiva?
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Question
The dates do not match: Rabbi Akiva died a martyr's death in 135 CE. Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes was born in 135 CE. How could Rabbi Meir be a disciple of Rabbi Akiva? How could Rabbi Meir be among the disciples of Rabbi Akiva to whom Rabbi Akiva passed on his teachings?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for the question. Indeed, you are correct: Rabbi Akiva was executed in 135 CE, and Rabbi Meir was born around 139 CE. So how could Rabbi Meir have been a disciple of Rabbi Akiva?
There are several answers to this question.
1. It is possible that this refers to a different Rabbi Meir, not the Rabbi Meir known as Baal HaNes. In fact, it is possible that "Meir" was not a proper name but a descriptive nickname given to people who brought much goodness to the world. The Talmud apparently states that his real name was Nehorai.
2. It is possible that he was not a disciple of Rabbi Akiva in the literal sense but absorbed his teachings. Similarly, today people enroll in yeshivas that follow the teachings of Rav Kook, the Chazon Ish, the Satmar Rebbe, or some other rabbi.
3. Any datings in this historical period are conditional, for which there are many examples. The Talmud also mentions that the accounting of calendar dates was inaccurate due to Roman persecutions, etc.