Jewish honor

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I have never really heard any Jewish sources call him a hero though.

What??!?!

What he did was heroic and what he attempted was justified and heroic.   Just because he ultimately failed does not mean it was not the right thing to do or that it was not heroic!   The revolt was certainly heroic.

[IsraeliGovtAreKapos]

really?

Yes. Two thirds of the battling Roman forces.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Also when we (some) say "failed Messiah", they get the wrong impression of what the Messiah is and what he is supposed to do. They think its some miracle worker that waves his magic wand and all the problems go away. The lesson of Bar Kochba in NO, he is a regular person just a great leader (unifier) who brings military victory. Moshiah is just "the anointed one", and not some demi-"g(0)d" many people imagine.
 Today we hear he is supposed to be a great "kabbalist", "Talmid Hacham", and other such things. BUT with Bar Kochba (who failed in the end) but was supported by Rabbi Akiva we see he is a military/political leader. Also another example is the vision of Yaakov (ISRAEL) to his sons where he sees Shimshon and during his vision he thinks he is the Messiah, until he sees him fall (die) as well and then realizes that he is not.

[muman613]

Also when we (some) say "failed Messiah", they get the wrong impression of what the Messiah is and what he is supposed to do. They think its some miracle worker that waves his magic wand and all the problems go away. The lesson of Bar Kochba in NO, he is a regular person just a great leader (unifier) who brings military victory. Moshiah is just "the anointed one", and not some demi-"g(0)d" many people imagine.
 Today we hear he is supposed to be a great "kabbalist", "Talmid Hacham", and other such things. BUT with Bar Kochba (who failed in the end) but was supported by Rabbi Akiva we see he is a military/political leader. Also another example is the vision of Yaakov (ISRAEL) to his sons where he sees Shimshon and during his vision he thinks he is the Messiah, until he sees him fall (die) as well and then realizes that he is not.

It is obvious what 'failed messiah' means. There is nothing mythical or magical about that term. The moshiach has a mission that he is supposed to accomplish. There have been several failed messiahs in Jewish history but Bar Kochba is one of the most famous of them. Although he had signs that he just might be the promised redeemer of the Jewish people his failure to defeat the Romans was the proof that he was not Moshiach.

I have explained many times what the definition of the Moshiach is.

According to Rambams laws of Moshiach the following is applicable:

http://www.chabad.org/library/moshiach/article_cdo/aid/101744/jewish/Laws-Concerning-Kings-and-the-Messiah.htm
Chapter XI

1. The Messianic King will arise in the future and restore the Davidic Kingdom to its former state and original sovereignty. He will build the Sanctuary1 and gather the dispersed of Israel.2 All the laws will be re-instituted in his days as they had been aforetimes;3 sacrifices will be offered, and the Sabbatical years and Jubilee years will be observed4 fully as ordained by the Torah.5

Anyone who does not believe in [Mashiach], or whoever does not look forward to his coming,6 denies not only [the teachings of] the other prophets but [also those] of the Torah and of Moses our Teacher. For the Torah attested to him, as it is said:

“G-d, your G-d, will return your captivity and have mercy on you. He will return and gather you [from all the nations whither G-d, your G-d, has scattered you]. If your banished shall be at the utmost end of the heavens [G-d, your G-d, will gather you from there]… and G-d, your G-d, will bring you [to the land that your fathers possessed, and you will possess it]…”7

These words, explicitly stated in the Torah, include all the [Messianic] statements made by all the prophets.

There is reference [to this principle] also in the section of Bilam.8 There he prophesied about the two meshichim (anointed ones): the first anointed one who is [King] David who saved Israel from the hand of their oppressors; and the final anointed one [i.e., Mashiach] who will arise from [the former’s] descendants and save Israel in the end.9 Thus it says there:

“I see him, but not now”10 this refers to David;

“I behold him, but not nigh” this refers to the Messianic King.

“A star steps out from Jacob” this refers to David;

“and a scepter will arise from Israel” this refers to the Messianic King.

