6/7/2023 0 Comments Lag b omerThe seminal importance of the Zohar in Jewish thought and the annual pilgrimage to Meron on Lag b”Omer are testimonies to his success. During the hours before his passing, on Lag b’Omer, he disclosed the “most sublime” secrets of Torah, in order to ensure that the day would always be an occasion for great joy, untouched by sadness because of the Omer period and mourning for him. Teachings in his name abound throughout the Mishnah, Gemarah, and Midrashim, while the Zohar, the primary source text of Kabbalah, is built around Rabbi Shimon’s revelations to his inner circle of disciples. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the most important sages in Jewish history, lived over 1800 years ago. who received it from a “Rav Serloi” a few years ago. Source: Submitted by Eliyahu Ellman, who received it from… who received it from…etc. “Now, tell me: Could I possibly be so near Rabbi Shimon’s tomb and not fulfill this mission from the Shoah and thank the great sage who covered our operation against the Nazis with his merit?” Then the partisans told me: ‘When you go to Israel, be sure to go to Rabbi Shimon’s tomb and tell him how our unit honored his celebration by lighting a special bonfire in his memory on Lag b’Omer.’ By the time I ran back into the forest, the Nazi beasts were cooking in the midst of the most formidable bonfire that I ever saw. “Well, I was unanimously selected for the operation and, thank G-d, it was a complete success. “‘Tonight, we Jews have a custom to light bonfires, and this is exactly what I intend to do,’ I exclaimed excitedly, ‘to grill up these Nazi officers!’ I told them about Rabbi Akiva and Bar Kochba who fought against the Roman Empire just like we are fighting against the Nazis, and how the combined merit of Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Akiva will protect us. “When my turn came, I explained that tonight is Lag b’Omer according to the Jewish calendar, and on it we celebrate the day of the passing of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, which is also the day that ended the epidemic that killed Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 disciples. So let’s have each one tell us why you think that you are best suited to do the job.’ “I immediately lifted my hand, but so did a couple of other boys in the group. “‘All we need is one volunteer to get there and though a single match we’ll get a spectacular fireworks!’ said our commander. We got there undetected and quickly observed that the house was built over pillars and below the house, right in the middle, were a few barrels of tar. Once, we were commanded to approach a house which served as headquarters to a small group of Nazi officers. I participated with them in many operations against the Nazi enemy. “During the Shoah (Holocaust), at a certain point, I managed to join a troop of partisans. “I owed it to Rabbi Shimon!” Whereupon he launched into his story: “You endangered your whole unit by abandoning your post, and you could have been killed at the same time!” “What can you say in your defense?” the judges probed. Indeed, this was only a few weeks after the new State of Israel had been declared in May 1948 and the War initiated by the Arabs of the surrounding countries in retaliation was at its fiercest. His crime: leaving his post without permission and, what was considered a much more serious matter, he did so in order to go to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron at a time when the area was infested with violent Arab Muslim bands. “You endangered your whole unit by abandoning your post, and you could have been killed at the same time!” accused the IDF military court prosecutor.Īryeh was standing in front of three judges in an Israel military court.
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