אמרו שנים עשר אלף זוגים תלמידים היו לו לרבי עקיבא מגבת עד אנטיפרס, וכולן מתו בפרק אחד מפני שלא נהגו כבוד זה לזה, והיה העולם שמם, עד שבא ר"ע אצל רבותינו שבדרום ושנאה להם; ר"מ ור' יהודה ור' יוסי ורבי שמעון ורבי אלעזר בן שמוע, והם הם העמידו תורה אותה שעה. תנא, כולם מתו מפסח ועד עצרת. אמר רב חמא בר אבא ואיתימא ר' חייא בר אבין, כולם מתו מיתה רעה. מאי היא? א"ר נחמן, אסכרה.
They said that Rabbi Akiva had twelve thousand pairs of students in an area of land that stretched from Gevat to Antipatris in Judea, and they all died in one period of time, because they did not treat each other with respect. And the world was desolate of Torah until Rabbi Akiva came to our Rabbis in the South and taught his Torah to them. This second group of disciples consisted of Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. And these are the very ones who upheld the study of Torah at that time. Although Rabbi Akiva’s earlier students did not survive, his later disciples were able to transmit the Torah to future generations. With regard to the twelve thousand pairs of Rabbi Akiva’s students, the Gemara adds: It is taught that all of them died in the period from Passover until Shavuot. Rav Ḥama bar Abba said, and some say it was Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Avin: They all died a bad death. The Gemara inquires: What is it that is called a bad death? Rav Naḥman said: Diphtheria.
(א) ...וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲלָפִים תַּלְמִידִים הָיוּ לִי מִגְּבַת וְעַד אַנְטִיפְרַס וְכֻלָּן מֵתוּ בְּחַיַּי בֵּין פֶּסַח לַעֲצֶרֶת, וּבַסּוֹף הֶעֱמִידוּ לִי שִׁבְעָה. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי, וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַסַּנְדְּלָר. אָמַר לָהֶם הָרִאשׁוֹנִים לֹא מֵתוּ אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיְתָה עֵינֵיהֶם צָרָה בַּתּוֹרָה זֶה לָזֶה, אַתֶּם לֹא תִהְיוּ כֵן, מִיָּד עָמְדוּ וּמִלְּאוּ כָּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל תּוֹרָה.
...And Rabbi Akiva says I had 12,000 students from Gevat until Antifras and they all died in my lifetime between Pesach and Shavuot, and at the end, I set up seven. They are: Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Nechemia, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yossi, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yossi Hagelili and Rabbi Yochanan Hasandler. He said to them, the first ones only died because they were stingy to one another in Torah, you shouldn't be like this. They immediately arose and filled the whole Land of Israel with Torah.
The urge to say, “It’s all over,” must have been overwhelming. The less faithful and more pessimistic among them must have been ready to give up. But Rabbi Akiva recovered from his devastating loss to transmit the Torah through a new group of five students. It was on Lag B’Omer that Rabbi Akiva began teaching Torah to these new talmidim. The seeds he planted that day, which ultimately produced the massive rejuvenation of Torah, are the reasons for celebrating on Lag B’Omer. On this day we commemorate the renewal. We celebrate the determination. We cheer the cessation of the plague. We foresee the future bright with hope and determination. As the centuries pass, and as the Romans of every period seek our destruction and annihilation, we look to Rabbi Akiva for inspiration. We note how he looked the enemy in the face and persevered, thus ensuring that our nation and our Torah are alive and flourishing to this very day. In the wake of a tragedy that would have felled lesser people, Rabbi Akiva strengthened himself and set about ensuring that the chain remains unbroken.
Before visiting the walls he had to daven Mincha since he had yahrzeit that day. He asked the populace and they led him to the nearest minyan in the great Gateshead Yeshiva. Then he visited the Roman wall of Hadrian. He describes his experience:
Lag Ba'Omer - Celebrating the Continuity of Our Tradition
What is Lag B'Omer?
R' Akiva and his students were supposed to transmit the Torah to the next generation. But because of the machloket that broke out amongst them in hilchos damim they were not worthy to transmit the Torah and therefore were killed.
R' Shimon Bar Yochai is the tikun of this. Not only was he able to carry on the mesora from R' Akiva after this plague he was able to reveal the Torah.
He gives a mashal of a stone on a well and the stone cannot be removed, but R' Shimon bar Yochai is able to remove this stone and Torah is revealed.
אותו יום ביקש רבי שמעון בר יוחאי להסתלק מן העולם, והיה מסדר דבריו. נתכנסו החברים לביתו, והוא אמר להם: עתה שעת רצון היא, מילים קדושות שלא גיליתי עד עתה רצוני לגלותן … כל ההוא יומא לא אפסיק אשא מן ביתא, ולא הוה מאן דמטי לגביה, דלא יכילו דנהורא ואשא הוה בסוחרניה ... ואשא הוה להיט קמיה. שמעו קלא עולו ואתו ואתכנשו להילולא דרבי שמעון.
