The Day Of R’ Shimon
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The Day Of R’ Shimon
On Lag Ba’omer, we celebrate
the Yartzheit of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai who was the continuum of Torah after the
students of R’ Akiva died.[1]
In fact, the 33rd word in the Torah is טוב and Chazal say טוב refers to Torah.[2]
R’ Avraham Simcha Horowitz points out that it is on the 33rd
page of Mesachta Shabbos that we are told of the story of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai
in the cave. Another hint is in Parshas Emor which coincides with Lag Ba’omer.
The opening Rashi in Emor states להזהיר גדולים על
הקטנים and להזהיר is rooted in זהר, the Sefer that is
attributed to R’ Shimon Bar Yochai.
It is written גל עיני ואביטה נפלאות מתורתיך; open my eyes and I’ll see the wonders of
the Torah.[3]
גל consists of the same letters as לג, referring to Lag Ba’omer
as this is when the hidden wonders of the Torah- Zohar- were revealed.[4]
The Pasuk[5]
states ...נתן לכם מטמון... ויוצא אלהם את שמעון; …he brought Shimon out
to them. Another meaning is that Hashem revealed the hidden secrets of the Torah
through R’ Shimon Bar Yochai.[6]
The Sefiros are in the
diagram of the human body as the right arm is Chessed, the left arm is Din and
so on.[7]
With this, we can appreciate מבשרי אחזה אלו-ה; I see Hashem from my
flesh.[8]
The word בשרי rearranged spells רשבי (an acronym for ר' שמעון בר יוחאי). So, from my flesh
(which is also the letters of רשבי), I see Hashem. The Beis
Aharon remarks that מבשרי are the first letters for מתורת ר' שמעון בר יוחאי.
The Zohar tells us the 49
words in Parshas Metzora in 15:13-15 (which deal with the purification process
of one who is impure) correspond to the 49 days of Sefira. Just as one counts
the days of טומאה, similarly with leaving the טומאה of Mitzrayim we count Sefira. The Gra as well as R’ Gershon
Henoch Ridziner point out that the 33rd word there is מועד. This alludes to the day of Lag Ba’omer. One who is in Meiron
on Lag Ba’omer sees what a Moed it really is.[9]
R’ Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’
Mordechai Friedlander Ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from
R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg. R’ Alt has written on numerous topics for various
websites and publications. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of
Yerushalayim where he studies, writes and teaches. The author is passionate
about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.
[1] This is just as R’ Shimon Bar Yochai was the
continuum of Torah as is indicated in the end letters of כי לא
תשכח מפי זרעו; it shall not be forgotten from
the mouth of its offspring, which spell יוחאי
(Devarim 31:21, see Shabbos 138b). This was like his Rebbe, R’ Akiva who
continued to give over Torah although his 24,000 students died. Parenthetically,
the Meiri (Yevamos 62b) says that we have a tradition that on Lag Ba’omer the
students of R’ Akiva stopped dying.
[2] Avos 6:3. Lag Ba’omer comes out on הוד שבהוד. הוד בהוד has a Gematria of 32.
[3] Tehillim 119:18
[4] See Bnei Yissoschar, Iyar, 3:7. One reason we light
fires on Lag Ba’omer is because Zohar means light and this is what he brought
to the world (see Aruch Hashulchan 493:7). Parenthetically, סוד is
said over secretly and as it says עמיקא וטמירא ולאו מלתא אושא;
profound and hidden that should not be made known (in Askinu Seudasa on Shabbos
Day). This is in accordance with אשרי העם הם לומדיך; fortunate are the people who
learn from you (in the song Bar Yochai), which we sing about R’ Shimon, as not
everyone can learn that type of Torah.
[5] Breishis 43:23, Mayana Shel Torah
[6] It comes as no surprise that the first letters of עיר וקדיש מן שמיא נחית; a holy angel came down from
heaven (Daniel 4:10), spell שמעון, alluding to R’ Shimon.
[7] Tikunei Zohar, Pasach Eliyahu
[8] Iyov 19:26
[9] The Riziner once asked how Meiron looks on Lag
Ba’omer to which he was told like Yom Kippur and Simchas Torah. Inside it is
similar to Yom Kippur and the outside to Simchas Torah.
[10] Shabbos 34a
[11] In the song ואמרתם כה לחי.
See Succa 45b. R’ Akiva saidלפני מי אתם מטהרין... (Yoma 85b) and R’ Shimon, who is
his student, is the one who purifies Tevarya.
[12] Megila 6a. See Emunas Itecha, Acharei Mos, s.v. ס"ג ,תשמ"ח.
