Putin’s rabbi Lazar congratulates Russians celebrating anniversary of death of Kabbalah author
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar congratulated the Jewish community of the country on the holiday of Lag ba-Omer.
"Dear friends!
So the bright holiday of Lag ba-omer came to us - a day when it is customary to light bonfires and rejoice, seeing how light and warmth rise up, to the heavens. How our souls ascend to God.
This custom is closely related to one of the main reasons for the holiday. On this day, the famous Rabbi Shimon bar-Yohai, the author of the book "Zohar", the creator of Kabbalah, went to G-d. He specifically asked that the day of his death be for Jews not a day of mourning and tears, but a day of celebration; so that, in his words, the Jews "rejoice as at a wedding". Since then and to this day, thousands of Jews gather in Lag ba-Omer at the grave of the righteous in Meron, in the north of Israel, to pray and rejoice.
It may seem paradox to someone: a holiday dedicated to the death of a great man. But this is the greatness of Shimon bar-Yohai: the man who revealed the secrets of the Torah understood and revealed the mystery of death! For an ordinary person, death is just the end of life in this world. But the main thing in a person is his soul, and it is immortal. And when the body dies, the soul rises up to connect with its source in heaven, with our heavenly Father!
Here is an important lesson for each of us: not only in the question of death, but much more broadly in relation to any difficulties and trials of life. Every day we see a lot of heavy and even scary things around us. And you need to understand that all this is only external, that everything has a reason and has a good purpose. As it is said: "Evil never comes down from above" - even if G-d sends us trials, He gives us the strength and means to overcome these trials. And the best way to overcome difficulties is joy! After all, our main joy is a connection with God: when we feel it, we receive new blessings from heaven.
That's the kind of joy I wish you on this day."