Lag BaOmer - Don’t Miss It!

It's a big day, and it would be a shame to miss it. Lag Baomer, the day when Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the holy Tanna, said, "I can absolve the entire world from judgment." We need to understand the power that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai possessed. The Zohar tells that one day he and his son saw that there was darkness in the world. They looked and saw, on a high mountain, of course, with their eyes, they saw on the mountain 30 torches of blazing fire coming to burn the whole world. Rabbi Shimon said to him, "Tell me, what are you doing here?" He answered him, "There is a harsh decree against the people of Israel." He said to him, "Go back to heaven and tell the Holy One, blessed be He, that Rabbi Shimon says, 'You will not destroy the world.'" Just so we understand the power of Rabbi Shimon, we would speak with an angel, speak with the Holy One, blessed be He. The angel came and said to the Holy One, blessed be He, "It is known and revealed before you what Rabbi Shimon said to me." He said to him, "Do not pay attention to him. Go and do what I told you." >> [music] >> Once again, Rabbi Shimon sees him and says, "Well, what are you doing here?" He said to him, "I came to destroy the world." The Holy One said, "Go up, or I will block your path to heaven." Then a debate follows, as with Abraham in the Zohar, no decree. There are 30, there are 20. Rabbi Shimon says to him, "Even if there are only 10 righteous people, and if there aren't 10 righteous people, like in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and it is written that indeed the decree was annulled." And about this it is said, "What the righteous decree, the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills." First of all, what is the power of a righteous person, and what is the power of this particular Tanna? This is a great and holy day. Let us make use of it. Light a candle, pray, study the teachings of Rabbi Shimon from the Zohar, the Talmudic passages where Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is mentioned, and pray to the Holy One, blessed be He, first of all for all of Israel, but also each person for his own personal troubles. And it is worthwhile to rely on Rabbi Shimon in times of distress. The meaning, as explained in the homiletic way, is for the pressure you are experiencing, for the difficulties. Each person, whether it's about finding a match or livelihood, should pray before the Holy One, blessed be He, and with God's help, may you have only good news, and for everyone, salvation and comfort, only good things. Amen.