Category — Lag Baomer

This Friday we celebrate ‘Lag BaOmer’, one of the reasons of the celebration is the Yortzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai who passed away on this day, and asked that it be a day of celebration and happiness. The following is but one story of his extraordinary life.

Good evening and welcome to the RNN eyewitness news.
Our top story today: Back from the dead; an amazing story of a rabbi and his son returning from nowhere after 13 years! With us is our reporter Julius. Julius?
Julius: Thank you Augustus. This truly is an amazing tale. 13 years ago a Jewish Rabbi named Rabbi Shimon was given the death sentence for decrying the Roman Empire. Somehow he managed to escape before the execution, and was never heard of since.
And now he’s back! And he is with us here today at the studio.Welcome, Rabbi Shimon, we’ll start with the question that is on everyone’s mind: Where have you been?
Rabbi Shimon: Not too far from here. I hid in a cave in the mountains, together with my son Eliezer.
J: Hmm… I would like to check that out. Sounds like an extended summer vacation.
R S: Not exactly… actually to give an example or our lifestyle, let me just say, that because we didn’t have a change of clothing, we usually covered ourselves up to the neck in mud, besides the times we had to pray…
J: Oh no! what about food and drink?
R S: It’s funny that you ask, we really didn’t know how we would survive, but our G-d made a miracle and a carob tree grew just outside the cave. And next to it a river of water just sprung up from the ground…
J: I’ll have to believe you on that one. Anyway enough with the past, what are your plans for the future?
R S: Well I was just told of a certain road, about which there are rumors that it might contain human remains, making it impure and therefore illegal for Kohanim or priests to walk on. Those poor men have to take another side route which makes their walk a few minutes longer, so I intend to investigate the matter and work out a solution.
J: Um… excuse me Rabbi; did I just hear you correctly? After 13 years away from your family, students and community, you simply have nothing to do, but to work out some tiny inconvenience for only a small segment of your community? Are you sure that 13 years in the cave haven’t mixed up your priorities?
R S: A goyishe kup! How can I explain to you the great merit in helping even one Jew with something seemingly small and insignificant! There is a statement that says, 1 “A Jew lives for 70, 80 years just to do a favor for another Jew!” J: Truly an eternal message for all time. Anyway, great to have you with us. We wish you much luck in all your projects. Arrivederci!
Agustos: Thank you Julius! Now for our survey: what are the chances of surviving 13 years in a cave covered in dirt, eating carob and drinking water? You can vote on our website…

1 It was said 2000 years later by the holy Baal Shem Tov, but it was in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people since the beginning.

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Q: Why do Jewish mothers make great parole officers?

A: They never let anyone finish a sentence.

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If I were to stand today and announce that our president is the greatest in the history of United States , I would receive the same reaction as if I were to say that Napoleon Bonaparte is known to history for his good looks. But it’s an opinion nevertheless.

We all hold opinions on topics as varied as the best topping for pizza or the debate about global warming. An opinion can be born through thought or lack thereof, and once an opinion is established, the attitude is often “It’s my way or the highway.” Every individual thinks he is absolutely correct; end of story.

Unfortunately, intellectual arguments often escalate into much greater feuds. What began as a difference of views may become a power struggle that is at best unproductive, or at worst destructive.

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Here’s a slice of history. In the latter part of the first century lived Rabbi Akiva, one the greatest of all sages. He had 24,000 students who passed away within a month’s time, ending on Lag Baomer which we’ll celebrate this Sunday. Only five students remained.

Our sages teach us that the cause for this catastrophe was the lack of mutual respect amongst the disciples.

As a rule, everyone thinks differently; each man has his own style and perspective. So too, these Torah scholars each interpreted the teachings of Rabbi Akiva in their own way, thereby leading to difference in practice. This quickly led to strife as every student passionately felt that his friends had erred in their understanding. G-d deals strictly with His beloved, and they were punished.

Besides for a great lesson in respect, nothing remains of the 24,000 – neither their names nor their teachings. However, the names of the surviving five are recorded throughout the Talmud, and their teachings guide us until this day.

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The beauty of this world is the diversity. Can you imagine a world in which we all felt and thought the alike on every issue; a universe with no arguments, no debates and no fights? No leaders, no teachers and no knowledge. It sounds like communism, or the kind of dark projection science fiction creates of life in a super-technological, psychologically-regulated society.

We don’t look alike and we don’t think alike. That’s not a curse; it’s a blessing. Each human is unique, possessing special qualities and strengths, and that what’s great about this world – we are all “one of a kind.”

Let’s agree to disagree on almost everything, because on one thing we all agree: WE NEED MOSHIACH NOW!