Every year around this time, many of us are faced with the same niggling feeling – you know – bows & arrows and bonfires, singing and dancing, upsherins, Meron, Reb Shimon Bar Yochai…. it’s all pretty fascinating, and we really do want to feel connected in some way, but… just what does it all mean? What is really going on here and how can I make my own connection to this seemingly enigmatic day?
For those who’ve been following along (and welcome to all the newcomers), you know that our theme this Sefira season has been “Harmony” – the indestructible power of achdus, togetherness and unity. In a perfect world, we all yearn to be on the level of seeing the best in everyone and not being distracted by outward appearances or other superficial characteristics.
We are all aware of, and have probably personally experienced, the absolute beauty of Ahavas Chinam. I think we can all agree that there is almost nothing as sweet or as moving as witnessing a selfless act of kindness from one to another. I don’t know about you, but when I see real, genuine achdus unfold before my eyes, I have a very hard time controlling those tears from unabashedly tumbling down my cheeks.
You too, huh?
During these days of Sefira, we concentrate on the improvement of our interpersonal relationships. We do so in the hopes of rectifying the lack of unity – to a degree, well beyond our meager scope of understanding – that was found among the holy students of Rabbi Akiva. Until now we have spoken about these ideas from a birds-eye view, but for today’s post I thought we would get to the root of it all, and in this way, shine a little light on what makes the energy of Lag Ba’omer – Reb Shimon bar Yochai’s yahrtzeit – accessible to each and every one of us.
Reb Shimon bar Yochai is considered the greatest of all the Tzaddikim whose primary attachment to Torah is through its hidden aspects, called “Sod” – where the most precious, heavenly treasures of the Torah are found. At this level, the Torah deals with the spiritual underpinnings of reality. Rabbi Shimon was the master of the deepest secrets of sod and because of this, he possessed a very unique view of Jewish souls.
It was Rabbi Shimon who famously opined, כל ישראל בני מלכים הם – all Yidden are the children of The King (see Shabbos 67a & 111a). Thus, when we are surrounded by his spiritual influence we are able to see ourselves through his eyes. We can sense, even if we may not know or comprehend, that he views us as we really are – Bnei Melachim, children of The King of the Universe.
When we draw near to Rabbi Shimon we start to realize how lofty and noble we are merely because we possess a Jewish neshoma. And once we recognize how special we truly are, then we can lift our eyes to our fellow and see how precious they are as well. One who views the world through this prism will simply not be capable of seeing his fellow Yid in a negative light.
Therefore, today, on his Yom Hillulah, we cannot help but rejoice and be uplifted. Rabbi Shimon worked to become an elite example of someone we look to emulate, specifically in how we view one another. He shows us that we each contain the purest of souls, and that even that tiniest spark within ourselves can turn into a great fire. On Lag Ba’omer, wherever we may be, we tell Hashem that we want to connect to the koach of Reb Shimon bar Yochai – the one who taught us how to view every single Yid as royalty.
So let us use this day wisely, to daven from the depths of our hearts. To light up the skies with our collective fire – each with our own holy spark, each with our own unique drop of oil. We must beg Hashem to help bring us close to each other, to put an end to the suffering, and to bring the geulah shelaima, bimheira b’yameinu, amein!
Seeing as we’re all one big family, I thought today’s song choice was even more fitting. In 2010, Mishpacha Magazine teamed up with Teem Productions and released an album entitled Kedai R’ Shimon Bar Yochai. The album contained songs that were composed, arranged, and sung by some of the best in the business. Bar Yochai, a song about unity, is appropriately performed by Avraham Fried, someone who embodies the very message the songs lyrics express. The gorgeous tune was composed by Yossi Green and was arranged by the great Leib Yaacov Rigler.
Yossi Green Says:
Throughout my musical career I have been fortunate to meet with some very unique Yidden, individuals who in one way or another, had come up with an idea or an Hashkafa about an aspect of Yiddiskeit and asked me whether I thought it could be turned into song. Such was the case one evening when I was visited by just such a person. He felt that he had forged a very strong connection with the Heiliger Rashbi, visiting Meron many times during the years and wanted to know if I thought I could write a song that would highlight the special connection Klal Yisroel has with the Rashbi.
