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    MYSTICAL FIRES

    Mikrah – coincidence. But we know that there
    are no coincidences in life. That all is b’yad
    HaShem – in HaShem’s hand. In fact, our
    rabbis teach that the word mikrah alludes to
    that very idea.
    The Hebrew letters of mikrah, מ-mem, ק-kuf,
    ר-reish, ה-hay, can be rearranged to form the
    phrase rak m’HaShem – meaning only from
    HaShem. (רק -reish/kuf, מה׳ -mem/ hay)
    While it may not always be visible to us, there
    is a reason and purpose for all that transpires.
    Rak m’HaShem – It’s all part of HaShem’s
    master plan.
    Lag B’Omer. The day the devastating plague
    ended, and the students of Rabbi Akiva ceased
    dying. Years later, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
    passes away on Lag B’Omer. Coincidence or
    not?
    Following the horrific loss of so many
    thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students, there
    was a fear amongst the nation of how will the
    chain of Torah learning continue. With so
    many talmidei chachomim gone, who will be
    the Torah leaders of the next generation?
    Rabbi Akiva started teaching once again.
    Amongst his new students was Rabbi Shimon

    Bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar.
    Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, also known as
    Rashbi, (an acronym of the first letters of his
    name) lived during the hard times of Roman
    rule. Once, while conversing with other Torah
    sages, Rabbi Shimon criticized the Roman
    leaders. Unbeknownst to him, his words were
    overheard and repeated to the Roman
    authorities.
    Rashbi made it onto the Roman’s “Most
    Wanted List”. He was viewed as an enemy,
    and a death sentence was decreed upon him.
    In fear for his life, Rabbi Shimon, together
    with his son hid out in a cave. Miraculously, a
    carob tree grew outside the cave, and a stream
    flowed alongside it. Rashbi and his son
    subsisted on the fruit of the carob and the
    water from the stream. Gifts from HaShem.
    They spent their days and nights fully
    immersed in Torah study. It was during this
    time that Rashbi authored the Zohar, a book of
    Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah.
    Zohar means “shining light”, for it revealed
    many Torah secrets, shedding light and
    understanding to whomever studied its holy
    words.
    After twelve years in the cave, Eliyahu
    HaNavi appeared to them, bearing news that
    the Roman emperor had passed away, and the

    decree against Rashbi was lifted. It was time
    to emerge from hiding, and re-enter society.
    As they traveled home, they came across a
    farmer who was busy tending to his field.
    Coming from so many years of living a
    spiritual existence, they couldn’t comprehend
    how one could be involved with the mundane
    aspects of life. Rabbi Shimon glared at the
    farmer; it was as if daggers of fire emanated
    from his eyes. Fires that “zapped” whatever
    they were focused on, totally consuming
    them.
    A Heavenly voice called out to Rabbi Shimon,
    “Do you want to destroy My world? Go back
    to the cave. The world cannot exist with your
    holiness”.
    Rabbi Shimon and his son returned to the cave
    for another year. Besides being immersed in
    Torah study, it was a year of working on
    acceptance and love for every man. A year of
    concentrating on the lessons of Rabbi Akiva,
    to “love your fellow as yourself”. It was only
    then that the father and son were ready to
    emerge from the cave a second time.
    It was an Erev Shabbos, and they encountered
    a man carrying two bundles of hadassim,
    myrtle branches. When Rabbi Shimon
    inquired as to its purpose, the man replied that
    it was in honor of the Shabbos. One bundle for
    the commandment of “shomor” – to keep
    the Shabbos holy, and the second for
    “zachor” – to remember the holy Shabbos.
    Rabbi Shimon lifted his head upward and
    proclaimed, “HaShem, look at Your beloved
    people. Look how they prepare for and
    treasure the holy Shabbos.”
    To this very day, Am Yisroel has a special
    love for the Holy Shabbos. I think of the
    busy bakeries, groceries and flower stands
    on Fridays. Men, women and children
    carrying their Shabbos “bundles”. Like
    Rabbi Shimon, we too, can say to HaShem,
    “Look how precious the mitzvos are to Your
    children”.
    The plague which consumed Rabbi Akiva’s
    students ended on Lag B’Omer. Rabbi
    Shimon’s yahrtzeit is on Lag B’Omer. No
    coincidence at all.
    We have come full circle. Rabbi Shimon
    Bar Yochai emerged from the cave with a
    new appreciation for his fellow. The ability
    to see the “tzelem Elokim”, the Divine
    spark within each and every soul. To
    connect to others with love, appreciation,
    acceptance and tolerance.
    Rabbi Shimon lived his life according to the
    teachings of his beloved Rebbi, Rabbi
    Akiva. Through his words and actions,
    Rabbi Shimon brought tikun, merit and
    repair, to the lives of the many students of
    Rabbi Akiva who perished.
    Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai spent his last

    hours on this world teaching Torah, surrounded
    by his students. The sun began to set. The light
    in the room began to dim. With his last
    vestiges of strength, Rabbi Shimon continued
    teaching. As the room was getting darker, the
    students wrote faster and faster, not wanting to
    miss any of his holy words.
    It was then that a miraculous fire appeared
    outside Rabbi Shimon’s home, illuminating
    the room with its mystical light. Rabbi
    Shimon’s students were able to continue
    writing, enabling them to keep his holy
    teachings alive midor l’dor, for future
    generations.
    But then, just as it came, the fire left, and the
    soul of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yocahi returned to
    its Creator.
    At the entrance way to Rashbi’s kever, his
    burial place in Meron, there is an arch with the
    words “Ki lo sishochach mipi zaroh, For it
    (the Torah) will not be forgotten from His
    children” (Devarim 31:21). A promise that
    regardless of any difficulties or challenges, the
    Torah will never be forgotten. Indeed, this
    passage is connected to Rabbi Shimon, with
    the last letters of each word spelling out the
    name Yochai.
    Before his death, Rabbi Shimon instructed his
    students to see his yahrtzeit as a Yom Hillula,
    a day of celebration. He referred to his passing
    as “his happiness”. He felt fulfilled as he was
    preparing to face his Maker, for during his
    lifetime, he came to understand the depths of
    Torah wisdom.
    Sadly, the ongoing rocket and missile attacks
    in the north of Israel by Hezbollah have
    claimed another “victim”, as the annual Lag
    B’Omer celebrations in Meron have been
    canceled.
    While the massive gathering in Meron will
    not be happening, tens, or even hundreds of
    thousands of Jews will commemorate Rabbi
    Shimon’s yahrtzeit with hadlokas, bonfires
    throughout the world.
    The memory and teachings of Rashbi live on.
    Lessons of achdus, unity and understanding,
    seeing the beauty in each and every individual.
    Lessons of the primacy of Torah study.
    Lessons that will, b’ezras HaShem lead us to
    the ultimate celebration with the coming of
    Moshiach, speedily, in our days.