A favorite spot for the “upsherin” of little three-year olds is the Kever of Shimon HaTzaddik, which is found in the Sheik Jaraah neighborhood at the entrance to the Kidron Valley north of the old city of Yerushalayim. Shimon HaTzaddik was one of the last remaining members of the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah. He served as Kohen Gadol for the first forty years of the second Beis HaMikdash. Tannaim of his time were called Rabi and he is the only Tanna we find that Chaza”l call “HaTzaddik.”
The Gemara (Yoma 39) tells us the great miracles seen in the Beis HaMikdash during the forty years that Shimon HaTzaddik served as Kohen Gadol:
- In the lottery made on Yom Kippur between the two similar goats, the “LaHaShem” lot was always drawn by his right hand;
- the scarlet thread hung in the Beis HaMikdash always turned white, indicating that HaShem had forgiven His Nation;
- the Ner Maaravi of the menorah burnt for 40 years nonstop;
- the kohanim needed to bring only two kindling-logs to the outer altar, from which a fire with the intensity of the noonday sun burned;
- when the bread of the lechem hapanim was divided among the mishmar of Kohanim; mathematically, each should have gotten a piece the size of a tiny pea. but during his tenure they were satiated even with such a tiny piece. During his time, even nature was miraculous, because the tzaddik‘s deeds influenced the environment.
Shimon HaTzaddik influenced not only the Bais HaMikdash and Yerushalayim, but the whole world. His influence affected the wars of the nations of that era. In Maseches Menachos it is told that Alexander the Great knew if he would be successful in the next day’s battle if he envisioned Shimon HaTzaddik. As his name tzaddik implies, he was the foundation of the world, as it says “tzaddik yesod ha’olam", the tzaddik is the foundation of the world. Therefore he could tell us in the Mishnah (Avos 1,2) on what the world stands on: Torah, avodah and gemilus chassadim.
Shimon HaTzaddik was niftar on 29th of Tishrei about 3450.
