Rashbi’s father, Yochai, was married to a woman named Sarah. They were married for many years and didn’t have children. Yochai sadly started thinking that he will have to divorce Sarah. He asked a shadchan to find him a shidduch. Sarah heard of this and cried bitterly to Hashem, that He should grant them children.
On Rosh Hashana, Yochai was sleeping and had an amazing dream. In his dream, he saw a lot of trees, and a malach was watering the trees — skipping some trees and watering others. When the malach came to the tree that Yochai was leaning on, he took out a small pitcher of special water and poured it on the tree. Yochai watched as the tree grew big and tall with beautiful branches coming out of it.
He woke up very happy and told Sarah, “Listen to my dream. It is very clear that this means that on Rosh Hashana, Hashem decided to water my tree, which is you Sarah! But I don’t know why the malach took out a special pitcher of water by my tree. Sarah said, “Let’s go ask Reb Akiva.”
They went to Reb Akiva, who told them that really Sarah was an akarah. She couldn’t have children, but because she cried so much, her teffilos were answered. The small jar was her tears!!
He also told them that their son would light up the world. And so it was. Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai was born on that year Shavous!!
Rebbi Shimon’s very existence teaches us that no matter how difficult something seems to be, we can always cry out to Hashem! The gates of tears are never closed, and Hashem collects and holds onto every single heartfelt Teffilah!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 79 – Lag Ba’omer.