Lag B'Omer: In Praise of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, zt"l alone was given permission to reveal the great mysteries contained in the hidden teachings (Zohar III:124b).

Prior to the great Tanna Rabbi Akiva's passing, this great teacher of the jewish people summoned his two beloved disciples, Rabbi Shimon (bar Yochai) and Rabbi Meir (baal HaNess). They asked Rabbi Akiva which of them would be replacing him. Rabbi Akiva said, "Rabbi Meir shall take over the position as head of the Yeshiva." Then turning to Rabbi Shimon he said, "It is sufficient that your Creator and I know the level your greatness" (Talmud Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 2).

Rabbi Shimon said, "I have the power to correct the entire world; I can exempt the whole world from judgment." (Talmud Sukkah 45b).

Rabbi Shimon was leaving the cave where he and his son Rabbi Elazar had been in hiding from the Romans for thirteen years. They were talking about the righteousness which exists in the world when Rabbi Shimon said "It's enough that you and I are in the world." Another time he said, "I myself have sufficient merit for the entire world." (Talmud Shabbat 33b; Sukkah 45b)

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was the foundation of the world, the true Tzaddik.

These teachings only reveal a small degree of Rabbi Shimon's greatness and give only a partial glimpse of the true benefit he brought into the world. This being the case, we celebrate the passing of the True Tzaddik, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This in itself is a great wonder, an obvious contradiction. How can we celebrate and enjoy Lag B'Omer, when it recalls the day when such great good and benefit was taken from the world? What kind of celebration is this? On the contrary, we should rend our garments, as for the destruction of the Temple; as our sages taught, "The passing of a Tzaddik is more severe than the Temple's destruction!"

To answser this, Reb Noson of Breslov quotes the verse, "the Tzaddik is lost; yet nobody bothers to note what has happened. People of kindness are taken away; yet no one understands. It because of the evil that approaches, the Tzaddik is lost (Isaiah 57:1). Our Sages teach that the very great tzaddikim pass away prior to the onset of terrible evil in the world. For them, this is a blessing; so that they should not have to witness the great suffering which Heaven has decreed, so that their eyes should not have to see all the multitude of troubles that is about to befall the jewish people (Talmud Sandhedrin 113b).

Reb Noson then goes on to explain that the powers of the "Tzaddikim are greater after their passing than when they were alive" (Talmud Berahot 18a). If we examine the Tzaddik's main purpose in life, we see that all his efforts are devoted to rectifying the Jews and bringing about goodness, both physical as well as spiritual. Through the Tzaddik comes an abundance of wealth and livelihood, and abundance of Torah and repentance.. However, as long as the Tzaddik's soul is housed in a body, he is restricted. This because the body, by definition, is a physical limitation. The Tzaddik is therefore prevented from rising to the greatest heights, and even the abundance which he does bring is governed by this restriction. His influence can only go so far, until such a time that his soul is divested of its bodily enclosure.

This is why there is cause for celebration on Lag B'Omer. True, it is the day that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai passed away from this world. But, Rabbi Shimon is in Shamayim; Rabbi Shimon is spiritual. If, during his lifetime he had sufficient merit to keep the world in existence, how much more so now that he is no longer restricted by the physical? His powers can presently reach such incomprehensible heights and levels that the abundance and benefit he can now bring to the world far surpasses whatever had been possible when he was alive.

This is the explanation of the verse, "The Tzaddik is lost...because of the evil that approaches..." The Tzaddik's entire being is devoted to destroying and combating evil. However, his ability to do this is limited by his physical body. Therefore, Hashem removes this Tzaddik from the world prior to the evil's coming. This is so that the Tzaddik's body will no longer restrict his efforts to help the Jews. In heaven, he is free to mitigate the harsh decree.

This is the true reason for the great celebration on Lag B'Omer. On the 33rd Day of the Omer many, many years ago, Rabbi Shimno bar Yochai's powers to bring help and salvation to all of Am Israel increased manifold. (Likutey Halahkot, Hekhsher Keilim 4)

Nu come on sing: Bar Yochai lai lai la la lai...