Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Pewdiepie
Don't forget that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the supposed author of the Zohar, lived in solitude for 13 years with his son and had many spiritual revelations during that time.
According to the Babylonian Talmud, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai criticized the Roman government and was forced to go into hiding with his son for thirteen years. They sheltered in a cave (which local tradition places in Peki'in). Next to the mouth of the cave a carob tree sprang up and a spring of fresh water gushed forth. Provided against hunger and thirst they cast off their clothing except during prayers and sabbath to keep them from wearing out, embedded themselves in the sand up to their necks, and studied the Torah all day long. He and his son left the cave when they received a bat qol (divine revelation) saying that the Roman emperor had died and consequently all his decrees were abolished...
Although his circumstances were extraordinary, it is still a good example of how solitude can grow spirituality without being clouded by the ego
|
Hello Everyone, just getting caught up on this thread. Also ( I'm a newbie
)
I want to comment on the most recent post and the word "solitude". I think the conventional understanding of the writing of the Zohar by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is that he had divine assistance while dwelling in the cave. In this way, he was not in solitude.
I think it's an important distinction because otherwise a person may believe that the Zohar is a creation of Rabbi Shimon.