In the Sephardic tradition, the 33rd day of the Omer, or Lag LaOmer (sic), is known as the day of the Hillula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Who was Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai?
Rabbi Shimon lived during the second century of the Common Era. The collections of Midrashei Halacha, Sifre, and Mekhilta are primarily attributed to his authorship. He is the fourth most frequently mentioned Rabbi in the entire Mishna and was one of the five disciples who carried on the legacy of Rabbi Akiva.
However, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is best known as the author of the Sefer HaZohar (the Book of Splendor), which contains the Sitre Tora—the mystical and secret aspects of the Tora.
The Talmud in Shabbat 33 recounts the extraordinary story that led Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai to attain such profound levels of knowledge. Rabbi Shimon was sentenced to death by the Romans for daring to criticize their government. He fled to a cave with his son, Rabbi Elazar. They remained there for twelve years, surviving on a carob tree and a spring of water. During these years of isolation—studying Tora, detached from all social distractions, and with their material needs minimally met—Rabbi Shimon and his son reached an unprecedented level of Tora understanding.
And because Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai reached an unparalleled spiritual level, his death is seen as a “graduation”—having achieved the highest possible level of accomplishment in this life. The 33rd day of the Omer commemorates this “graduation.”
The sages of Qabbala referred to this celebration as a Hillula, which means “wedding”—a metaphor used to describe the highest level of spirituality. The Qabbalists explain that in this world, the highest possible level of closeness to God is that of irusin, or engagement—when a couple decides to marry and commits to one another. In the state of irusin, a man and woman who love each other declare their mutual affection and their desire to spend their lives together. This is the closest level of connection with God one can achieve in this world: a level of loyalty, devotion, and unconditional love for Hashem.
The next level—marriage—is a far more intimate relationship. But it lies beyond earthly and human reach. That is why this metaphor, marriage, was chosen to describe the level that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai could only reach after departing from this world: a non-corporeal dimension, free from material needs and physical limitations. A state in which the soul can stand before the Divine Presence and fully enjoy His splendor.
As the reader can see, these mystical concepts are very profound, and even mentioning them is a subject of debate within the Jewish people.
Let me explain further.
There are two primary views regarding the dissemination of Qabbala. The first view, mainly found in Hasidic circles, holds that Qabbala should be taught to anyone willing to listen, regardless of their level of knowledge or religious observance. They also believe that spreading this mystical knowledge will hasten the coming of the Mashiach, since they interpret the prophetic verse that in the Messianic era “the knowledge of Hashem will fill the world as the waters cover the sea” as referring to mystical knowledge.
The other opinion, typical of the Sephardic rabbis, holds that Qabbala is extremely difficult to understand and very easy to misunderstand—or even be misused by charlatans and impostors. We have had more than one false messiah, such as Shabetay Tsevi, who used their knowledge of Qabbala to gain credibility and attract ignorant and superstitious followers.
Today, there are groups that supposedly study a form of popular “Qabbala”—an enormous oxymoron. In these circles, Qabbala is not seen or studied as a path to draw closer to God by renouncing material aspirations, but rather as a form of esoteric knowledge mixed with astrology, self-help, numerology, and even Zen philosophy to achieve greater material wealth or success—which is exactly the opposite of what real Qabbala is all about.
In the Sephardic tradition, the study and transmission of Qabbala is reserved for individuals who meet the following criteria:
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A high level of Tora knowledge. To begin with, one must have already studied the entire Talmud, with commentaries, and be an expert in Halacha.
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Exceptional religious and moral conduct, characterized by absolute integrity and humility.
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Perhaps the most essential condition: disdain for materialism.
Only such an individual may be taught Qabbala in a private setting.
According to this philosophy, as I learned from my teacher Rabbi Saadia Ben Zaquen z”l, there is an infallible golden rule to identify a true Qabbalist:
“Those who know it do not speak of it, and those who speak of it do not know it.”
