Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea

Zohar, Log Ba'omer and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

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edu:
1.Sefer Yochasin of MHR"A Zechut in the name of R"Y Dmin Acco the student of Ramban brought firsthand testimony that the book of the Zohar was written by means of one of the secret names of G-d {Shaim Hamiforash}and is not the work of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. We are dealing with a witness who saw firsthand!
2.Rabbi Yaacov Emdeen in his book Mitpachat Sofrim brings many proofs to contradict the claim of the antiquity of the Zohar beyond all doubt and so too did he write in his comments to Sefer Yochasin, see there.
    Furthermore I recommend that you listen to the lecture in English of Rabbi Alan Brill of Yeshiva University to understand some of the background behind the Kabbala in general.
http://www.yutorah.org/showShiur.cfm/712013/Rabbi_Alan_Brill/Introduction_to_the_Kabbalah_01
and perhaps also his second lecture
http://www.yutorah.org/showShiur.cfm/712417/Rabbi_Alan_Brill/Introduction_to_the_Kabbalah_02
    I bring all this just to strengthen the notion that one should not determine halacha based on the Kabbala when it opposes the masters of the revealed Torah {Nigla}.
    Now for someone that bases his viewpoint "that everything is the Holy One Blessed Be He", upon the words of the Arizal (translator's comment: he is a famous Kabbalist), I wished to bring to attention the following point, that perhaps what is said in the name of the Arizal does not represent his final refined conclusions. Such is implied from an article that dealt with the topic, how by mistake Log Ba'omer was transformed from the day of happiness of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai to the day of his death.
    Recently it became known that a photocopy containing passages from the original handwriting of Rabbi Chaim Vital made it by some way to the National Library of Israel in Givat Ram. Armed by means of the photocopy, Rabbi Kosman came to the Library and after a strenuous examination of the original handwritten text, he succeeded in finding the relevant passage and found the passage that was subject to dispute. Now it was clarified beyond any doubt that the true text is indeed what appears in the book, Shmona Sh'earim. Now it was possible to reconstruct the chain of errors that led to the errant text. A comparison between the various editions and between another early ancient handwritten addition in the Oxford Library teaches us that the scribal error was caused as a result of copying from a handwritten text, with the words: "the reason שמ'0 [  a Hebrew abbreviation] Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Lag Ba'Omer is because ..."
The person that copied the text chose to decipher the abbreviation to mean the day  he died and such he wrote down, while according to the truth he should have deciphered the abbreviation  to stand for, for the day of joy of . It turned out that the day of joy of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was transformed by an error to the day of death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. How did it occur that such a fundamental copying mistake took place? The Chid"a himself already offered a hint to the answer and thus he wrote, "and it is already known that among the texts attributed to the Ari {short for Arizal} there fell confusion"... Behind this vague statement is hidden a concealed or unknown historical event. It turns out that after the Holy Ari died, Rabbi Chaim Vital contacted all his disciples and gathered from them the writings that were in their hands with the reasoning that the fit time had not yet arrived to reveal the secrets. The writings were all gathered under his hand {guard and control}for the duration of 15 years. One of the sages of Tzfat {Safed} by the name of Yehoshua Bin Nun pleaded with him that he would be allowed to look at the manuscripts but Rabbi Chaim Vital rejected his request and said that the time had not yet arrived. When Rabbi Chaim Vital was extremely ill and was taken to Damascus, Rabbi Yehoshua exploited the opportunity and paid Rabbi Chaim Vital's brother 50 gold coins in order to allow him to copy the manuscripts. He brought 100 scribes who worked during a 3 day period and they copied all the manuscripts. In this hasty copy, which was made without the knowledge of Rabbi Chaim Vital, many mistakes and errors were introduced and it is no wonder that also in the detail dealing with Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was written in a short way. A matter which led to the story, as if the day of the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is on Log Ba"Omer.

Kahane-Was-Right BT:
Interesting points.   Further clarifies things when one considers the obvious question of why we would celebrate someone's yartzeit, which is not something we usually do.

So what is the "day of joy" of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai?  What event does that refer to ?  Does anyone know?

muman613:

--- Quote from: Kahane-Was-Right BT on May 22, 2011, 01:41:09 AM ---Interesting points.   Further clarifies things when one considers the obvious question of why we would celebrate someone's yartzeit, which is not something we usually do.

So what is the "day of joy" of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai?  What event does that refer to ?  Does anyone know?

