Simeon bar Yohai
Encyclopedia
Simeon bar Yochai, also known by his acronym Rashbi, was a famous 1st-century tannaic sage in ancient Israel, active after the destruction of the Second Temple
in 70 CE. He was one of the most eminent disciples of Rabbi Akiva
, and is attributed with the authorship of the Zohar
, the chief work of Kabbalah
.
In addition, the important legal homilies called Sifre
and Mekhilta
are attributed to him. In the Mishnah, he is often referred to as simply "Rabbi Shimon."
According to popular legend, he and his son, Rabbi Eleazar b. Simeon
were noted Kabbalists
. Both figures are held in unique reverence by kabbalistic tradition.
, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai criticized the Roman government and was forced to go into hiding with his son for thirteen years. They sheltered in a cave (which local tradition places in Peki'in
). Next to the mouth of the cave a carob tree sprang up and a spring of fresh water gushed forth. Provided against hunger and thirst they cast off their clothing except during prayers to keep them from wearing out, embedded themselves in the sand up to their necks, and studied the Torah
all day long.
as an envoy, where, according to legend, he exorcised from the emperor's daughter a demon
who had obligingly entered the lady to enable Rabbi Shimon to effect his miracle.
This rabbi bore a large part in the fixation of law, and his decisions are frequently quoted. To him were attributed the important legal homilies called Sifre
and Mekhilta
. Some modern scholars claim that Moses de León
who is said to have published the Zohar in the 13th century was actually its author, however kabbalists reject this claim.
The fullest account of Rabbi Shimon's teachings is to be found in W Bacher's Agada der Tannaiten, ii. pp. 70–149. When the Talmud attributes a teaching to Rabbi Shimon without specifying which Rabbi Shimon is meant, it means Shimon bar Yochai.
There is a mid-eighth century, Jewish, apocalypse
attributed to the Rabbi; see The Secrets of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai
.
is celebrated by Jewish communities around the world as his Yahrzeit (the anniversary of the death).
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's Yahrzeit is widely known as a Yom Hillula
, a day of celebration. This is based on the original text of Shaar HaKavanot by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato, which refers to the day as Yom Simchato ("the day of his happiness"), rather than Yom SheMet ("the day that he died"). There is thus a very widely observed custom to celebrate on his yahrzeit, at Meron
, the burial place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son, Rabbi Eleazar b. Simeon
. With torches, song and feasting, the Yom Hillula is celebrated by tens of thousands of people. This celebration was a specific request by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai of his students. It is a custom at the Meron celebrations, dating from the time of Rabbi Isaac Luria
, that three-year-old boys are given their first haircuts (called upshirin), while their parents distribute wine and sweets.
While it is widely accepted that Rabbi Shimon and his son were buried somewhere on Mount Meron, the building generally accepted as being his grave is an arched structure typical of crusader architecture, which is clearly shown in the photo of the building interior.
Second Temple
The Jewish Second Temple was an important shrine which stood on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem between 516 BCE and 70 CE. It replaced the First Temple which was destroyed in 586 BCE, when the Jewish nation was exiled to Babylon...
in 70 CE. He was one of the most eminent disciples of Rabbi Akiva
Rabbi Akiva
Akiva ben Joseph simply known as Rabbi Akiva , was a tanna of the latter part of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd century . He was a great authority in the matter of Jewish tradition, and one of the most central and essential contributors to the Mishnah and Midrash Halakha...
, and is attributed with the authorship of the Zohar
Zohar
The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
, the chief work of Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
.
In addition, the important legal homilies called Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
and Mekhilta
Mekhilta
This article refers to the Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael. There is a separate article on the Mekhilta de-Rabbi ShimonMekhilta or Mekilta is a halakic midrash to the Book of Exodus...
are attributed to him. In the Mishnah, he is often referred to as simply "Rabbi Shimon."
According to popular legend, he and his son, Rabbi Eleazar b. Simeon
Eleazar b. Simeon
Eleazar b. Simeon was a Jewish Tanna sage of the fifth generation, contemporary of R. Judah haNasi. He is also the son of R. Shimon bar Yochai...
were noted Kabbalists
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
. Both figures are held in unique reverence by kabbalistic tradition.
Critic of Rome
According to the TalmudTalmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai criticized the Roman government and was forced to go into hiding with his son for thirteen years. They sheltered in a cave (which local tradition places in Peki'in
Peki'in
Peki'in or Buqei'a , is a locality, local council in the Northern District of Israel located eight kilometres east of Ma'alot-Tarshiha in the Upper Galilee...
). Next to the mouth of the cave a carob tree sprang up and a spring of fresh water gushed forth. Provided against hunger and thirst they cast off their clothing except during prayers to keep them from wearing out, embedded themselves in the sand up to their necks, and studied the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
all day long.
