YOSSI: Hey Yoeli! Did you count Sefirah?
YOELI: Oh, thanks for reminding me Yos! It’s nice to be moving around Eretz Yisrael!
YOSSI: Teveria was truly beautiful! I learned a ton, and can’t wait to go back! But let’s move up north to…
YOELI: Meron! One of my favorite places in the world!
YOSSI: Yes, mine too! But right near Meron is a city called Pekiin, which is where many say the cave is where Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his son Rav Elazar hid from the Romans!
YOELI: I heard there aren’t many Yidden there nowadays, only 1 actually! But just imagine, those two Tzadikim doing nothing else but learning for 12 years! And when they came out of the cave, they saw a Yid farming – they couldn’t understand how a Yid wouldn’t be learning… and just by looking at him, he burst into flames!
YOELI: Yup! And that’s when Hashem sent them back to the cave for another year.
YOSSI: My zeidy said this is where one of the secrets of Rashbi lies. When they came out of the cave the second time, Reb Shimon saw only the deep feelings of Yidden – even if they looked like they were not “deep.” Reb Shimon didn’t blow anyone up! He only saw the deep goodness in Yidden. This is why to this day, Reb Shimon’s kever is always full of every stripe and type of Yid. Reb Shimon activates a Yid’s (sometimes ‘hidden’) neshamah! Reb Shimon is a rebbe for every Yid!
YOELI: Yes, it’s kedai to rely on Reb Shimon Bar Yochai!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 32.