--- End quote ---

I am not sure, but I think what edu posted said that it was his birthday. I have also heard once that it was the day the Zohar was revealed. But for me the importance of Lag B'Omer is always that it was the day that Rabbi Akivas students stopped dying.

http://www.torahtots.com/holidays/lagbomer/lagbomer.htm

According to the Talmud, (Tractate Yevamot 62b), 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva died in one short period, because "they did not show proper respect to one another!" And all of them died between Pesach and Shavuot as a result of a mysterious G-d-sent plague that raged during the days of the Omer counting. For that reason, it is customary to observe a period of semi-mourning during this time, 16 Nissan - 5 Sivan, most prominently during the whole month of Iyar, (with one exception), when weddings are not held, hair is not cut, and music is not heard. Some do not shave during this entire period.

Some count the mourning period from Pesach to Lag B'Omer. Others go from Rosh Chodesh Iyar to Shavuot. This period is a time to reflect upon our middot and improve our relations with others.

Because on one day only, Lag B'Omer, (the eighteenth of Iyar -- The 33rd day of the Omer) - Rabbi Akiva's pupils did not die. It was made into a festival in the middle of days of mourning that precede and follow it. The ban on weddings and joyful occasions was lifted.

Lag B'Omer is also the Yahrtzeit (anniversary of the death) of the Talmudic Sage and disciple of Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Shimon bar (son of) Yochai, author of the Zohar. The Zohar which means "The Shining Light," deals with the mystical teachings of the Torah and is the basis for Kabbala, whose secrets will bring about the coming of Moshiach.
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This odd celebration of a Yahrtzeit was a specific request by Bar Yochai of his students. Even though the death of such a great sage is a sad event, there is also joy surrounding the fact that he attained his final reward (as the Zohar explains), and the fact that he revealed many deep secrets of the Torah to his students on his dying day. The Zohar says that on the day Rabbi Shimon died, a great light of endless joy filled the day because of the secret wisdom he revealed to his students. That secret wisdom was recorded in the Zohar. The sun did not set until Rabbi Shimon hd revealed all that he was allowed to. As soon as he was done, the sun set and he died. The fire which surrounded the house, preventing any but Rabbi Shimon's closest students from approaching, serves as a basis for the custom of lighting bonfires on Lag B'Omer.

muman613:
I just learned that Lag B'Omer also celebrates the victory over the Roman Empire...

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/144366

Samaria Celebrates Diplomatic Victory over Roman Empire
Iyar 18, 5771, 22 May 11 08:28
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

(Israelnationalnews.com) A huge Saturday night Lag B’Omer bonfire in the heart of Samaria (Shomron) recalls Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai’s diplomatic victory over the Roman Empire, said Shomron Regional Council head, Gershon Mesika.

Rabbi Shimon, the 2nd century mystic and sage, who died on Lag Ba'Omer,  is known by the acronym, Rashbi.

The Talmud relates that the Rashbi said of the Romans, "Everything they built, they built for themselves: They built market places in order to place prostitutes there; bathhouses, in order to refresh themselves; bridges, in order to collect taxes." Rashbi was forced into hiding in a cave for 12 years after the Roman Empire heard of his statement and issued a death warrant against him.

Mesika said, “Lag B’Omer, the holiday for the Rashbi, is the celebration that shows our pride. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai stood against the Roman Empire and won. The fact that hundreds of Jews are celebrating Lag B’Omer here, when almost no one even remembers the Roman Empire, is the victory of Rashbi and of the People of Israel.

"Today, we stand and will continue to stand strongly for the Torah and building of our land in the face of all challenges."

Hundreds of residents and friends from Samaria (the Shomron) celebrated Lag B’Omer at the giant bonfire at Kfar Tapuach, co-sponsored by Chabad, the local community and the regional council.

The bonfire was lit opposite the heart of Samaria and the Shechem Valley by Kfar Tapuach officials, community Rabbi Shimon Rosenzweig and Mesika.

“The special relationship of thousands of years that  all sectors of the People of Israel have with Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai [Rashbi] is a connection that shows love of the Creator, "said Rabbi Rosenzweig. Traditionally, the songs sung at the Lag B'Omer fires that light up the Israeli skies on Lag B'Omer night, express the joy of the Jews at being G-d's Chosen People.

Drawing an analogy with Kfar Tapuach, which literally means the “Apple Village,” he continued, “The teachings of Rashbi and the holy Zohar [kabbalistic commentary on the Pentateuch attributed to Rashbi] show that the secrets of the Torah are like an apple, which has contradictory sour and sweet flavors. The secrets of the Torah resolve apparent contradictions and show how the world is based on them.”

Soldiers from the Shaked Battalion and the Givati Division, who are posted in the area, were hosted with a large barbecue.

edu:
I believe Log Ba'omer was a day of joy for Rabbi Shimon, because he was one of the students of Rabbi Akiva and he must have noticed that the plague against Rabbi Akiva's students stopped on that day.
Although if someone has a better explanation why this was his day of joy I'm open to it.

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