Choosing the Letter Chet: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s Final Fire in the Idra Zuta
A printing press mystery, the bonfires of Meron, and why Lag BaOmer is a defiant vow to never stop saying L’Chaim
Today we celebrate a Jewish holiday known as Lag Baomer. On this day we commemorate the passing (Yahrtzeit) of the larger than life second century sage and author of The Zohar (Kabalah-Jewish Mystical wisdom) Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
The practice of praying at his Kever (burial place) on this day in Meron, is attributed directly to the AriZal (Rabbi Isaac Luria 1534-1572) and has been ongoing ever since. Each year thousands of Israelis and foreigners board chartered buses and travel to the serene and bucolic Upper Galilee, in the shadow of Mount Meron and just Northwest of the city of Tzfat. to observe this unque day.
One of the most well known traditions is the lighting of large bonfires, there, and throughout the entire country. Due to the massive fires that wreaked havoc on the outskirts of Jerusalem this year, a nationwide ban on unapproved bonfires has gone into effect.
What is fascinating, but most fitting given its Mystical nature, is its somewhat obscure and mysterious origins.
Most fundamentally, is the fact that no clear Rabbinic or Zoharic mention of his passing on this day can be found.
That the Alter Rebbe, the Baal Hatanya, amongst many reliable others, state unequivocally that it is so, is more than enough for me. However the controversial discussions need not be avoided; and I will cite two of the best known among them.
Firstly with regards to his passing on this day. What had appeared to be a primary source, from Rabbi Chayim Vital (1543-1620) the foremost pupil of the above mentioned Arizal, and quoted in his name, proved to be erroneous through no fault of the author, but rather due to a printing error in a number of second editions. The Sefer (jewish book) is called “Peri Etz Chaim” (the fruit of the living tree: he being the fruit and his master of course being the tree). The second printings, one in Koretz in 1785 and the other in Dubrownow in 1802; mistake the word “Samach” as is found in the correct first printing (also Korets 1782) “He (Rabbi Shimon) rejoiced on that day” for the word “He died” on that day”
their mistake in the words was due to confusing the letter Chet and the letter Tav. The former correct version spells the Hebrew word “Samach” with the letter Chet while the latter erroneous editions spells the word “Shemet.” with the letter Tav.
While we DO believe that he did die on this day, what can only be proven from this teaching is that He died a happy man and didnt want people to remember him with sadness. He preferred they remember him in celebration of the consciousness expanding teachings of Kabala that he revealed to the world.
The second discussion explores the tradition of lighting bonfires on this day. Some attribute it to a well documented tradition of lighting fires on the Yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Samuel the Prophet, also buried in Meron.
Here is my take on all this. I have been studying a section of the Zohar called IDRA ZUTAH (the small assembly) Ive chosen to study it this past week for the simple reason that it is the meticulously recorded story of the passing of Rabbi Shimon; in the presence of a handpicked cohort of disciples (he called them Chaverim friends) in which he communicated his final teachings. In his estimation these were his most sublime and profound teachings yet; which is why he saved them for this occasion.
In it, both in the opening verses and the closing, one need not search too hard for allusions to fire. They abound.
“Rabbi Shimon wept and said, the other time I was on my sickbed, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair was in my presence, and while I was selecting my “place” (meaning where and next to whom he would be situated ) in the world to come, they extended my life until now. When I returned, fire was whirling in front of me, it has never ceased, and no person has entered without permission. (due to the intensity of this environment) Now I see that it has ceased, and look, the house is filled!” And yet, the fire returned as we see from the next passage. “As they were sitting down, Rabbi Shimon opened his eyes and saw what he saw; fire whirled through the house.”
Then again, at the very end “Rabbi Abba said, “The Supernal Holy Lamp (Rabbi Shimon) had not finished saying “LIFE” (Chayim) before his words subsided.” Was that his last word, or the word before that?
Do we say he left this world exhorting us to pursue life, or did he stopped before that word as if to say that even death cant take away the deepest holiest aspects of life? In that case he died refusing to Stop saying and embodying the power of Lechaim (To Life)!
At the very end: “Rabbi Abba (who had written this all down) continues, “I was writing, intending to write more, yet I heard nothing. I did not raise my head for the light was too great, and I could not look. Just then I trembled. All that day, fire did not cease from the house.”
I like to think of lighting a fire, symbolically, as a gesture of emotional resistance to the loss of energy, drive and hope in the void that lies in the wake of trauma and profound loss. A defiant tending to the flickering flames that once raged in majestic fiery glory. Are not the Lag Baomer fires the rekindling of the dwindled light of Rashbi as they manifest themselves in the restoration of the flames of light, decency, wisdom, hope, love, joy, positivity, and faithfulness in the capacity to face adversity head on?
Each day we are faced with the dilemmas of discerning the correct spelling of our lives. Do we Choose the letter Chet and spell Simcha/Joy? Or do we choose the letter Tav and spell Mavet/death?
Let’s choose the letterChet; and like Rashbi, refuse the temptation to no longer lean into life, even when it might seem pointless. Let’s stand together in the light of the holy fiery truth of Rashbi and vow to never stop saying, and being Lchaim!
Much Love,
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Yossi