Until last year, the association with this particular day on the Jewish calendar was an unbridled, joyful celebration focusing on the revelation of the deep, mystical secrets of the Kabbalah. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who revealed the Zohar and its mysteries and secrets, passed away on this day almost 2000 years ago. And this is when we pause to appreciate his priceless contribution of the inner-world of Torah
Until last year, this was just a day of great celebration.
Not anymore. Last year, on this day, a deadly crowd crush occurred in Meron during the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai where 100,000 people were in attendance. Forty-five men and boys at the event were killed, and about 150 were injured, dozens of them critically, making it the deadliest civil disaster in the history of the State of Israel.
Tonight will be festive and massive bonfires will turn the Jerusalem hills aglow. But it won’t be without an accompanied sadness as we all mourn these men and boys on their first yahrzeit (anniversary of their passing).
But, that’s not what I want to focus on this week. I have something much more positive to share.
According to Jewish custom, tonight and tomorrow are auspicious days for couples to marry and, as a result, joyful weddings will start filling all the halls in Jerusalem and its environs. Brides and grooms will march under their wedding canopies and embark on their shared dreams of building vibrant Jewish homes in the land of our people.
When I hear the festive music of the chuppah and see these processions filling the courtyards of Jerusalem I am reminded of something that the great Jewish prophet Jeremiah said two and a half millennia ago:
Thus said the LORD: Again there shall be heard in this place, which you say is ruined, without man or beast—in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man, without inhabitants, without beast— the sound of laughter and gladness, the voice of bridegroom and bride. (Jeremiah 33:10)
Every wedding that takes place in Jerusalem is literally the fulfillment of a 2500 year old prophecy.
As our ancestors were being chained and carted off into exile by the Babylonians, 600 years before the common era, this great visionary told us “don’t worry.” It won’t be tomorrow and it may not be anytime soon, but one day, he promised us in the name of G-d, we would return to this land. And, once again, we would celebrate to rebirth of Jewish families in the streets and courtyards of Jerusalem.
This is literally happening before our eyes. This is the redemption of the Jewish people. This is our predicted return to our homeland unfolding before our eyes. It all depends on what type of glasses you are wearing. Some people will walk by a wedding tonight and see a nice celebration. Others will behold the fulfillment of 2500 year old prophecy of hope.
And this is something that we can all celebrate tonight.
At each of these weddings, the groom will smash the traditional glass and remind us all that we have not yet completed our mission. There is still a long way to go before we see the signs of our ultimate redemption. The tragedy in Meron will remind us of that and temper our joy tonight.
But it’s in the air. We can feel it and we will celebrate it.
