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The connection of this Shabbos to Lag BaOmer is further enhanced by the presence of guests from the city of Tzfas in Eretz Yisrael. Tzfas -- in addition to being one of the four holy cities -- shares a unique connection with Lag BaOmer because it is close to Meron, the resting place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

Similarly, Tzfas served as the center for the beginning of the revelations of P'nimiyus HaTorah, the teachings of Rabbi Shimon, through the efforts of the AriZal who declared, "It is a mitzvah to reveal this knowledge." Since then, the spreading of these teachings has continued and has found expression in the teachings of Chassidus as related by the Chabad Rebbeim including the Previous Rebbe.

It was customary in previous generations -- and it can be assumed that this custom is still followed today -- that the Jews of Tzfas would travel to Meron to celebrate Lag BaOmer at Rabbi Shimon's gravesite with bonfires and the like. Indeed, in years when Lag BaOmer fell on Sunday, the custom was to spend the preceding Shabbos there, celebrating in spirit of Lag BaOmer.

Thus, the presence of a group of guests -- men, women, and children -- from Tzfas in the Previous Rebbe's house[266] of study emphasizes this custom. The Previous Rebbe spread the wellsprings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's teachings outward throughout the entire world, preparing the world for Moshiach's coming. This also relates to the Zohar's statement that Rabbi Shimon's teachings will enable the Jews "to be redeemed from the exile with mercy."

Surely, the guests from Tzfas will take part in the activities connected with Lag BaOmer here, including participating in a Chassidic farbrengen in the spirit of "How good and how sweet it is for brothers to sit together."

This will be influenced by this week's Torah portion which alludes to the command "to charge the adults with [the education of] the children." The expression our Sages use to communicate this concept, l'hazhir gedolim al hakatanim, is significant. L'hazhir also means "to shine," i.e., these efforts will add shining light to all the activities of these guests -- and the entire Jewish people -- in "the candle of mitzvah and the light of Torah" to shine with the light of P'nimiyus HaTorah as the Zohar states, "May the enlightened shine like the glowing of the heavens."

May the guests' stay in the Previous Rebbe's community bring about an increase in all aspects of Torah and Yiddishkeit, in particular, the study of Chassidus, living in a Chassidic manner, and may this cause their influence on others to increase.

They should say "LChayim" and may they be answered "LChayim ul'brochah," "LChayim tovim ul'shalom;" i.e., may they be granted a life of blessing, having all their needs both physical and spiritual fulfilled and may they, together with the entire Jewish people, be granted the greatest blessing, the coming of Moshiach who will gather the Jews from all over the world -- and thus, save the guests the trouble of making travel arrangements -- and bring them to Eretz Yisrael, to Jerusalem, and to the Beis HaMikdash.

   

Notes:

266. (Back to text) Significantly, the Previous Rebbe's name, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak ben Sholem Ber also contains the letters of the name Rashbi. The same letters are also contained in the Baal Shem Tov's name, Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem.