The Holy Tanna Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi) grew in his Torah learning to become a gigantic luminary for his generation and for all generations to come. Rashbi’s life spanned many important periods throughout our nation’s history: he saw the Holy Temple and its destruction while thousands of Jews were being led to their deaths by the Romans. He witnessed the destruction of Beitar and the cruel deaths of the Ten Martyrs.
Rebbe Shimon felt the Romans would soon come for him, fearing for his life he and his son fled to the caves of Tekoa. For twelve years they delved into the depths of Torah while surviving on the miraculous Carob tree and water spring Hashem provided for them. Elijah the Prophet came and stood at the entrance to the cave, “Who will notify bar Yochai that the Caesar has died and the decree is nullified?” Rebbe Shimon and his son came out of the cave and started to return home. Unable to handle the mundane world, they went back into their cave for another 12 months to ease their way back into the physical world.
On the day Rebbe Shimon left this world, he gathered his closest students together and shared with them the secrets of the Holy Torah. He told them that this day should be a day of rejoicing and celebration because it is my day of joy.The Zohar describes, as his bed was entering the cave floating on air with a pillar of fire in front, a Heavenly Voice called out, “Come and gather for the hillulah of Rebbe Shimon”.
Today, Hundreds of thousands of people from Rabbonim to simple people flock to Meron to partake in this special day. Rebbe Shimon is for all Jews and all walks of life.
The tradition of celebrating the hillulah has spanned thousands of generations. More than 430 years ago, the first Rashbi hachnassas orchim group was formed to prepare for the special day’s gigantic crowds. Rav Chaim Vital describes the Arizal visiting Meron on Lag B’omer. The Arizal brought his 3 year old son and gave him his first haircut. In the 15thCentury thousands would travel from all over Asia and Africa to visit Meron on this holy day. Families came from Damascus and Baghdad. Bonfires were lit in honor of the Rashbi and people danced and study Zohar the whole night. Later in history, The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh crawled up the mountain with his hands and feet crying the whole way up to celebrate this holy day, when he reached the top he was overcome with emotion and was very joyous on this special occasion.
The Rebbe in the white Bekishe is R’ Menachem Nachum of Boyan-Cheznovitz the brother of R’ Mordechai Shlomo of Boyan. He is wearing the Rhiziner rebbes bekishe.
We invite you to come and join us in the Simcha L’kavod Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai. By donating to Yeshuos Rashbi and contributing to the simcha of the day. In the merit of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai, Hashem will surely increase the simcha in your life!
You can donate by visiting www.yeshuosrashbi.com
These pictures were taken in year תרפ״ה (1924
It is alleged, although it may be letzonus, that the Satmar Rov said that Rashb"i emerged skinny because so would you be if all you had to eat for years was bokser mit vasser.
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