Lag B’Omer
Open Gates:
The Zohar Hakadosh states that the days preceding the holy day of Lag B’Omer, which are known as the days of “Hod”, are a time when all the gates of Heaven are open. Lag B’Omer itself is the day of “Hod Sheb’hod”, which is “the highest of the highest.”
The Second Set of Seven Shepherds:
Sefer Irin Kadishin (page 180) quotes Rav Isaac of Chmelnik zy”a as saying that he once was in Ruzhin on Lag B’Omer and he heard the Ruzhiner Rebbe zy”a say as follows: “Why do we make a hilula in honor of the Yoma D’Hilula of Rav Shimon bar Yochai, but we don’t do the same for any other Tannaim? Rav Akiva was Rav Shimon’s rebbi. Why don’t we make a hilula for him?”
He answered, “There were ‘shiva ro’im’ (seven shepherds): Avrohom, Yitzchok, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef and Dovid. There also needs to be seven more shepherds before the arrival of Moshiach. What is the ‘yichus’ of these seven shepherds? Their lineage is that Hashem delights with them in Gan Eden ‘from morning until night and from night until morning.’”
He continued, “The second set of seven shepherds is: The first one is Rav Shimon bar Yochai. The second one is Rav Nochum Shastik zy”a (grandfather of the Me’or Ainayim of Chernobyl zy”a, some say he was his uncle). The third is the Baal Shem Tov zy”a. The fourth is Rav Boruch of Mezhiboz zy”a. The fifth is Rav Avrohom the Malach zy”a. I am the sixth. There needs to be one more before Moshiach comes.”
Rav Shimon Approved of the Ziditchoiver Rebbe’s Commentary on the Zohar:
The following story was related by the Tosher Rebbe zy”a (Avodas Avodah, Sichos, Chelek 1, page 23): One leil Shabbos, Rav Yehuda Tzvi of Razla zy”a wanted to bring his father-in-law, the Ateres Tzvi of Ziditchoiv zy”a a certain beverage to drink. As he stood outside the door to his room, he heard voices of several people coming from inside. He peeked into the keyhole and saw an old man and a young man speaking to his father-in-law, and he was too afraid to enter.
The next day at shalosh seudos, the Ziditchoiver Rebbe started to say a maamer of the Zohar Hakadosh, as was his way, and he said, “This memrah was explained to me by Rav Shimon bar Yochai himself.”
He proceeded to say the explanation of Rav Shimon and he then said, “And the Arizal explained it this way…” And he proceeded to say the Arizal’s explanation.
He then said, “And I explain it this way… And both Rav Shimon and the Arizal agreed to my explanation!”
He added, “If you don’t believe me, ask the ‘shvartzen ganav’ (black thief – a reference to his son-in-law). He peeked into the keyhole and saw them.”
Money to Travel to Meron:
The following story was related by the Rachmostrivke Rebbe of New York zy”a (Imaros Taharos, page 50) in the name of a man named R’ Mordechai Hersch zt”l:
One year, R’ Mordechai Hersch was facing serious financial problems. It got so bad that he had no money to make Pesach. That year, his youngest son turned three-years-old, but he could not afford to make the trip to Meron for the boy’s “chalakah” and had no other choice but to make it in Yerushalaim, where he lived. However, this bothered him very much and he was greatly pained that he couldn’t make the chalakah in Meron.
He decided to speak to his rebbi, Rav nochum of Rachmostrivke zy”a, assuming that he would comfort him and assure that it was acceptable to make the chalakah in Yerushalaim.
On the day before Lag B’Omer, R’ Mordechai Hersch went to the rebbi and asked, “Since I have no money, do I need to go to Meron for my son’s chalakah?”
The rebbi replied, “What do you mean? Are you really considering not going to Meron?”
Rav Mordechai Hersch responded, “Even if I wanted to go now, I couldn’t go. All the busses have left already.”
Rav Nochum said, “If you have no other way to go, you should take a taxi!”
Rav Mordechai Hersch exclaimed, “That would cost me five pounds! (That was a lot of money in those days.)”
The rebbi stated, ‘Nu, nu. The Eibishter will help.”
Left with no other choice, he borrowed money and traveled by taxi to Meron.
After he returned home, he received a check in the mail from a wealthy philanthorpist in Vienna, which was enough to cover the cost of the taxi and all of his debts.
”Mayrin” (Carrots) In Place of Being in Meron:
Rav Yankele of Pshevorsk zy”a (quoted in Yud Gimmel Oros) related that a guest from Eretz Yisroel once came to the tish of the Chozeh of Lublin zy”a on Lag B’Omer. This man usually was in Meron for Lag B’Omer and he was saddened by the fact that he could not be there this year.
The Chozeh realized how upset the man was and he passed him a portion of “mayerin tzimmes” (carrot tzimmes). He told him, “Here is your Meron (mayerin).” With his holy words, he insitlled into the man a sense of extreme joy, and he began to dance.
The Secrets of the Song “Bar Yochai”:
Rav Elchonon Halperin zt”l, Rov of Radmoshla related (Sichon Shel Avdei Avos, Chelek 1, page 281) that the following story is accepted as truth by chassidim and anshei maasoh:
The Divrei Chaim of Sanz zy”a was once in the city of Dzhikov, where he was staying by his mechutin, Rav Eliezer of Dzhikov zy”a. Rav Eliezer was waiting for the Divrei Chaim to start his Lag B’Omer tish, and when he did not arrive for some time, he sent his shamash to find him. The Shamash opened the door to the Divrei Chaim’s room, and saw him holding the hand of Rav Moshele of Radzvodov zy”a (Rav Eliezer of Dzikov’s son), and Rav Moshele gestured to him not to disturb them.
When the two of them finally came to the tish, Rav Eliezer asked his son what they had been talking about. He replied, “The Sanzer Rov told me the secrets of the song ‘Bar Yochai’. He taught me how to ‘put each Bar Yochai in its proper place.’”
The Magid of Chernobyl’s Mission to Rav Shimon:
The Rachmostrivke Rebbe of New York zy”a related the following story in the name of his father-in-law, Rav Yaakov Yosef of Skver zy”a (Imaros Taharos, page 45):
When the Bas Ayin zy”a was preparing to travel to Eretz Yisroel, the Magid of Chernobyl zy”a told him, “When you get to Eretz Yisroel, go to Rav Shimon bar Yochai’s kever in Meron. When you are there, shed tears with the eyes – not with your eyes but with his eyes – and ask why Moshiach hasn’t come yet. And say to him that he is fortunate that I didn’t come to him because if I was there, I would tear apart his kever and ask him why he didn’t get Moshiach to come yet!”
The Power of His Influence:
Rav Shimon’s Torah protects us. It illuminates our eyes. He speaks well on our behalf. Hashem should help every Yid who travels to Meron, as well as all those who lack the ability to go there. As Rav Aharon of Karlin zy”a said, “Just like Hashem is for everyone, Rav Shimon is for everyone.” Just like Hashem’s influence reaches every corner of the world, so too Rav Shimon’s influence affects the entire world, and he certainly will achieve yeshuos for every Yid. In this merit, may we soon see the ultimate redemption, speedily in our days.
