Pesach Sheini and Lag Bo'Omer

The Gemora in Shabbos :לג states that Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Shimon were sitting together one day discussing the Roman occupation of the Land of Israel.

To put this into perspective, this must have been some 70 or 80 years after the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdosh. Originally, when the Romans surrounded Jerusalem and Reb Yochanon Ben Zakkai managed to escape and appeared before Vespasian who became the emperor he asked for Yavneh and its scholars to be saved. This was granted.

At the time, the Romans did not believe that the Rabbis were any threat to them and allowed Jewish scholarship to continue, albeit curtailed.

About 60 years later, at the time of the Bar Kochba revolt, Rabbi Akiva supported the revolt and unfortunately after three years or so, the Romans crushed it and wreaked revenge. This time, they did not spare the rabbis and Torah scholars and many died including 24,000 pupils of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva taught five new star pupils, three of whom were Rabbi Yehuda Ben Iloui, Rabbi Yose, and Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai.

We have all heard of the greatest of Reb Shimon Ben Yochai but few people know that the Gemora says that Reb Yehuda (Ben Iloui) was a Chosid. The Gemora relates that whenever a story is quoted מעשה בחסד אחד, one of the two possibilities of whom we are talking about is this very Reb Yehuda, Ben Iloui, who was obviously a very pious tanna.

Returning to the fact that these Rabbis were sitting together and discussing the effect of the Roman occupation, the Gemora states as follows:-

Reb Yehuda said “How nice are the deeds of the Romans. They constructed marketplaces, bridges and public baths.” Reb Yose said nothing.

Reb Shimon Bar Yochai objected and said “All they constructed is for their own benefit.” (For example, bridges in order that they should be able to impose taxes.)

This got back to the Roman authorities who issued a proclamation, “Reb Yehuda, who spoke well of us, should be the Chief Rabbi. Reb Yose should be sent into exile”. And Reb Shimon was sentenced to death.

It was subsequent to this that Reb Shimon fled and went into a cave for 12 years with his son Reb Elozor. This is all quoted in the continuation of the same Gemora.

As we know the Zohar Hakodosh and many secrets in Torah were revealed to Reb Shimon at that time.

I believe that if we look at the political situation then, the three Rabbis were really discussing how to tackle the situation. Reb Yehuda’s attitude was to look for the silver lining, to cooperate with the authorities in the hope that they would gradually tone down their brutality and allow more normal religious Jewish life to be lived.

Reb Yose put his head down under the parapet as if to say, less said, the better.

However Reb Shimon went to the heart of the matter and did not brook any compromise.

These are three basic attitudes which continue to this very day.

Reb Shimon had to run away but received the great reward of having secrets in Torah revealed to him which had not been revealed previously.

We find in the Zohar quoted a story that happened during those twelve years that Reb Shimon went missing. The Rabbis were sitting together and discussing the difficult situation, during the course of the discussion, the following point was made. Twice in the Torah we have a תוכחה, where we are told vividly of all the troubles that will be vented on the Jewish people if they do not keep Torah properly. One of the Rabbis pointed out that it seems obvious that the first one, in Bechukosi, refers to the first Bais Hamikdosh and the time immediately afterwards when the Jews were sent into exile. The second תוכחה in Ki Sovo refers to the second Bais Hamikdosh and the troubles subsequent. He then pointed out that in the first one, which is shorter, there are certain words of comfort, for example, וזכרתי את בריתי יעקב, I will remember My covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Where, he asked, are there any words of comfort in the second תוכחה, things look very black indeed.

Reb Yehuda who was listening to this conversation sighed and said, I wish Reb Shimon was here, he would no doubt be able to help us regarding this.

They decided that they would write down the gist of the question and somehow try to get it to Reb Shimon. A bird flew by, picked up the written note and took it to the cave where Reb Shimon was hiding. When Reb Shimon read the note, he cried. Eliyahu Hanovi came and asked him why he was crying and he showed him the note. Eliyohu then told him that he should look carefully at the words of the second תוכחה to discover a silver lining in various places. For example, he was told, the worst thing that is mentioned is as follows:-

גם כל חלי ומכה אשר לא כתוב', יעלם ה' עליך

after having reckoned out all the terrible things that are mentioned, the Torah then says, All other illnesses and plagues which are not written, Hashem will bring on you. What could be worse than that!!

Eliyahu Hanovi then explained to Reb Shimon that the word יעלם, which is normally translated as “bring on to you”, can also mean “hide from you”. This was the hidden meaning and was meant as a silver lining.

Reb Shimon then wrote this down. A bird came and took the note back to the Rabbis who felt relieved.

I think that it is noteworthy that it was to Reb Shimon that this interpretation was revealed. He was, after all, the person who had taken the hard line. I think he was being told here that one has to look for a silver lining and work within the framework of practicality as far as the general populace was concerned, even though he and other individuals might adhere to the absolute truth without any compromises.

Lag B’Omer is the one day in the year that we celebrate the greatness of Reb Shimon Bar Yochai.

A few days before this, we have Pesach Sheini.

Once in Torah we have a mitzvah where a second opportunity to fulfil it, is granted. Normally speaking, every mitzvah has its time and place, for example, Yom Kippur is on 10th day of Tishrei. If somebody is ill or for some reason cannot fast that day, there is no provision that, say, on 10th day of Cheshvan, they should fast instead. However, as far as Pesach is concerned, we have a parsha in Torah telling us precisely that. When there were Yidden who were tomei in the midbar, they came to Moshe Rabbenu and said that they could not bring the korban Pesach, he informed them that there would be a possibility of them performing the mitzvah a month later.

We find in the case of Pesach Sheini, an argument between Reb Yehuda and the chachomim (I assume including Reb Shimon) as to what happens if not only a person is tomei on 14th Nissan but if he is then tomei on 14th day of Iyyar. The other rabbis say that he cannot bring the Pesach Sheini. However, Reb Yehuda maintains that he can. I would venture to suggest that this is same idea as that mentioned above. Namely, that in extreme circumstances one has to find a compromise, utilise the facts on the ground, even if this is not the ideal way of doing things.

I believe that this fits in with the Gemora in Brochos :לה, where Reb Shimon Ben Yochai asks, if, as was in the agrarian society, people are busy all the time, ploughing, sowing, reaping, threshing, winnowing etc. what time will they have to learn Torah and he answers, learn Torah and the works will be done by others on your behalf. There is a dissenting opinion, Reb Yishmael who says that one should carry out the necessary works of ploughing, sowing etc and in between one should study Torah. The Gemora concludes, Many people tried to emulate Reb Shimon but they did not succeed. That was an ideal for special individuals but not for the general populace.

To sum up, there are always people in Klal Yisroel who devote their whole lives to learning Torah and keeping it to the last detail in accordance with all the authorities however stringent.

For the general populace, the norm is to learn Torah as well as work and to keep the dinnim of Torah according to the decisions of the majority as laid out in the Shulchan Oruch. Of course, that must be done without compromise.

Just to illustrate this point and to make it absolutely clear, let us take the argument as to exactly how large is a רביעית, a quarter of a log. This is important as far as making Kiddush is concerned and especially for the four cups of wine that we drink on Seder night. The majority opinion is around 3.5 fluid ounces, but there are other leading authorities who say that it is considerably larger, in excess of 5 fluid ounces. The halacha follows the majority, namely that the smaller measure is sufficient. However people who wish to be more stringent have the right to utilise a larger volume for themselves.

When Moshiach comes, we will know the correct measurement and we will not need compromises or stringencies.