Works and legends
According to rabbinic sources, he acquired a reputation as a worker of miracles, and on this ground was sent to RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
as an envoy, where, according to legend, he exorcised from the emperor's daughter a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
who had obligingly entered the lady to enable Rabbi Shimon to effect his miracle.
This rabbi bore a large part in the fixation of law, and his decisions are frequently quoted. To him were attributed the important legal homilies called Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
and Mekhilta
Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon
The Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon is a Halakic midrash on Exodus from the school of R. Akiba, the "Rabbi Shimon" in question being Shimon bar Yochai. No midrash of this name is mentioned in Talmudic literature, but medieval authors refer to one which they call either "Mekilta de-R. Simeon b. Yoḥai," or...
. Some modern scholars claim that Moses de León
Moses de Leon
Moses de León , known in Hebrew as Moshe ben Shem-Tov , was a Spanish rabbi and Kabbalist who is thought of as the composer or redactor of the Zohar. It is a matter of controversy if the Zohar is his own work, or that he committed traditions going back to Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai in writing...
who is said to have published the Zohar in the 13th century was actually its author, however kabbalists reject this claim.
The fullest account of Rabbi Shimon's teachings is to be found in W Bacher's Agada der Tannaiten, ii. pp. 70–149. When the Talmud attributes a teaching to Rabbi Shimon without specifying which Rabbi Shimon is meant, it means Shimon bar Yochai.
There is a mid-eighth century, Jewish, apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
attributed to the Rabbi; see The Secrets of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai
The Secrets of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai
The Secrets of Rabbi Simon hen Yobay is a Jewish apocalypse of the mid-eighth century, which present a Judaic messianic interpretation of the Arab conquest of the early 7th century and which appears to confirm the authenticity of similar interpretations found in the Doctrina...
.
Yahrzeit
Lag Ba'omerLag Ba'omer
Lag BaOmer , also known as Lag LaOmer amongst Sephardi Jews, is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the thirty-third day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of Iyar. One reason given for the holiday is as the day of passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Modern Jewish tradition links...
is celebrated by Jewish communities around the world as his Yahrzeit (the anniversary of the death).
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's Yahrzeit is widely known as a Yom Hillula
Yom Hillula
A Yom Hillula is another word for yahrzeit . However, it differs from a regular yahrzeit in two respects...
, a day of celebration. This is based on the original text of Shaar HaKavanot by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato, which refers to the day as Yom Simchato ("the day of his happiness"), rather than Yom SheMet ("the day that he died"). There is thus a very widely observed custom to celebrate on his yahrzeit, at Meron
Meron (Israel)
Meron is a moshav on the slopes of Mount Meron, in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near Safed, and within municipal jurisdiction of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council...
, the burial place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son, Rabbi Eleazar b. Simeon
Eleazar b. Simeon
Eleazar b. Simeon was a Jewish Tanna sage of the fifth generation, contemporary of R. Judah haNasi. He is also the son of R. Shimon bar Yochai...
. With torches, song and feasting, the Yom Hillula is celebrated by tens of thousands of people. This celebration was a specific request by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai of his students. It is a custom at the Meron celebrations, dating from the time of Rabbi Isaac Luria
Isaac Luria
Isaac Luria , also called Yitzhak Ben Shlomo Ashkenazi acronym "The Ari" "Ari-Hakadosh", or "Arizal", meaning "The Lion", was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Palestine...
, that three-year-old boys are given their first haircuts (called upshirin), while their parents distribute wine and sweets.
While it is widely accepted that Rabbi Shimon and his son were buried somewhere on Mount Meron, the building generally accepted as being his grave is an arched structure typical of crusader architecture, which is clearly shown in the photo of the building interior.
See also
- BaqashotBaqashotThe Baqashot are a collection of supplications, songs, and prayers that have been sung by the Sephardic Aleppian Jewish community and other congregations for centuries each week on Shabbat morning from midnight until dawn. Usually they are recited during the weeks of winter, when the nights are...
- Bar YohaiBar YohaiBar Yohai is a religious Jewish communal settlement near Har Meron in northern Israel. It belongs to Merom HaGalil Regional Council.It was founded in 1977 as a settlement for olim from the former Soviet Union. Those olim were not interested in living such a distance from a city nor in such austere...
, a community in northern Israel named after him - Eleazar b. SimeonEleazar b. SimeonEleazar b. Simeon was a Jewish Tanna sage of the fifth generation, contemporary of R. Judah haNasi. He is also the son of R. Shimon bar Yochai...
(his son)
External links
- All about Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai Ohel HaRashbi Meron
- Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai chabad.org
- Audio Lecture Disputing that Lag Ba'Omer is Rashbi's Yahrzeit on MachonShilo.org
- SIMEON BEN YOḤAI in the Jewish Encyclopedia