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Dvar Torah for LagBaOmer - R’ Erez Levi
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My fire will burn until the arrival of Moshiach |
This statement said by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov is not so clear and there are
many interpretations and explanations as to what he meant. Indeed, the element of
fire seems to be associated to many Tzadikim, among them, the Tannaic sage, Rabbi
Shimon Bar-Yochai whose fire is indeed burning till this day. On every Lag BaOmer,
hundreds of thousands flock to his gravesite in Meron and partake in the bonfire,
as so do thousands of other people throughout Israel.
The rabbis stated that sages-Talmidei-Chachamim “their whole body is fire.” In the
Talmud (Chagiga 27a) it says: the fire of Gehhenim does not rule over the bodies
of Talmidei-Chachamim since their whole body is like fire, as is written (Yirmiyahu
23:29) “Is not My word like fire.”
The Maggid of Mezritch explains: “The source of all sinning comes from impure forces
which is basically a power that fills any place which is void of Kedusha-holiness,
and this is where it exists (similar to how darkness will fill any place void of
light). Yet the Torah that is the utterance of Hashem with which all was created,
and gives life to all, spreads to any place that Torah is studied and does not leave
any place empty and therefore does not leave room to the impure forces to enter.
The fire of Gehhenim is part of the impure forces which was created by a one’s sins,
and hence Talmidei-Chachamim who study Torah all the time sanctify their body and
the element of fire within them is made holy which prevents the fire of Gehhenim
from harming them.”
This is what the rabbis meant when they said the Torah protects and saves a person
from the fire of Gehhenim, and if one sees a wicked person, they should draw them
to the Bet-Midrash.
Lag BaOmer ends the period in which we mourn for the death of rabbi Akiva’s students
who all died during this period and stopped dying on Lag BaOmer. His students died,
yet his Torah continues to live. Rabbi Akiva is considered to be the root and foundation
for the oral law, the Halacha goes according to his opinion in most Halachic disputations
in the Talmud, and we all continue to live his legacy.
Rabbi Akiva was also the symbol of leadership and of taking responsibility and as
opposed to many of his friends he believed that one cannot be quiet while the Romans
control and run Israel. With his devoted support the Bar-Kochva revolt was led,
and he himself carried Bar-Kochva’s weapons as he proclaimed him to be “King Mashiach.”
How could Rabbi Akiva make such a severe mistake?
If we look carefully in to the words of the Rambam in the laws of Taanit-Fasting
we will see that it actually was not a mistake. Bar-Kochva indeed had the potential
to be Mashiach in his time, and rabbi Akiva was speaking for the future. The seeds
that were planted during the revolt with the courageous uprising against the Roman
Empire brought about the victory of the Jews over all future religions and empires
who tried to get rid of us. The state of Israel today is fruit from seeds planted
in the earth by Bar-Kochva and rabbi Akiva.
This spirit of rabbi Akiva is what beats in our Bet-Midrash. On the one hand, Torah
Studying and self improvement of our characteristics and personality traits, and
on the other hand educating to leadership and responsibility which will G-D willing
give birth to the future leaders of Am-Yisrael.
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