Foundation's patron
Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai
Simeon bar Yochai (Hebrew רבן שמעון בר יוחאי, Rabban Szimon bar Jochaj; known under the acronym Raszbi or Yochai in short) (born circa 100, died 160) – a rabbi active in the second century; Mishnah often calls him simply Rabbi Shimon. He was a famous tannaic, a student of rabbi Akiva ben Yosef. Tradition assigns him with the authorship of the book of Zohar which until this day remains the basic text of the Jewish mysticism and the Kabbalah.
Bio
Neither the date or birth place of rabbi Shimon bar Yochai are known - it was probably around the year 100 in Galilee. According to the Jewish tradition for thirteen years he studied at the side of rabbi Akiva ben Yosef at the wineries near Bene Bera, within Palestine ruled by the Romans. Later he studies in Yavne under rabbi Gamaliel II and Ananiasz. After the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt failed (132-135) rabbi Akiva was imprisoned, and Simeon bar Yochai found a way to enter the prison.
In 135 rabbi Akiva died as a martyr. This made a strong impression on Yochai. Circa one and a half years later he criticized the functioning of Jewish institutions working with Roman authorities. At that time the decrees of emperor Hadrian prohibited most Jewish religious practices. Yochai's words reached the Roman governor Varus who by default sentenced Simeon to death. For that reason Yochai and his son had to hide for thirteen years in a cave near the city of Peki'in.
After emperor Hadrian's death in 138 most of his decrees were abolished and then Simeon bar Yochai was able to re-emerge. He went to Tiberias where according to tradition he performed numerous miracles. The city has been established by king Herod Antipas at a location where previously many dead were buried. The corpses were not removed, and the locations of graves were forgotten. For that reason Tiberias was regarded by Jews as an unclean city. According to tradition, after entering the city Simeon bar Yochai planted lupine in all suspicious places. Graves were located at every location where the plants gave roots. Bodies of the deceased were then exhumed and buried at a different location. That way Tiberias has been purified from the point of view of Judaism.
Rabbi Yochai then set for the surroundings of mount Meron where he established the Tekoa Talmud school. Simeon bar Yochai died on the 18th day of the iyar moth of the year 160 - on the day of the contemporary Jewish holiday: Lag ba-Omer. According to tradition on the day of his death Simeon bar Yochai was supposed to provide mystical secrets, which constituted the base for writing the book of Zohar. He has been buried at mount Meron in Upper Galilee.
