Why Celebrate an Ancient Mystic’s Death?
Talmud (Yevamos): 12,000 pairs of students who died between Pesach and Shavuos because they did not have the proper respect. On Lag B’omer they stopped dying. (Meiri & Shulchan Aruch)
1. 24,000 did not become students in one day, must have taken many years.
2. Lack of respect also didn’t happen in one day. It went from bad to worse in degrees.
Why did they all die in this one time period?
How is that possible? Rabbi Akiva taught about the Rule of Torah: AhavasYisroel.
No two people think the same. Each understood the Torah of his Rebbe differently. Could not respect another view.
Could not play the game of Echad B’peh V’echad Blev.
Real Ahavas Yisroel is to teach him the right way. Each one tried to teach, but not one could accept.
What they forgot was Eilu V’eilu Divrei Elokim Chayim.
Not that they denigrated (m’zalzel) each other, but simply lack of respect. Does this sin merit death?
Surely they lived by the dictum: Einim Zazim Mishom until they love each other. (Talmud)
It was the time that brought about the deaths.
(Yeushalmi) 24 wagons filled with of Rabbi Yehuda’s students. Evil eye-Ayin Hara entered them and they all died at the same. Zohar: 24 houses of judgment. 24 is the reason for Ayin harah. Together they cause the deaths.
Wear Tzitzis is only if you have a four cornered garment. When Hashem is angry He will punish for not looking . Similar in times of Ayin Harah…get punished for even small transgressions.
Between Peasch and Shavuos are days of judgment (y’mei hadin)
From that time they changed the place from Yehuda to… Rabbi Akiva also switched location to Doron (south- Place of Chessed, kindness). Out of Tzafon- north comes evil. Change the mazal.
Lag B’omer: Day of Histalkus (passing) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. (Pri Eitz Chaim)
Yom Simchoso - the day of his joy. (Mishnas Chassidim) All the torah and avodah rise up above and shine in a revealed way and brings salvation into this world.
Zohar: I am to my beloved and to Him is my desire.
“All the days that I was in this world my soul was tied to Him in one knot so that we became one.”
How can we take a lesson from one of the B’nei Aliyah. He was unique.
Rashbi:A person should not work. Rabbi Yishmoel: work and learn. For most people it didn’t work.
Rashbi: His soul was a nitzuz /gilgul of Moses. As such every Jew can derive lesson.
Tanya: every Jew has a nitzuz of Moses and can achieve something of his service. Also Rashbi.
Posach - He opened a pipeline for all.
G-d did not create us in such a way that we are inherently one with Torah and Mitzvohs. It takes tremendous effort. Even afterwards we remain separate beings.
“I was created to serve my Master.” There’s me and then there’s the Master.
What we gain on Lag B’omer is the power to reach such a level.
This service os mainly in the area of Torah. Toroso Umnoso - His Torah was his work/craft.
This cannot work for most of us. But that time that we are learning it should be Toroso Umnoso.
Nothing should change our Torah work schedule.
When Rabbi Akiva gave Semicha (ordination) to Meir and Shimon. Let Meir go first.
Rabbi Akiva: It’s enough that I and your Creator know your greatness.
Concerning Rabbi Meir: fellow students did not understand his depth.
Ten Martyrs: Rabbi Akiva stood in for G-d. Rashbi beyond the grasp of his fellow students.
Student of Arizal who always prayed Nacheim was severely chastised.
Rashbi was beyond all who brought down a part of his greatness in such a way that everyone can take part in it.
Paradox: Everyone must study all day….Enough you and I.
The higher you are the lower you can go.
“I am able to free the whole world from judgment.” Somehow he could find a z’chus (merit) for each and every Jew. This is unlike Moses who was forced to go down to the people (sinners).