Just days ago we celebrated "Lag B' Omer." Lag BaOmer is the holiday that commemorates a variety of historical events, including the end of a plague that killed many students of Rabbi Akiva (c. 50-135 C.E.), the yahrzeit of second-century mystical scholar Shimon bar Yochai, and a Jewish military victory over Roman forces in 66 C.E. Today - we are going to learn more about Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and how his story relates more so to our time now than every before!
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai lived during the 2nd century in Israel, under Roman rule. The Talmud relates the following story:
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai spoke critically of the Roman government, which was reported to the authorities. The Roman emperor sentenced Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son, Rabbi Elazar, to death so they hid in a cave where they studied Torah day and night while being nourished by a carob tree and spring of water which had miraculously appeared in the cave.
After living twelve years alone in the cave, the emperor died and the death sentence was lifted. Elijah the prophet came to the cave and told Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and Rabbi Elazar that it was safe to leave the cave.
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12 years alone in the cave is hard to imagine under any circumstance. But here we are similarly isolating and distancing ourselves from the world. These rabbis didn't have any link to the outside world.
- Can you Imagine their possible "reactions" when they leave solitude of the cave?
- What might years of solitude do to their perspective, attitudes towards humanity, etc?
The Talmud continues the story by relating the reactions of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and Rabbi Elazar to leaving the cave:
They emerged from the cave, and saw people who were plowing and sowing. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: These people abandon eternal life of Torah study and engage in temporal life for their own sustenance. The Gemara relates that every place that Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar directed their eyes was immediately burned. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Did you emerge from the cave in order to destroy My world? Return to your cave. They again went and sat there for twelve months. They said: The judgment of the wicked in Gehenna lasts for twelve months. Surely their sin was atoned in that time. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Emerge from your cave. They emerged. Everywhere that Rabbi Elazar would strike, Rabbi Shimon would heal. Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi Elazar: My son, you and I suffice for the entire world, as the two of us are engaged in the proper study of Torah.
- Why do you think the two rabbis reacted so harshly to the world around them?
- They were scolded and sent back to the cave. Was that the appropriate rebuke?
- After leaving the cave for the second time, Rabbi Elazar continued to criticize those around him (burn down) while Rabbi Shimon treated others with respect (healed). What do you think Rabbi Shimon learned from his second trip to the cave that Rabbi Elazar did not?
- What do you think Rabbi Shimon was trying to teach his Son in the end?
Making the connection
- What has been the most difficult aspect of social distancing for you, or for the people you love?
- How do you think this time of isolation will influence our relationship with others, with the world?
- Like the Rabbis there is deep and reflective learning to be done when we are forced to experience something so drastically different from before? What have you learned about yourself in isolation? What will you try to remember when you emerge from the cave?