Yosef Karduner Singing "Amar Rabbi Akiva" From Lag B'Omer Concert

Such an awesome niggun, I can't stand it...Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Rebb. Yehudis Golshevsky - Sefira & Lag B'Omer Shiurim

Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky is back with several shiurim that she has given recently on women's special mitzvos according to Breslov Chassidus.

The following shiurim are for women only. Click on the links below to get the shiurim by either left clicking to listen online or right clicking and selecting "Save Target As" to download:

Sefira: Likutei Halachos Nezikin 3.1

Sefira: Likutei Halachos Nezikin 3.3

Lag B'Omer: Based on Lechu Chazu

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Pictures of Reb Tzvi Mayer Zilberberg on Lag B'Omer - Bow & Arrow

Courtesy of Reb Yosef Newman...

If Reb Tzvi Mayer went out of his way to shoot a home-made bow and arrow on Lag B'Omer, there must be something very deep to that. I know there's a minhag that kids are given and play with them on Lag B'Omer, but there must be something very deep to it. Does anyone know what this would be about it on a deeper level that Reb Tzvi Mayer made an avodah of going to do it?

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Rav Shmuel Brazil: Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai & the Power of Tefillah

With thanks to Reb Baruch (Barry) Salamon for sharing and distributing Rabbi Brazil's shiurim, below is a shiur he gave related to Lag BaOmer but which relates to ideas that are applicable every day.

CLICK HERE to get the shiur by either left clicking to listen right away or right clicking and selecting "Save Target As" to download.

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Pictures & Video From Aish Kodesh Lag B'Omer Hillulah Last Night

Here are some pictures and videos of some of the niggunim from the Hillula for Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai at Aish Kodesh (held at the YI of Lawrence-Cedarhurst) last night. It featured a secret from Rav Weinberger that is beyond words (v'hameivin yavin) and music by Nochi Krohn , Eitan Katz and Avi Feinberg on drums. With thanks to Neil in the comments for pointing this out, you can download and listen to the shiur portion of the Hillulah by Rav Weinberger for free (as of now) HERE. Amazing. The videos below don't have much of a picture in them (except for the top one of the Barditchiver Niggun where you can see Rav Weinberger), but the music and the chevra singing are the ikar. Enjoy.

Barditchiver Niggun With Rav Weinberger

Amar Rebbe Akiva

Yisborach Shimcha

Oz Vehadar Levusha

Niggun

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Lag BaOmer, Penimius Hatorah and Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai- Guest Post by R. Zvi Leshem

Tomorrow, 19 Iyar, is the 120th birthday of the Holy Piaseczner, Rebbe Kalonymos Kalmish HYD. He was connected with every fiber of his being to the holy Zohar of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai and viewed the Zohar HaKadosh as the Sefira of Keter Elyon, which was completed when unified with the Chassidic teachings of the Holy Besht, representing the Sefira of Malchut.
May the merit of Rebbe Shimon, the Besht and Rebbe Kalonymos protect Am Yisrael and bring the final Geula! Chag Sameach, Rav Zvi

BS"D
REBBE SHIMON'S INNER VISION:
A NOTE ON LAG B'OMER
Rav Zvi Leshem

The Kabala, of which Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai's (who's Yartzeit we commemorate on Lag B'Omer) holy Zohar, is the preeminent work, is often referred to as Penimiut HaTora, the Inner Dimension of the Tora. Others refer to it as the hidden light of the Tora. Many years ago Rav Yehoshua Reich shlita pointed out to me that even in the realm of Halacha Rebbe Shimon focuses on the inner dimension, since he poskins in Hilchot Shabbat[1] (and his positions are accepted) the principles of dvar sh'aino mitkavein mutar[2], and melacha sh'aino tzricha l'gufa patur[3], positions that essentially define physical actions, with their resultant Halachic consequences, according to the person's inner intention. Thus two people could perform the same act on Shabbat and be judged completely differently depending upon their thoughts at the time.

