Crowns, Laser Eyes and Bonfires Source Sheet for 5/6/21

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁלשָׁה כְתָרִים הֵם, כֶּתֶר תּוֹרָה וְכֶתֶר כְּהֻנָּה וְכֶתֶר מַלְכוּת, וְכֶתֶר שֵׁם טוֹב עוֹלֶה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן:

Pirkei Avot 4:13

Rabbi Shimon said: There are three crowns: the crown of torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a good name supersedes them all.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (aka RaShBI) was a 2nd century Tanna and student of Rabbi Akiva. He and his son, Rabbi Elazar, are said to be buried in the same tomb at Mount Meron, in the north of Israel. Rabbi Shimon is said to have died on Lag B’Omer, and the date is celebrated with bonfires, dancing and feasting - a custom said to have been requested by Rabbi Shimon of his disciples. Hundreds of thousands of people attend annually, overwhelming the small town. This year, there was a terrible tragedy when a panic broke out at the commemoration, causing a stampede in which at least 45 people died and 150 more were hospitalized. It was the largest civilian tragedy in modern Israeli history.

From Dr. Noam Weissman:
”

During painful moments like this one, I remember the Jewish concept of yefashfesh b’maasav (examining our own actions). We may not always have control over the events and tragedies that befall us, but we can control our next steps. For me, as a Jewish educator, this means teaching people about this horrifying tragedy and creating meaningful opportunities for people to connect with one another during this time of mourning. We pray for a refuah shleima (complete recovery) for those who are injured from this tragedy and that all of the families who lost loved ones feel the warmth of their Jewish brothers and sisters around the world.

Concluding Thoughts

The Jewish response of yefashfesh b’maasav (examining our own actions) in the wake of tragedy is an empowering shift we can all make following the Meron disaster. In times of darkness and suffering, each one of us can ask ourselves how we can do better and contribute more light to our communities. How can we help ensure events like this won’t happen again? When there is a catastrophe in the Jewish community, how do we respond?

Prima facie, this will look different for everyone: some of us might pray more or study more Torah, while others will want to give more Tzedakah or carry out an extra act of kindness. Yet, by making this intentional shift in the most difficult moments, each one of us can follow the footsteps of the Jewish tradition, which is to help improve our communities, be kinder to each other, and focus our attention on how we want to respond.”

