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A Sight for Sore Eyes

Categories: Friendship Circle

Art by Sefira Lightstone

A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT BY RABBI MORDY

This week has been quite a whirlwind. The lead-up to Friends All Around is always a bit chaotic and this year is no exception! It means long nights and detailed plans (and alternative detailed plans!) culminating in a beautiful community affair (G-d willing!) this Sunday. In addition, today we observe “Lag Ba’omer,” an auspicious day commemorating the passing of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a great sage who revealed many hidden aspects of the Torah. Known as the Rashbi, this extremely pious man was one of the originators of the Kabbala, the hidden and somewhat esoteric parts of the Torah. Right before he left this world, the Rashbi asked his followers, and all those who studied his teachings, to not mourn, but to commemorate his passing with celebration and so that’s what we traditionally do. It is common for folks to get married and we partake in activities (usually bonfires, cookouts and other “field-oriented” events) on this day; in short, it Lag Ba’Omer is a happy day.

How does such a thing occur? The world lost a giant on this day many years ago. Shouldn’t there be some solemnity or at least seriousness, perhaps introspection? How do we make light of the passing of a righteous person?
The reason is that the Rashbi’s teachings offered a foretaste of the future, a glimpse into the Messianic era. At that time, we will know the reason why things, all things, happen. We will see the “whole picture,” allowing people—and all physicality—to function on a higher level and actually see everything as revealed good. (So much of the negative and difficulties that befall us happen because we simply don’t know “the Divine Plan.”) Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai viewed the world from a higher plane and taught his followers to do the same—to live with joy, to seek Divine inspiration, and to trust that we will see G-d’s beautiful “Master Plan” with our own eyes in the Messianic era— very soon! Good Shabbos and happy Lag Ba’omer!
Posted by on May 16, 2025

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