The [4]story of Rebbe Shimon's hiding in the cave from the Romans begins with a disagreement between him and Rebbe Yehuda. Rebbe Yehuda praises the Romans for building great markets, bridges and bathhouses. Rebbe Shimon retorts that all of these were built for the purpose of serving the Romans' evil intentions, prostitution, taxation and the worship of the body. After this Rebbe Shimon was sentenced to death and fled to the cave. We can see clearly that Rebbe Yehuda focuses upon the external physical reality whereas Rebbe Shimon defines these things based upon the internal intension.

Check and see, in the principles of Hilchot Shabbat mentioned above, in which Rebbe Shimon defines the action based upon their internal intentions, his opponent, who defines them based upon the external physical reality, is none other than Rebbe Yehuda.

May Rebbe Shimon's merit protect all of Am Yisrael.
Lag B'Omer sameach!
[1] Interestingly, the Zohar refers to Rebbe Shimon as "Shabbat" and the Karliner Rebbe would say "Gut Shabbos" in Meron, even during the week! See the Netivot Shalom on Lag B'Omer.
[2] Baitza 23a.
[3] Shabbat 121b.
[4] Shabbat 33b[!].

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Breslov Chassidus on Lag B'Omer - Audio Shiur By Rebb. Yehudis Golshevsky

I am happy to present Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky's weekly shiur in Breslov Chassidus for Women. This week she discussed teachings of Breslov Chassidus on the Tikun of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai in preperation for Lag B'Omer.

CLICK HERE to get the shiur by either left clicking to listen right away or right clicking and selecting "Save Target As" to download.

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Guest Post by Rabbi Zvi Leshem - Lag B'Omer - Reflections From Rav Shagar, zt'l

BS"D
LAG B'OMER – REFLECTIONS FROM RAV SHAGAR ZT"L
Rav Zvi Leshem

Introduction:

Lag b'Omer always falls out around the time of Parshat Emor, which deals with the issue of Tumat Met, the impurity caused by the dead. I once heard from Rav Shabbtai Rappaport shlita that chukim are not "strange" arbitrary laws, rather they are "taboos" deeply ingrained (chakuk) in the human subconscious, such as the fear of death and the sense of impurity and uneasiness, let alone terror, that it leaves us with. Rav Shagar zt"l wrote much about death and its rectification, even before his illness. He seemed to realize the power it holds over us and the need for us to deal with it in spiritually positive ways.[1] Perhaps in his own soul he also had a premonition that he would not remain in this world for long. Yesterday, while looking through various notes and papers pertaining to Lag b'Omer, when we commemorate the yartzeit of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi), I came across long forgotten notes from a shiur that Rav Shagar gave on 15 Iyar 5764 (spring of 2004) about Lag b'Omer. The shiur dealt with the death of the Zaddik, and of course was focused upon Rashbi. Yet for me, re-reading my notes, it was clearly discussing the death of the Zaddik – HaRav Shagar himself….I must admit that my notes are brief and there is clearly much that I didn't understand, and yet, I feel the need to write down these thoughts, as they are related to the Hilula, the celebration, of our Zaddik, whose second yartzeit will be in 25 Sivan, in just over a month. The shiur was based primarily upon two sources, the Gemara in Eiruvin 54a with Rashi's commentary, and Rebbe Natan's Lekutai Halachot: Nezikin 3:8-9[2]. I ask the reader's forgiveness for this brief peek into a topic that deserves a much fuller treatment. I hope that I have merited understanding Rav Shagar's intent correctly.