שבת ל״ג ב:ה׳-ח׳

וְאַמַּאי קָרוּ לֵיהּ ״רֹאשׁ הַמְדַבְּרִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם״? דְּיָתְבִי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְיָתֵיב יְהוּדָה בֶּן גֵּרִים גַּבַּיְיהוּ. פָּתַח רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר: כַּמָּה נָאִים מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן שֶׁל אוּמָּה זוֹ: תִּקְּנוּ שְׁווֹקִים, תִּקְּנוּ גְּשָׁרִים, תִּקְנוּ מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי שָׁתַק. נַעֲנָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי וְאָמַר: כׇּל מַה שֶּׁתִּקְּנוּ, לֹא תִּקְּנוּ אֶלָּא לְצוֹרֶךְ עַצְמָן. תִּקְּנוּ שְׁווֹקִין — לְהוֹשִׁיב בָּהֶן זוֹנוֹת, מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת — לְעַדֵּן בָּהֶן עַצְמָן, גְּשָׁרִים — לִיטּוֹל מֵהֶן מֶכֶס. הָלַךְ יְהוּדָה בֶּן גֵּרִים וְסִיפֵּר דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וְנִשְׁמְעוּ לַמַּלְכוּת. אָמְרוּ: יְהוּדָה שֶׁעִילָּה — יִתְעַלֶּה. יוֹסֵי שֶׁשָּׁתַק — יִגְלֶה לְצִיפּוֹרִי. שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁגִּינָּה — יֵהָרֵג. אֲזַל הוּא וּבְרֵיהּ, טְשׁוֹ בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא. כׇּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה מַתְיָא לְהוּ דְּבֵיתְהוּ רִיפְתָּא וְכוּזָא דְמַיָּא וְכָרְכִי. כִּי תְּקֵיף גְּזֵירְתָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ: נָשִׁים דַּעְתָּן קַלָּה עֲלֵיהֶן, דִילְמָא מְצַעֲרִי לַהּ וּמְגַלְּיָא לַן. אֲזַלוּ טְשׁוֹ בִּמְעָרְתָּא. אִיתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא אִיבְּרִי לְהוּ חָרוּבָא וְעֵינָא דְמַיָּא, וַהֲווֹ מַשְׁלְחִי מָנַיְיהוּ וַהֲווֹ יָתְבִי עַד צַוְּארַיְיהוּ בְּחָלָא. כּוּלֵּי יוֹמָא גָּרְסִי. בְּעִידָּן צַלּוֹיֵי לָבְשִׁי מִיכַּסּוּ וּמְצַלּוּ, וַהֲדַר מַשְׁלְחִי מָנַיְיהוּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִיבְלוּ. אִיתִּיבוּ תְּרֵיסַר שְׁנֵי בִּמְעָרְתָּא. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ וְקָם אַפִּיתְחָא דִמְעָרְתָּא, אֲמַר: מַאן לוֹדְעֵיהּ לְבַר יוֹחַי דְּמִית קֵיסָר וּבְטִיל גְּזֵירְתֵיהּ. נְפַקוּ, חֲזוֹ אִינָשֵׁי דְּקָא כָּרְבִי וְזָרְעִי, אָמְרִין: מַנִּיחִין חַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְעוֹסְקִין בְּחַיֵּי שָׁעָה. כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין עֵינֵיהֶן מִיָּד נִשְׂרָף. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם: לְהַחֲרִיב עוֹלָמִי יְצָאתֶם?! חִיזְרוּ לִמְעָרַתְכֶם! הֲדוּר אֲזוּל אִיתִּיבוּ תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא. אָמְרִי: מִשְׁפַּט רְשָׁעִים בְּגֵיהִנָּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: צְאוּ מִמְּעָרַתְכֶם! נְפַקוּ. כָּל הֵיכָא דַּהֲוָה מָחֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הֲוָה מַסֵּי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, דַּי לָעוֹלָם אֲנִי וְאַתָּה. בַּהֲדֵי פַּנְיָא דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא חֲזוֹ הָהוּא סָבָא דַּהֲוָה נָקֵיט תְּרֵי מַדָּאנֵי אָסָא וְרָהֵיט בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הָנֵי לְמָה לָךְ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: לִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת. וְתִיסְגֵּי לָךְ בְּחַד! — חַד כְּנֶגֶד ״זָכוֹר״ וְחַד כְּנֶגֶד ״שָׁמוֹר״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ: חֲזִי כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין מִצְוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. אִיְּתִיבָה דַּעְתַּיְיהוּ.

Shabbat 33b:5-8

In this baraita Rabbi Yehuda is described as head of the speakers in every place. The Gemara asks: And why did they call him head of the speakers in every place? The Gemara relates that this resulted due to an incident that took place when Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon were sitting, and Yehuda, son of converts, sat beside them. Rabbi Yehuda opened and said: How pleasant are the actions of this nation, the Romans, as they established marketplaces, established bridges, and established bathhouses. Rabbi Yosei was silent. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai responded and said: Everything that they established, they established only for their own purposes. They established marketplaces, to place prostitutes in them; bathhouses, to pamper themselves; and bridges, to collect taxes from all who pass over them. Yehuda, son of converts, went and related their statements to his household, and those statements continued to spread until they were heard by the monarchy. They ruled and said: Yehuda, who elevated the Roman regime, shall be elevated and appointed as head of the Sages, the head of the speakers in every place. Yosei, who remained silent, shall be exiled from his home in Judea as punishment, and sent to the city of Tzippori in the Galilee. And Shimon, who denounced the government, shall be killed. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai and his son, Rabbi Elazar, went and hid in the study hall. Every day Rabbi Shimon’s wife would bring them bread and a jug of water and they would eat. When the decree intensified, Rabbi Shimon said to his son: Women are easily impressionable and, therefore, there is room for concern lest the authorities torture her and she reveal our whereabouts.

They went and they hid in a cave. A miracle occurred and a carob tree was created for them as well as a spring of water. They would remove their clothes and sit covered in sand up to their necks. They would study Torah all day in that manner. At the time of prayer, they would dress, cover themselves, and pray, and they would again remove their clothes afterward so that they would not become tattered. They sat in the cave for twelve years. Elijah the Prophet came and stood at the entrance to the cave and said: Who will inform bar Yoḥai that the emperor died and his decree has been abrogated? 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.