Experiencing Lag Ba’omer in Meron that same year and being part of a unity consisting of almost every single Jewish walk of life present on the mountain on that Holy day, made it overwhelmingly clear that the uniting force of this Holy Tanna was one of the powerful aspects of this connection we all have with the Rashbi.
Immediately, after Lag Ba’omer I got together with Oren Neeman, a close friend with a rare and poetic command of Hebrew, and I explained the idea. Oren was deeply moved and shortly after began to write these precious original lyrics. Translating them loosely into English gave me the completed idea in both languages boldly and clearly. The composition followed quickly and then the call to Avremel who loved the song and lyric and agreed to record the song Bar Yochai right away. In this unique song that has both Hebrew and English lyrics, Avremel handles both languages in way that no one else can.
Wishing each of you a very lichtige Lag Ba’omer!
Lyrics (Hebrew lyrics by Oren Neeman, English translation by Sara Kitai & Yossi Green):
כַּאן – בְּגָלוּת הַלֵב הַקַר
כַּאן – מִתְהַלֵך וְחַי כְּזָר
כַּאן – נִשְׁמָתִי הֲבּוֹדְדָה
כְּאֲבוּדָה בְּחֲשֵׁיכָה עַל פְּנֵי דְרָכִים נִסְחֶפֶת
שָׁם – בְּמִירוֹן הַלְהָבָה
שָׁם – מְרַמֵז נִיצוּץ תִּקְוָוה
חַם – וְהַלֵב לְפֶתַע שָׁר
וְעַל הָהָר, הִנֵה כּוּלָם כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד
—————————————
בְּחוֹם הָאֵשׁ הִנֵה רוֹקְדִים
אַשְׁכְּנַזִים וּסְפַרְדִים
וְהַזְרוּקִים עִם חֲסִידִים נִָעים בְּיַחַד
הַחַיָילִים וְהַקְשִׁישִׁים
הַיְלָדִים וְהַנָשִׁים
מוֹדִים לְךָ רַבֵּנוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
וְעַל הַר מִירוֹן
מִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת
—————————————
Here – in Golus, so far away,
Here – like a stranger, every day,
Here – cold and aimless, all alone,
Lost in the dark, I wander far, away from home.
There – on Meron, the fires blaze,
There – sparks of hope, and better days,
Warmth – oh, and the soul bursts in song,
And on the mountain hearts connect
And beat as one.
—————————————
Oh, around the fire, dancing free,
Ashkenazi, Sefardi,
Chossid, Litvak, arm in arm,
Swaying together.
Women, children, taking part,
The youth, the old – yet, young at heart,
It’s thanks to you, Rabbeinu Bar Yochai,
One big family, on Har Meron.
—————————————
פְּקַח עֵינֵינוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
וְלַמְדֵנוּ אֶת אַחֲדוּת הַלֵב
שְׁמַע אֶת הַהוֹלֵךְ וּמְבַקֵשׁ
קוֹרֵא וּמִתְפַּלֵל
פְּקַח עֵינֵינוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
לְהַצְמִיחַ אוֹר מִן הַכְּאֵב
וּמִן הַפְּזוּרָה עוֹד יַעֲלֶה
חֲזוֹן כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל
—————————————
Oh, Bar Yochai, open our hearts,
So we can feel the love and harmony,
Hear their unique prayers from each of us,
The longing tales they tell.
Oh, Bar Yochai, open our eyes,
So even when in pain, we see the light,
Make our ancient dream reality
Of Netzach Yisroel.
—————————————
בְּחוֹם הָאֵשׁ הִנֵה רוֹקְדִים
אַשְׁכְּנַזִים וּסְפַרְדִים
וְהַזְרוּקִים עִם חֲסִידִים
נִָעים, נִָעים, בְּיַחַד
הַחַיָילִים וְהַקְשִׁישִׁים
הַיְלָדִים וְהַנָשִׁים
מוֹדִים לְךָ רַבֵּנוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
בַּר-יוֹחַאי
—————————————
Oh, around the fire, dancing free,
Ashkenazi, Sefardi,
Chossid, Litvak, arm in arm,
Swaying together.
Women, children, taking part,
The youth, the old – yet, young at heart.
It’s thanks to you, Rabbeinu Bar Yochai,
One big family,
On Har Meron.
מוֹדִים לְךָ
רַבֵּנוּ
רַבֵּנוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
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