The Gemara compares our lives in this world to a Hilula, a wedding feast. We are enjoined to enjoy physical pleasures now, for they will not be available in the next world, and our lives pass by very quickly, like a wedding feast. There is little point in long-term planning, as the inevitability of death hangs over all of our heads at all times, and no one knows when his time will come.[3] Rebbe Natan discusses Lag b'Omer, the Hilula of Rashbi, and why it is such a joyous day. He contends that the death of the Zaddik stimulates a great rectification, for humanity and for the cosmos. Death is likened to a long sleep and the resurrection of the dead is the awakening from this slumber. The main avoda of the Zaddik is to rectify the Jewish People, helping them to do teshuva and draw close to HaShem. Paradoxically, this is mainly achieved when the Zaddik is asleep, or in a state of nefila, fallen-ness, which is akin to sleeping. For it is at these times of Mochin d'Katnut, constricted consciousness, that the Zaddik is low enough to connect with the average person and be able to help him to find HaShem. This is also achieved when the Zaddik engages in worldly discussions or tells stories. Additionally, when the Zaddik sleeps, his soul goes up to Heaven in the form of Mayin Nukvin, feminine waters, causing great yichudim, unifications above. Thus according to the Zohar and the Ari, the greatest unification and rectification of all is achieved with the death of the Zaddik, in which his entire soul rises above, together with endless sparks which are rectified. Therefore the Zaddik is greater in death than in life, for he is able to enact a more profound and expansive rectification. This is apparent from the Zohar's description of the death of Rashbi (on Lag b'Omer). At the moment of death the souls of many sinners whom the Zaddik was unable to influence in life are rectified as well. This is why the prostration upon the graves of Zaddikim has such a profound impact causing people to do teshuva, with the greatest example being the visitation of Rashbi's grave in Meron on Lag b'Omer.[4] The celebration on the Zaddik's yartzeit is a premonition of the great joy that will occur at the time of the resurrection of the dead, and Lag b'Omer is also the turning point in Sefirat HaOmer from judgment to sweetness, as the lights of Matan Tora begin to shine.[5]

Rav Shagar adds to the above the understanding that our world is a Hilula, a wedding feast, which moves on headlong towards death, here today, gone tomorrow. Chassidut emphasized this in the context of the Hilula of the Zaddik. However, if the wedding is actually a foreshadowing of inevitable death, why is it experienced as ecstatic joy? The answer is bound up in our view of death. As long as we are trapped into apprehending death as no less than the complete extinction of the human being, than life does seem to be a fruitless experience with no hope of personal redemption. Paradoxically, this pessimistic view, which can lead to nihilism, is a function of our belief in ourselves as "yeish", something. However, if we can accept that in reality we are "ayin", nothingness, then death ceases to be extinction, and becomes, in the view of the Ari, evaporation and return to unity within the Divine Ayin. Either way, our sense of temporality and terminality become more and more acute as we move though life.

The First Lubavitcher Rebbe (based upon earlier Kabalistic sources) points out the paradoxical reality that "loss produces presence", and thus, people sometimes seem much more present after they have died. When someone is alive, we tend to understand them based only upon limited (and external) aspects of their personality, whereas after they are gone, we are able to gain a total understanding that eluded us during their lifetime. When the Zaddik dies, his soul becomes incorporated into the Ein Sof, the endless expanse of Divinity above. According to the Ari this is an aspect of the raising of Mayin Nukvin, feminine waters. These are the feminine waters of the Shechina, which when aroused, cause a great cosmic unification. This unification, dependent upon the avoda of humanity, enables the human being to transcend temporality and achieve eternity.

Our yearning for unity with HaShem above is matched by His desire for us. However, what does He desire, what can we give to Him? HaShem needs our stories, which are our lives. These stories arouse HaShem's passion for us, also leading to zivug, to cosmic unity. When this happens our sparks, particles of our own souls, are rectified. Then we rise to the Shechina at the time of our death, the beginning of deep sleep and a dream-like state. We experience this daily in prayer, when we fall upon our faces in Tachanun, giving ourselves over entirely to HaShem and achieving the awareness that we are not really in control at all. Ultimately, just as regular sleep leads to the renewal of our consciousness (hitchadshut hamochin), so too, this great sleep prepares us for the ultimate renewal – the resurrection.

May we merit to experience the presence of all of the great Zaddikim; Rashbi, Rebbe Nachman and Rav Shagar, as "larger in death than in life". May we all do teshuva and merit, after 120 years, to evaporate into the great expanse of Ayin, in a great state of unity and rectification. May we merit the ultimate rectification of the Messianic Era and the Resurrection.

Shabbat Shalom, Lag b'Omer sameach.

[1] See our drasha for Ve'etchanan – Nachamu 5768, and see the chilling passage in Rav Shagar's Al Kapot HaManul, p. 68-71: Compassion comes from the helplessness of the human being. I sit by the bed of a cancer patient, his days are numbered, he groans with pain…instead of denying and fighting it – which only increases his suffering and fear, he needs to learn to accept, to get go of his grasp and give himself over to the will of HaShem, to accept his lack of control…when he lets go…something deeper is created, compassion…
[2] Based upon Rebbe Nachman, Lekutai Moharan 35.
[3] Of course this "Dionysian" description of life, death and pleasure requires explication in its own right and can hardly be taken at face value as the standard Rabbinic view of reality and proper behavior. For a wedding drasha based upon this Gemara, see Rav Yair Dreifuss shlita, Reim HaAhuvim, p. 95.
[4] See also the Netivot Shalom on Lag b'Omer.
[5] See also the Bnai Yissaschar on Lag b'Omer.

