The words of the Zera Shimshon on the absolute dedication of the Prophet Obadiah were placed at the entrance of Obadiah's cave, in the locality of Baram • Thousands visit his tomb, known as a propitious place for blessing and salvation • A particular Segula for the matter of having enduring offspring.
In the parashah of Vayishlach (art. 3), Rabenu the Zera Shimshon brings an extraordinary passage concerning the sacrifice and dedication of the Prophet Obadiah. In those days, Queen Ezebel, wife of Ahab King of Israel, decreed the extermination of all the prophets of Hashem. Obadiah, who was not yet a prophet and served as the steward of Ahab’s palace, risked his life and hid one hundred prophets in two caves, personally taking on the task of providing them with food and sustenance throughout the entire time they remained hidden from the affliction that threatened them.
Well known are the sayings of our Sages (Talmud Yerushalmi, Pe'ah 1:1): in the generation of Ahab, they went out to war and were victorious, with no casualties, whereas in the generation of King David, they went out to war and fell. This was despite the fact that in the time of King David, Torah study reached such perfection that, from the region of Dan to Be’er Sheva, there was no boy or girl who did not know the Torah in its forty-nine facets of purity and forty-nine of impurity. Why, then, did the generation of Ahab deserve more? Because in their time, they did not speak lashon hara (evil speech). Indeed, when the Prophet Eliyahu presented himself on Mount Carmel and proclaimed (Melachim I 18:22): “I alone am left as a Prophet of Hashem,” the entire nation knew that Obadiah had hidden one hundred prophets in caves... and not a single one went to the king to betray that information!
The Zera Shimshon also analyzes the Talmudic passage that explains why Obadiah divided the prophets into two caves and did not hide them all together in one. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 39b) says that Obadiah learned the strategy from Yaakov Avinu: when Yaakov prepared to meet Esav, he set up three avenues — prayer, gifts, and war — and also divided his camp into two, saying: “If Esav comes and attacks one part, the other will be able to escape.” Rabbi Elazar comments that Obadiah learned this tactic from Yaakov Avinu and therefore divided the prophets into two groups. Another explanation is brought by Rabbi Avhu: that Obadiah did not need to learn this from Jacob; simply, a single cave could not accommodate everyone.
Rabenu the Zera Shimshon develops this discussion in a deep and surprising way.
In the locality of Baram, in the north of Israel — about a twenty-minute drive from the holy site of Meron — lies the marked tomb of the Prophet Obadiah, the student of the Prophet Eliyahu, of blessed memory. According to tradition, his tomb was marked by R. Shmuel ben Shimshon and by “Yad Moshe”; it is also recounted that Rabenu the Or HaChaim visited and prayed there in the year 1742.
Throughout the year, thousands of Jews flock to this holy place, which is considered propitious for receiving salvation and mercy. Many stay in the structure built over the cave, which has been recently refurbished to serve as a suitable space for study, prayer, siyum masechet celebrations, and festive mitzvah meals.
One of the scholars — an erudite man from Bnei Brak who regularly visits the site and studies the Torah of the Zera Shimshon daily — was deeply moved upon learning Rabenu's commentary on the cave of the Prophet Obadiah. He then decided to benefit those who come to the site and offer them a significant spiritual preparation before entering the holy place.
After a period of intense activity and arrangements, an emotional ceremony was held with the participation of a minyan of Sages who studied the words of the Zera Shimshon together and celebrated a mitzvah meal. There, at the entrance to the cave, they placed an impressive, beautifully designed, large-sized sign that presents the Zera Shimshon's analysis on this week's parashah, Vayishlach. Since then, many of the visitors to the site study the Zera Shimshon's commentary on the dedication and bravery of the Prophet Obadiah, and enjoy the sweetness of his teachings in explaining those events.
