Rashbi experienced intense closeness to Hashem in an openly manifested manner, throughout his physical lifetime. As he declared on the day of his passing (Lag B’Omer), “Throughout the days that I have been bound within this world, I have been in a perfect bond with the Holy One, Blessed be He...” (Zohar III p. 288a).
This phrase indicates a state of complete nullification to G-d.
Power to all Jews
It is from Rashbi that each Jew receives the power to replicate this state of nullification in his or her divine service; permitting our service to bear similarity and be considered a “sample” of bechad katirana iskatrana, a perfect bond with Hashem. This power enables a Jew to be holy in all of his or her affairs, in the spirit of the verse, “You [the Jewish people] should be holy, for I [Hashem] am Holy,” and “I will be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel.”
This, we could say, is pointedly expressed in the custom to celebrate Rashbi’s Yom Hilula on Lag B’Omer in public – with farbrengens, gatherings (kinusim) and parades in his honor. (Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim 5750; Hisvaaduyos p. 148)