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Lag BaOmer as Hilula for Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai - R' Zvi Leshem

Received by e-mail from Rav Zvi Leshem

BS”D

BECHUKOTAI-LAG B”OMER: THE FIRES OF RASHBI

Rav Zvi Leshem

Friday is Lag B’Omer (LBO), the 33rd day between Pesach and Shavuot. On this day marriages and haircuts are permitted, as the 24,000 students of Rebbe Akiva, who died from a plague due to internal dissention, ceased dying. In addition LBO is celebrated as Hilula d’Rashbi, the Yarzeit of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, student of Rebbe Akiva and author of the Zohar, the foremost book of the Kabbala. Bonfires are lit throughout Israel, especially at his grave in Meron, children have their first haircuts and a great celebration is held.

According to the Bnai Yissaschar and Rav Zaddok HaKohen, Rashbi not only died on LBO, he was born on the same day. It is brought in the name of the Ari that Rebbe Akiva ordained Rashbi and his colleagues on LBO, thus insuring the continuity of the oral law after the death of his earlier students. The Gamara (Shabbat 33(!)b) narrates how Rashbi and his son hid in a cave for twelve years after he fled the Roman decree of death. There, covered in sand, fed by a carob tree and drinking from a spring, the greatest secrets of the Tora were composed. Emerging from the cave, Rashbi perceived Jewish farmers working. Dismayed by their lack of Tora study, he “burned them up”! His shock is understandable in light of his position that Jews should only study Tora and not work. He is considered the one person whose Tora study is so great that he need not pray (although he did pray in the cave). Nonetheless they are ordered to return to the cave for another year, after which a mellower Rashbi emerges, whose love for every simple Jew is apparent. This too, writes the Aruch HaShulchan, was on LBO!

The Zohar relates how on the last day of his life, the sun stood still as Rashbi revealed the greatest secrets of the Tora. Dying happily, he encouraged his followers to make his Yarzeit a celebration. Thus the Ari, the Ohr HaChaim and other great Kabbalists would journey to Meron to celebrate on LBO. We light bonfires, explains the Bnai Yissaschar, in honor of Rashbi, known as Bozina Kadisha, the Holy Candle, and in honor of the Zohar, the Book of Splendor. We also remember the great light of the day that the sun did not set, and mark the final stage of preparation for the giving of the Tora on Shavuot. Seventeen days before, on LBO, the light of that Tora begins to shine. Thus Rav Baruch of Mezebizh would finish the Zohar on LBO, and in his Bet Midrash they would dance hakafot for the Simchat Tora of Kabbala. Rav Zadok tells us that as Rashbi continued the Oral Law of Rebbe Akiva, himself killed by the Romans; this is a day when every Jew has great potential for internalizing the Oral Law in all its manifestations. It seems to me that the reason for haircuts (as well as the ancient Sephardic custom of burning garments) is to symbolize our desire to throw off externalities (chizoniut) and connect with the deeper reality (penimiut) that Rashbi teaches.

Parshat Bechukotai begins Im Bechukotai Talachu, If you will walk in My statutes. The Mai HaShiloach, uses play on words on the root chkk, which in addition to statutes, means to engrave. He writes, so that My statutes will be ingraved upon thy heart. The Tora that flows from the heart is expressed when we reach the level of spiritual perfection that enables us to naturally flow with the mizvot in all aspects of our lives. Rashbi is the greatest example of this aspect of Tora. May we merit to appreciate the holiness of LBO and to internalize Rashbi’s message. May we merit that HaShem’s statutes will be engraved upon our hearts. Shabbat Shalom.

(Picture courtesy of a bit of light)

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Lag BaOmer - Why Celebrate on the Yohrtzeit of a Tzadik?