As the sun was setting on Shabbat eve, they saw an elderly man who was holding two bundles of myrtle branches and running at twilight. They said to him: Why do you have these? He said to them: In honor of Shabbat. They said to him: And let one suffice. He answered them: One is corresponding to: “Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), and one is corresponding to: “Observe the Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Deuteronomy 5:12). Rabbi Shimon said to his son: See how beloved the mitzvot are to Israel. Their minds were put at ease and they were no longer as upset that people were not engaged in Torah study.

What are the transitions that Rabbi Simon undergoes in each of the three stages of leaving the cave? How does he reach acceptance? Why does this story appear in Masechet Shabbat? How might Shabbat help us to leave our caves?

סוכה מ״ה ב:ד׳-ה׳

וְאָמַר חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי יָכוֹל אֲנִי לִפְטוֹר אֶת כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ מִן הַדִּין מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרֵאתִי עַד עַתָּה וְאִילְמָלֵי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנִי עִמִּי מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם וְעַד עַכְשָׁיו וְאִילְמָלֵי יוֹתָם בֶּן עוּזִּיָּהוּ עִמָּנוּ מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם עַד סוֹפוֹ וְאָמַר חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי רָאִיתִי בְּנֵי עֲלִיָּיה וְהֵן מוּעָטִין אִם אֶלֶף הֵן אֲנִי וּבְנִי מֵהֶן אִם מֵאָה הֵם אֲנִי וּבְנִי מֵהֶן אִם שְׁנַיִם הֵן אֲנִי וּבְנִי הֵן וּמִי זוּטְרֵי כּוּלֵּי הַאי וְהָא אָמַר רָבָא תַּמְנֵי סְרֵי אַלְפֵי הָוֵה דָּרָא דְּקַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר סָבִיב שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף לָא קַשְׁיָא הָא דְּמִסְתַּכְּלִי בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה הָא דְּלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִי בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה

Sukkah 45b:4-5

And Ḥizkiya said that Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: I am able to absolve the entire world from judgment for sins committed from the day I was created until now. The merit that he accrued through his righteousness and the suffering that he endured atone for the sins of the entire world. And were the merit accrued by Eliezer, my son, calculated along with my own, we would absolve the world from judgment for sins committed from the day that the world was created until now. And were the merit accrued by the righteous king, Jotham ben Uzziah, calculated with our own, we would absolve the world from judgment for sins committed from the day that the world was created until its end. The righteousness of these three serves as a counterbalance to all the evil deeds committed throughout the generations, and it validates the ongoing existence of the world. And Ḥizkiya said that Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: I have seen members of the caste of the spiritually prominent, who are truly righteous, and they are few. If they number one thousand, I and my son are among them. If they number one hundred, I and my son are among them; and if they number two, I and my son are they. The Gemara asks: Are they so few? But didn’t Rava say: There are eighteen thousand righteous individuals in a row before the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Surrounding are eighteen thousand” (Ezekiel 48:35)? Apparently, the righteous are numerous. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai is referring to the very few who view the Divine Presence through a bright, mirror-like partition, while that statement of Rava is referring to those who do not view the Divine Presence through a bright partition.

From “Leaving the Cave” - Sefaria Education Team
⁦Making the connection
• What has been the most difficult aspect of social distancing?
• For many people, school during the time of Covid has been inconsistent. Rules often changed or situations occurred which necessitated changes in procedure. How did the inconsistency affect your learning? What new skills did you develop?
• Imagine that it is fifty years in the future and you are telling your grandchildren about attending school during a global pandemic. What would you tell them about the experience?
• What have you learned about yourself from the experience of social distancing?

⁦Imagining the future
An article in the Washington Post, "After the Pandemic" asks the question of whether there will be widespread societal change after Covid-19 is under control. What aspects of our lives will return to "normal" and what will change?
The article begins with a look back at the influenza outbreak in 1918 in the United States.
"If history is any guide, not much will change in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic...When the pandemic subsided, people rushed to regain their sense of equilibrium and normalcy: While Americans had proved remarkably compliant with health officials’ initial demands, they were reluctant to keep those restrictions on their lives — even as many communities faced a subsequent wave of the illness.
Certain habits did change. Americans never returned to the common drinking cup, outlawed during the crisis and previously common in schools, offices and railway cars; they frowned on public spitting. Public health leaders celebrated their success in providing basic education on sanitation and personal hygiene. But the deaths of 675,000 Americans did not spur a remaking of the health-care system. Progressive era reformers had failed to create a national health insurance program, and despite the pandemic, their efforts withered in the 1920s."

⁦What do you think will change forever due to the pandemic? What do you think will - or should - stay the same?