The Joy of Constant Connection

Climax of the holy Zohar is the inspirational story of the day Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai left this world. In honor of this great day the Hillula, the great celebration of Rebbe Shimon, Lag BaOmer, let’s have a glimpse into the holiness of this day.

This story is not just connected to our series The Wisdom of Unity, but rather it’s the initial inspiration of the entire series, an aspect of machshavah techilah. It was my first thought. For in this section of the Zohar, the Idra Zuta, is my favorite line from the whole entire Zohar. In my humble opinion this line is the secret of the magnetism of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai and really, the secret of life. For when we learn Torah, it’s always in an aspect of what can I implement from these ideas? How can I become a better person?

The holy Idra begins with the following words, on the day that Rebbe Shimon was to leave the world, he arranged his teachings, therefore, his students gathered around his house. When Rebbe Shimon looked up and he saw that his house was full of people, he began to cry. He said, on an earlier occasion, when I was deathly ill, Rebbe Pinchas ben Yair was with me while I chose my place in Gan Eden. I was surrounded by a fire and no person could come in without permission. Now, I see that the fire has ceased, and therefore, the house is full. While Rebbe Shimon was lying on his bed, he opened his eyes and then a fire surrounded the house, and everyone fled outside, leaving only Reb Eleazar the son of Rebbe Shimon, Rav Abba.

Then Rebbe Shimon told his son, go and see if Reb Yitzchak is here. I promised him that he would live until the day of my passing, and I would take him together with me to Gan Eden. Please tell him to put his affairs in order and come and sit with me. Happy is his portion. Then Rebbe Shimon lifted up his hands in prayers in great joy, and he said, those that were with me in the Idra Rabba, are invited in. Only Rav Eleazar, Rebbe Shimon’s son, Rav Abba, Reb Yehuda, Rav Yossi, Rav Chiya were left.

Rebbe Shimon said, now is the auspicious time for me to reveal secrets of the Torah for I wish to enter the world to come without any shame, not holding back any secrets. Rebbe Abba shall write. Reb Eleazar, my son, shall repeat my words, and all the other disciples whisper them in their hearts. Then all of a sudden, there was a great commotion, for tzaddikim from the higher worlds began to descend into the room, Rav Hanina, Reb Pinchas ben Yair. Then, Rebbe Shimon said, I see that today is a special day, for Hashem and all of the tzaddikim are rejoicing in my celebration, the great Hillula.

We see an amazing thing here. This is a man lying on a bed smiling, without any exertion, but the whole creation is within his powers. He has the power to surround his house with fire, he has the power to choose his place in the world to come, and even the power to draw down Hashem and all of the tzaddikim from the higher worlds. He’s arranging every single person where he wants them, and all with a smile on his face. He has clarity, everything is barur to him. Now, Rebbe Shimon reveals to us where this power comes from.

In the first words of the secret to Torah that Rebbe Shimon revealed on his final day, he opens with a verse from Shir Hashirim, Chapter 7, Verse 11. “Ani l’dodi,” I am to my beloved, “v’alai teshukaso,” and to me is his desire. In his explanation of this verse lie my favorite words of the whole entire Zohar. The secret of Rebbe Shimon, the secret of life. “Kol yamim,” all of my days. “D’iskatarna b’hai alma,” that I was connected to this world. Meaning that my holy soul was incarnated into a physical body, into a physical world, which often distracts so many of us from keeping focus.

Rebbe Shimon testifies about himself. “B’echad ketir iskatarna bei b’kudsha brich hu,” with a connection of unity, with a constant connection I was connected to Hashem. “U’begin kach,” and because of this, now His desire is to me that He, Himself, and His whole heavenly entourage has come to hear in joy the secrets of the Torah.

Connection without separation despite being physical, this is the quality of da’as, the wisdom of connection. This is the quality of the Beis Hamikdash for the tzaddikim or the aspect of the holy Temple. Through their constant connection they have the power over the physical world to raise it up, and they had the power to bring down the divine presence. For man is wired for connection, for a man processes both the soul and the body and only man stands between heaven and earth and his whole purpose in creation is to draw down and to elevate. We are programmed for connection. Our essential desire is to be connected to other people, to our Creator, and even to our own souls. This brings us inner peace and joy.

Here lies the secret of the word chad ketira, constant connection. The word chad has a dual connotation. Not only does it mean one and unity, it also means joy. For true joy is a byproduct of constant connection.

This joy is the subject of Rebbe Nachman’s teaching 61 in Likutei Moharan, where Rebbe Nachman explains that Rebbe Shimon and his students, they come from the side of love and unity, are a rectification for Rebbe Akiva and his students. The students of Rebbe Akiva were from the side of strict justice. They were lacking unity and therefore, they were not able to sweeten the harsh judgements, but Rebbe Shimon and his students were the rectification for them.

As Rebbe Shimon says, then fear was the proper response. “Anan b’chavivuso talya,” but by us everything hinges on love. Not every one of us is on the level of Rebbe Shimon or his students.

On this teaching of Rebbe Nachman, Rebbe Nosson gives us practical advice of how we too, today, can be incorporated and included in the joy of connection of Rebbe Shimon. Due to the bitter exile, it’s hidden the aspect of the tzaddik in each and every one of us. Nevertheless, when a person comes together to the gathering of the tzaddik, it begins to shine, the aspect of the tzaddik within us. For anyone who comes to the holy gathering of the tzaddik is a tzaddik. As the verse says, your whole entire nation are tzaddikim.

So no matter where you are, whether you’re traveling to Meron or whether you just opened up online the story of the passing of Rebbe Shimon, or you’re listening to this podcast, have intention to be incorporated in the joy of this day. The joy of Rebbe Shimon. The joy of unity, and in the merit of this holy unity, and the joy that comes with it, may we merit to sweeten all of the harsh judgements. May we greet the Moshiach with song and dance and see the third and final temple speedily in our days.