“He will smite the great ones of Moab” this refers to David, as it says, “He smote Moab and measured them with a rope;”11

“and break all the children of Seth” this refers to the Messianic King, of whom it is said, “His rule will be from sea to sea.”12

“Edom will be a possession”13 this refers to David, as it is said, “Edom became servants to David;14

“[and Seir] shall be a possession” this refers to the Messianic King, as it is said, “Saviors shall ascend Mount Zion [to judge the mount of Esau]…”15

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3. Do not think that the Messianic King will have to perform signs and wonders and bring about novel things in the world, or resurrect the dead, and other such things. It is not so.18 This is seen from the fact that Rabbi Akiva was a great sage, of the sages of the Mishnah, and he was an armor-bearer of King Bar Koziba19 and said of him that he is the Messianic King: [R. Akiva] and all the wise men of his generation considered him to be the Messianic King until [Bar Koziba] was killed because of sins, and when he was killed they realized that he was not;20 but the sages had not asked him for any sign or wonder.

The essence of all this is that this Torah [of ours], its statutes and its laws, are forever and all eternity, and nothing is to be added to them or diminished from them.21

(Whoever adds or diminishes anything, or interprets the Torah to change the plain sense of the commandments, is surely an impostor, wicked, and a heretic.)22

4. If a king arises from the House of David23 who meditates on the Torah and occupies himself with the commandments like his ancestor David, in accordance with the written and oral Torah,24 and he will prevail upon all of Israel to walk in [the ways of the Torah] and strengthen its breaches,25 and he will fight the battles of G-d26 it may be assumed that he is Mashiach.27

If he did [these things] successfully (and defeated all the nations around him28), built the Sanctuary on its site29 and gathered the dispersed of Israel he is definitely Mashiach!30 He will [then] correct the entire world to serve G-d in unity, as it is said, “For then I will turn to the peoples a pure tongue that all shall call upon the Name of G-d and serve Him with one consent.”31

(If he did not succeed to that extent or was killed, it is clear that he is not the [Mashiach] promised by the Torah … for all the prophets said that Mashiach is the redeemer of Israel and their savior, and he gathers their dispersed and reinforces their commandments…)32

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

According to Rambams laws of Moshiach the following is applicable:

 Exactly. We see Moshiah is a regular (well maybe not "regular") but still a human being with a mission. Not the mystical figure we often hear about (or its projected like that to us).

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

"false messiah" is usually the term for a fraud like shabtai tzvi.   He can't even be called 'failed messiah' because he never did anything to even seem like a messiah.  He was a mystic kabbala expert with a cult following that worshipped his personality.  Absolutely no characteristics of a messiah and absolutely no chance of fulfilling requirements or even an attempt at filling requirements to become messiah.   

Failed messiah is an honorable term, IMO, it's someone who tried (a noble cause) but failed.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Many of today's picture of the "Messiah" comes from things picked up in the Galut. Especially in Europe with people believing in some other person being a "Messiah". BUT not only from their (asl from places and legends like the ancient Greek stories etc.)

[muman613]

Many of today's picture of the "Messiah" comes from things picked up in the Galut. Especially in Europe with people believing in some other person being a "Messiah". BUT not only from their (asl from places and legends like the ancient Greek stories etc.)

Jewish law and the sages are clear concerning who the Moshiach will be. There will be no way to contradict the fact when Moshiach is known in the world. He will have fulfilled the prophecies of the Tanakh.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Jewish law and the sages are clear concerning who the Moshiach will be. There will be no way to contradict the fact when Moshiach is known in the world. He will have fulfilled the prophecies of the Tanakh.

 Its not soo clear cut. I personally don't know what exactly will happen (as the Rambam himself says), but I suspect that at the beginning at the very least not everyone will accept the person as the Moshiah. Maybe AFTER the battles, AFTER the facts then we will know for sure. BUT not during the process (at least according to my understanding for now).

[muman613]

Its not soo clear cut. I personally don't know what exactly will happen (as the Rambam himself says), but I suspect that at the beginning at the very least not everyone will accept the person as the Moshiah. Maybe AFTER the battles, AFTER the facts then we will know for sure. BUT not during the process (at least according to my understanding for now).

I meant not 'who he will be ' but what he must do...

[t_h_j]

Yes. Two thirds of the battling Roman forces.

source?