In honor of Lag BโOmer and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
There is a light that canโt always be seen with the eyes. But itโs there โ hidden, tucked within each breath, each soul. Itโs the light of the Infinite, a spark of Hashem, placed inside you with intention. It canโt always be measured or explained โ but it can be felt. In the way you show up. In the way your presence heals, inspires, or creates. Each soul is drawn toward something it alone was created to do.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the great sage and mystic of the Zohar, knew this light well. He was a man of truth โ and he spoke it boldly, even when it was dangerous. When he condemned the Roman Empire for their corruption and injustice, they sentenced him to death. He went into hiding โ on the run for his life โ and took refuge in a cave.
Thirteen years. No comfort. No audience. Just earth, water, carob โ and the fire of Divine learning.
But hereโs the miracle: It was because of the darkness, not just despite it, that the light emerged. The cave became more than shelter โ it became a womb of revelation. A hidden place where the soul of Torah was born anew. From exile came the Zohar โ the sacred teachings that remind us that the soul is not separate from HashemโฆIt is a spark of the Divine.
King David wrote: โโืึดึผื ืขึดืึฐึผืึธ ืึฐืงืึนืจ ืึทืึดึผืื, ืึฐึผืืึนืจึฐืึธ ื ึดืจึฐืึถื ืืึนืจโ โFor with You is the source of life; in Your light, we see lightโ (Tehillim 36:10).
And the Zohar teaches: โโื ึตืจ ืึฐืึธ ื ึดืฉึฐืืึทืช ืึธืึธืโ โ โThe soul of a person is the lamp of Hashemโ (Zohar II:92b).
So donโt doubt your light. Even if itโs hidden, even if itโs shaped by challenge โ itโs real. You are here with purpose. And the world needs the light only you can bring.
What light within you is waiting to be revealed?
In the merit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, may each of us tap into the unique light that Hashem has placed within us โ so that we can elevate the world, shine that light brightly, and help bring the Geulah closer, with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days, Amen!
