36 Lessons
Rav Shim'on Bar Yochai The Secrets of Lag BaOmer
The minor holiday of Lag BaOmer, coming up next Thursday, is traditionally associated with the Divine Tannaitic Sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) – as well as with the thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva, who "stopped dying" on this day. Both of these are connected to each other...
Peninei Halakha 7. Throwing Clothes into the Bonfire and Praying at the Gravesites of Tzadikim
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
Many people had a custom to throw expensive clothing into the bonfire at Meron, explaining that they do so in honor of R. Shimon bar Yoĥai.
Peninei Halakha 6. The Custom of Giving Boys their First Haircut
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
Some have a custom to refrain from cutting their sons’ hair until they reach the age of three. When their son reaches that age, they cut his hair and leave his sidelocks.
Peninei Halakha 4. R. Akiva
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
Hidden within the hilula celebration of Lag Ba-omer is another memorial: a memorial for the greatest expositor of the Oral Torah, the wondrous Tanna, R. Akiva, one of whose five greatest disciples was R. Shimon bar Yohai.
Peninei Halakha 5. Bonfires on Lag Ba-omer
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
For hundreds of years, there has been a custom to light a large bonfire near R. Shimon bar Yoĥai’s grave on Mount Meron, in honor of his hilula.
Peninei Halakha 3. The Personality of R. Shimon bar Yohai
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
Before we elaborate on the customs of the hilula, we will briefly discuss the unique character of R. Shimon bar Yoĥai and his mentor, R. Akiva.
Peninei Halakha 2. The Hilula of R. Shimon bar Yohai
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
Many people have a custom to spend Lag Ba-omer on Mount Meron, where R. Shimon bar Yoĥai (Rashbi) and his son, R. Elazar, are buried.
Peninei Halakha 1. Lag Ba-omer
Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer
It is customary to rejoice somewhat on Lag Ba-omer. Even though we observe some customs of mourning during the omer period, nevertheless, one may sing and dance on Lag Ba-omer.
Ein Aya Give Space Before Harmonizing
Ein Aya Shabbat 2, 276
Rav Kook teaches that opposing legitimate ideals inevitably first appear as contradictory, but eventually harmonize with each other. So by all partnerships and inter-personal and relationships, as well as ideological rabbinic machloket.
Additional Lessons The Secret of Mount Meron
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Every year, more and more myriads of people stream to the gravesite of the author of the Kabbalah, Rav Shimon bar Yochai, in the Galilee hilltop village of Meron – signaling mounting anticipation of the Redemption itself!
Ein Aya "Reality Has No Wings" - Revolutions & Improvements Must be Done Patiently
Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 274
Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 274
Lag Ba'omer Lag Ba'Omer
All traditions do agree though, that on the 33rd day of the count of the Omer these disciples of Rabbi Akiva did stop dying. It is interesting that we have a semi-holiday, nbecause somehow the evil decree allowed by heaven to end so many lives, such as it was, would not continue.
Lag Ba'omer Respect For Others
Seasons of the Moon
Nineteen hundred years ago, the twenty-five thousand pupils of Rebbe Akiva all died in the days of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot. This was a punishment for not treating each other with enough respect. The majority of the days Omer are in the month of Iyar. Thus Iyar is a time for us to work on improving respect for others.
Ein Aya Clothing
Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 268
What is the idea behind what the Talmud teaches that we must respect clothing? Rav Kook, as always, has innovative ideas behind the topic of clothing, not just in regard to tzniut and modesty, but philosophically, as well.
Ein Aya When Does Judaism Allow Tzaddikim to Separate From the Physical World?
Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 267
ome righteous people, like R. Shimon bar Yochai, already live as if they were in the world-to-come, with just minimal physical pleasure. Their priorities are so clear that they even have difficulty tolerating those who work & live in the "regular" world. The carob tree that miraculously grew for them in the cave, represents selflessness, where even one's planting is for their descendants, not for themselves. Similar to God, Who created this world out of altruism, for us, so too when one plants in Eretz Yisrael he's doing so for generations to come for Israel is our eternal home, as fruit-trees benefit coming generations. In Israel, when in Jewish hands, there's no ideal to separate from this physical world, for even the physical is holy.
Ein Aya Why Did Moshe (& Rashbi!) Separate From His Wife & Life?
Ein Aya, shabbat 2, 265
We all know that Judaism stresses and even obligates us to marry and the importance of having a family life, but the question is, why was Moshe, the ideal Jew, davka told to separate from his wife? Rav Kook deals with the issue as he deals with R. Shimon Bar Yochai's similar separation from his wife and from his regular life. In addition to several other explanations, he compares Moshe Rabbenu with Adam and Mashiach..
Ein Aya The "Sinking" of the Gedolim & the Rise of the Masses
Ein Aya ii, Shabbat 2, 264
"Hitkatnut haDorot", means the generations are going "downhill" as we get further from Sinai. On the other hand, Rav Kook & Ramchal often refer to the "Evolution" built into the world, that mankind is continuously improving through trial & error, better conditions & techniques, not to mention computers and technology. Accordingly, today we see unprecedented masses are learning Torah, including women, unique & innovative programs, the web etc. but the Gedolim are still descending. Rav Kook sees the benefit of this phenomenon, showing the advantages of the massive quest for truth, who davka feel today's rabbis approachable, as a "step-down" mechanism. Similarly, ideas must be revealed in the right time & we can't skip stages nor take shortcuts.
