Reb Moshe Leib Shachor of Yerushalayim zt'l told a story about a doctor from Konigsberg, Germany, who worked very hard, day and night, to heal all the patients affected by an epidemic. When everyone recovered, the doctor needed a break. He went to a neighbouring city, booked a hotel room, and instructed the staff that they shouldn't say he is there if people come looking for him. He needed to rest.
The epidemic broke out in the city where he was staying, but the doctor chose to remain concealed even then. He didn't want to reveal himself because he would need to work hard again to heal everyone. It is obvious that the doctor acted incorrectly. He had the ability to heal, so he should have used his knowledge to heal.
Reb Moshe Leib Shachar concluded, "Reb Shimon bar Yochai announced that he could save people from judgment, so he will undoubtedly do so. If a person has the strength and ability, it isn't proper not to use it. Reb Shimon said that he can free הדין מן כולו העולם כל, 'The entire world, entirely, from judgment.' It seems redundant to say, כולו העולם כל, 'The entire world, entirely.' Either the word כל or the word כולו is extra, because both words mean 'entire'.
The same question can also be asked on the tefillah of Rosh Hashanah, כולו העולם כל על מלוך, 'Be king over the entire world, entirely.' Indeed, the Levush (582:8) changes the nusach to בכבודך כולו העולם על מלוך and removes the word כל.
However, the Taz (528:8) answers that there is a concept of ככולו רובו, that the majority is considered like the entirety. So we clarify that when we request that Hashem be king over the world, our intention isn't רובו ככולו, that the majority of the world should accept Hashem as king. We want Hashem’s kingdom to be recognized over כולו העולם כל, the entire world. Every person, without exception, should know Hashem and accept Him as King,
Similarly, we can explain that Reb Shimon says that he can save הדין מן כולו העולם כל, that every single person will be saved.
In parashas Korach (16:3), we find once again the double expression of "everyone" when it states כולם העדה כל קדושים, 'For the entire congregation, entirely, are holy.' The Siforno says that this means they are holy מכף ראש עד רגל, from toe to head. Their entire body and essence are holy. We can, therefore, add that when Reb Shimon said, הדין מן כולו העולם כל לפטור אני יכל, that he can save the entire world from the judgment, this means that from head to toe of each person, there will be health and salvation, and nothing will be lacking.
22. Rashi writes that Reb Shimon says, "I take their sins on myself, and thereby they are freed from judgment."
The Chidushei HaRim zy’a says that every year, on Lag b'Omer, Reb Shimon bar Yochai repeats his famous statement, "I can exempt the entire world from punishment!" What process does Reb Shimon Bar Yochai use to free us from judgment and punishment?
Reb Akiva Eiger (Gilyon HaShas on Succah 45:), on the margin of the Gemara, writes that we should refer to Avos d'Reb Noson (ch.16). With these few words, Reb Akiva Eiger is telling us the method Reb Shimon can use to save the entire world from judgment.
Avos d'Reb Noson states a surprising statement: Reb Shimon bar Yochai said, "The Jewish nation doesn't go to Gehinom." Reb Shimon explains with a mashal:
A king owned an infertile field, which never grew crops. A group of people requested to lease a portion of the land from the king, and in exchange, they would pay the king ten kur of wheat each year. The king agreed to the deal. But after a year of hard work, the field only produced one kur of wheat.
The king rebuked them. "You told me you would pay me ten kur!"
They replied, "Our master, our king: You know this field is infertile. All those years you owned it, it produced nothing. We plowed, sowed, fertilized, pruned, and irrigated the field for a year. We tried our best, yet it only produced one kur of wheat. Please don’t hold it against us. We tried our best."
Reb Shimon bar Yochai concludes, "This is the defense the Jewish nation will say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu on the day of judgment. They will say, 'Master of the world, You know the yetzer hara entices us to sin. As it states (Tehillim 103:14), יצרנו ידע הוא כי, 'For He knew our nature.' So, please don’t hold us responsible for our poor performance. We tried our best." Reb Akiva Eiger is telling us that it is with this claim that Reb Shimon bar Yochai will free all people from judgment. On Lag b'Omer, Hashem sees our good and overlooks our evil deeds because He compassionately understands the significant challenges and tests we face, and He forgives us.
