Who Is Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai?

Rabbi Yaron Reuven

Who is Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai also known as Rashbi? Everyone has heard his name in the Jewish world and even in non-Jewish world. We just celebrated his Hilula by lighting a fire and learning some Torah and enjoying some food with a great group of people.

But the question that we tried to answer is a question that many people perhaps never even asked. Why do we light the fire? Why is rabbi shimon bar yochai so special and so unique that he gets the rest of klal Israel to celebrate his Hilula until this day, while his rabbi, Rabbi Akiva and even Moshe Rabienu don't? What's so special about Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai? What's so unique about him? What can we learn from him? What can we learn about him? that could affect our lives? Today, this and much more was discussed tonight in a beautiful night with beautiful people and the most extraordinary Torah of all. Enjoy it, share it and be holy.



0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:11 Why light fire on Lag B'Omer?
0:02:24 R. Shimon Bar Yochai was Student of Rabbi Akiva
0:02:45 R. Shimon Bar Yochai neshamah was spark of Moshe Rabbeinu (Ramchal)
0:03:30 Why celebrate only R. Shimon Bar Yochai's Hillula, not other great Rabbis?
0:03:54 Gravesite of R. Shimon Bar Yochai (Chasam Sofer)
0:04:47 The average Jew & ignorance: Satan's lethal weapon
0:05:24 Why light fire on Lag B'Omer? (cont.)
0:07:25 R. Shimon Bar Yochai & son: hid & studied in cave for 12 years (Shabbat 33b)
0:09:21 R. Shimon Bar Yochai Gifted Torat HaSod for his sacrifice
0:10:29 Why light fire on Lag B'Omer? (cont.)
0:14:10 R. Akiva's Kiddushah
0:16:33 Overrating certain Rabbis, while genuine Tzadikkim are mistreated
0:20:16 Everything needs a Source
0:23:01 Triangle Neshamot: Acronym Shevi (שבי)
0:25:14 R. Shimon Bar Yochai: Heaven forbid that the Torah would be forgotten from Israel (Shabbat 138b to Dt. 31 v. 21)
0:27:32 Secret behind the Secret: Hidden parts of Torah requires more delving into: more commitment to Torah
0:30:23 Elayahu HaNavi: Don't learn Torah only when comfortable
0:31:51 Chasam Sofer's Rabbi, Natan Adler: opposed wigs: woman rebuked for wig, died same week, spit on
0:33:59 Chasam Sofer's achieved greatness through serving his Rabbi (Klausenberger Rebbe)
0:34:31 Chasam Sofer Served his Rabbi exactly like a slave serves his master (R. Ovadia Yosef)
0:37:23 Degenerate child at home surpasses Gog u'Magog war (Berachos 7b to Ps. 3:1)
0:40:26 Wicked Public Schools & Problematic Yeshivot
0:43:34 Missing the point, despite attending Yeshiva
0:45:17 One should learn one Maseches at a time
0:47:11 Learning is fundamental to being Jewish (Parents fault)
0:48:40 Torah Saves from Gehinnom vs Education of the Satan
0:50:33 Permissible to contend with the wicked in this world & Learning Torah (R. Shimon bar Yochai to Proverbs 28:4)
0:52:19 Why R. Shimon bar Yochai wants to fight & Sefer Milchamot: Book of Wars: For the Sake of Hashem
0:54:41 Kabbalistic secrets of the Bar Yochai song
0:55:48 Set Place to Pray: Protection, defeats your enemies (don't embarrass over it)
0:58:22 Attending to those who study Torah is greater than studying Torah under them (II Kings 3 v. 11: Elisha washed hands of Eliyahu HaNavi)
1:01:34 Joshua Ben Nun: Attendant of Moshe Rabbeinu
1:02:32 Unacceptable Title: Arrogance; Great people know their place next to their Master
1:04:06 R. Efraim Kachlon: Big things that Big Rabbis do: HKBH gives powers to those who sacrifice for Torah
1:11:35 What about YOU?
1:12:26 Certain things that endanger one's life: onion, garlic, drink left open overnight
1:14:47 What happened to the Snake that showed up on Shabbat?
1:17:23 Certain things that endanger one's life (cont.)
1:17:57 Walking away from left open drink stringency & words of Chachamim (R. Kanievsky)
1:19:16 If you don't care about the small things you won't care about the big things (danger: cut eggs open overnight)
1:20:07 Talmidei Chachamim: All Fire (R. Kachlon)
1:20:44 Danger of Anger & Shabbat: Korban for the Satan
1:23:50 Conclusion
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