Anonymous Guest Posting by "Marbitz Torah"

The Simcha of Lag Baomer is a strange concept. The Shulchan Aruch says on the day A Tzaddik dies you make a fast. Where did this day of happiness come from? The GR"A says it was the day that the Students of Reb Akiva Stopped dying. The Question still stands. Reb Shimon Bar Yochai died on this day, so what is the Celebration about?

The answer brought by the Kadmonim is that Reb Shimon Bar Yochai himself said there should be a celebration on the day of his death. The Shach in Hilchos Aveilus also brings down a similar premise that if a father says not to act like an Avel the full 12 months we follow his command. This is because the whole Halacha of mourning is only in honor of the parent. Therefore if he asks you not to act in a manner of mourning then of course you listen.

Now we must understand why did Reb Shimon say to celebrate his death when we know when a Tzaddik dies it like the Destruction of the Beis Hamikdash? There is yet another problem with the Lag Baomer Celebrations the Shoel Umashiv and the Chasam Sofer in their Seforim in a very strong language say that the Minhag of burning clothing which is prevalent at the Kever of Reb Shimon Bar Yochai in Miron is a problem of Baal Taschis (Destroying things without Purpose) and worse Darchei Amori (Behaving as a Idol worshipper). In defense we have a Mesorah that the Ohr Hachaim Hakodesh followed the Minhag of burning the clothing.

The Aruch Hashulchan provides another reason for the Celebration of Lag Ba'omer; that that it was the day Reb Shimon and his son where finally allowed to leave the cave in which they where hiding. A remez to this concept is that the Gemora that says the story of Reb Shimon leaving the cave is on Daf: Lamed Gimmel. The Mon also started falling on Lag Ba'omer. There is a Zohar in Parshas Hazinu that says that the day that Reb Shimon said over the secrets of the torah was on Lag Ba'omer and that was the day he died ,The students where afraid he would die before he would give over all the secrets, so when it happened they where overjoyed. In his final conversation he said "The whole day is in my control and now I have the right to say over all the secrets before I go to the next world in order that I not be embarrassed when I go up to Shmayim."

There are two thousand two hundred and twenty five Teachings from Reb Shimon Bar Yochai in Sifra, Bavli, and Yerushalmi. But the Secrets of the torah the SOD he was only able to tell over the day he died.

In conclusion, what is the answer to all the above questions? The reason the day the Tzaddik dies is such a sad day that it is considered similar to the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is because of the loss of Torah to the people in this world. The Tzaddik is going to Gan Eden. The only people who lose out are the people he left behind in this world. The day Reb Shimon died is fundamentally different. That is because as the Zohar says the secrets of the Torah the actual text of the Zohar was able to be said and copied over on this day so it is not a day of sadness and fasting but a day like Purim and Shavous a day of receiving the torah of Nistar (the hidden aspects of Torah) and therefore a day full of joy happiness and a celebration.

The significance of the Mon was as the Mamar Chazal says the Mon was only given to those who ate the Mon. Now to the final question why burn the clothes? When Reb Shimon bar Yochai left the cave everything one looked at got BURNT thereafter the other would look at it and return it to the way it was. The reason why everything was burnt up was that they where so separated from the frivolity of this world they could not stand to look at it. The burning of the clothes symbolized that we should aspire to be like Reb Shimon and try to separate ourselves from Gashmius of this world and try to live on a higher spiritual level. The burning of clothing is being allowed to teach a moral lesson would still seem to be a problem. This too can now be answered.

The gemara in Meseches Tomid states when the Kohanim had Guard duty and they feel asleep on the job the Gemara says "Reshus Hayah Lisrof Es bigadav" Therefore we plainly see a source that allows the burning of clothing to teach a lesson in Halacha. This is as long as there is a lesson to be learnt hence the Chasam Sofer and the Shoel Umashiv are answered.

There is also the question of what is the reason for the fires? The simple answer given is just as we know we light a small candle for a soul on a Yahrtzeit like the Chazal say "Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam" therefore for a great soul we light a large fire. There is another answer given that Reb Shimon was on such a level that with his Ohr Hatorah he was able to stop the Night from coming therefore we light fires to symbolize the light of his torah that is still here.

(Picture courtesy of chairotel)

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