On the day that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was to leave this world, he organized his teachings. His friends came to his room and he said to them, “Now is a time of favor. I can now reveal to you holy things that have not been revealed until now.” … All that day the fire never left his room, and there was no one who was able to approach him, as the light and the fire were surrounding him … [After he passed away, and they came to bury him] the fire flew into the air and danced before him. A voice was heard [from Heaven] saying, “Come and gather [every year] for the hilulah (anniversary) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.”
(א) הנה ר' שמעון בן יוחאי קראוהו בוצינא קדישא, כי ע"י נתגלו באיתגליא סודות התורה, ה"ס האור כי טוב הגנוז בתורה, ע"כ נקרא ספרו הקדוש זה"ר, אור המבהיק מסוף העולם ועד סופו, אור הטוב הגנוז בתורה. ע"כ יומא הדין טוב ימים למתן תורה. אשר מתחיל להתנוצץ האור כי טוב בתו' וכמש"ל. הנה יום הזה ל"ג בעומר. יומא דהילולא דרבי שמעון בן יוחאי בו ביום עלה לשמי מרומים. ומסתמא ביום זה נולד ג"כ כי הקב"ה יושב וממלא שנותיהם של צדיקים מיום אל יום. הנה בו ביום שמתחיל האור כי טוב להאיר מן התורה היינו טוב ימים קודם מתן תורה בו ביום נתגלית הנשמה הקדושה בעולם אשר תגלה דרך אור כי טו"ב בתור'. ע"כ נקר' הקדוש ההוא בוצינא קדישא (היינו נ"ר הקדוש) בו ביום עלה לשמי מרומים וצוה לר' אבא לכתוב כל הגנזי נסתרות אשר נתגלה להשאיר ברכה מהארת האור הגנוז (כי טוב כמד"א מה רב טובך אשר צפנת וכו') שמור לנו ולבנינו עד יתגלה במהרה אור משיח צדקינו. כמשארז"ל ויאמר אלקים יהי אור זה אורו של מלך המשיח בזכות התעסקות בהאור כי טוב אשר השאיר בוצינא קדישא לברכה ולחיים ולאור לכל ישראל:
(1) R’ Shimon bar Yochai was called “the holy lamp” because through him were revealed the secrets of Torah, that is the secret of “the light that was good” which is hidden in the Torah. Therefore his holy book is called the Zohar (lit. brilliance), meaning a light which shines from one end of the world to the other – the ‘good light’ which is hidden away in the Torah. That is why this day is the best of days for the giving of Torah. This is when the good light in the Torah began to shone forth, as we have learned. And this day is the 33rd day of the Omer, Lag Baomer. This is the day of the hilulah (lit. rejoicing) of R’ Shimon bar Yochai, the very day on which he ascended to the highest heavens. It also makes sense to assume that he was born on this day as well, because the Holy One sits and completes the years of the righteous from day to day (Kiddushin 38a). The very day on which ‘the light that is good’ began to shine out from the Torah, that is the best of days before the giving of the Torah, is the very day on which the holy soul that would reveal the path of ‘the light that is good’ in Torah was itself revealed. That is why this holy soul was called “the holy lamp,” on the very day that he rose up to the highest heavens he commanded R’ Aba to write down all the storehouses of hidden knowledge which he had revealed in order to leave behind a blessing from the illumination of the hidden light (that is good, as it says “How abundant is the good that You have in store for those who fear You…” (Psalms 31:20)) It is preserved there for us and our children until the light of our righteous Messiah is revealed, speedily and in our day! It is as our Sages said “And God said, let there be light…” this refers to the light of the King Messiah (Pesikta Rabbati 36), in the merit of our occupation with ‘the light that is good’ which the holy lamp left behind as a blessing and life, and a light for all Israel.
בימי מרן (ר' יוסף קארו) הסכימו שלא יעשו ישראל הערביים מחול בל"ג בעומר על ציון רשב"י. ונראה למרן וב"ד, שהוא זלזול שאוכלים ומרקדים, ונכתבה ולא נחתמה. בלילה חלם מרן עם הרשב"י וא"ל שתבא מגפה גדולה בעבור זו ההסכמה, כי רצונו שישמחו בהילולא, ולמחר קרע את ההסכמה.
In the days of our master (Rav Yosef Karo) they agreed that the Jews would not make a big celebration on Lag B’Omer at the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. It seemed to our master and his Beit Din that it was degrading that people ate and danced there. [This decision was] written but not signed. That night our master dreamed about Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who said to him that a great plague would befall the people because of this decision. It was his wish that they celebrate on the anniversary of his death. The following day he tore up the decision.
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.
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.
Lag Ba'Omer - Celebrating the Continuity of Our Tradition Whilst Commemorating the Life of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
