Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes - Tanna
Yahrzeit - 14 Iyar
Burial place - Tiberias
The book "Tabur HaAretz" (Navel of the Earth) states:
"Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes was called Rabbi Meir Tanna. And he was named 'Baal HaNes' (Master of the Miracle) because, in his merit, one can pray for great miracles."
A Descendant of Nero
The Aggadah attributes to Rabbi Meir a lineage descending from the Emperor Nero.
"When the Emperor Nero marched on Jerusalem, he shot an arrow to the east, and it fell in Jerusalem; he shot one to the west, and it fell in Jerusalem. He shot arrows toward all four directions of the world, and all of them flew toward Jerusalem. Then Nero turned to a child and said, 'Recite a verse from the Torah for me.' The child quoted him a verse from the prophet Ezekiel (25:14): 'And I will lay My vengeance upon Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they shall deal with Edom according to My anger and My fury, and they shall know My vengeance, says the L-rd G-d.'
And Nero said: "Now You send me to destroy Your House, and afterward I will have to atone for what I have done!" So he fled, converted to Judaism, and Rabbi Meir descended from him.
His primary teacher was Rabbi Akiva. He also studied under Rabbi Yishmael (Jerusalem Talmud, Sotah 2:4), Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar (Menachot 32; Jerusalem Talmud, Moed Katan 3:1), and others. Rabbi Meir also studied under Elisha ben Avuya, and the Sages later vindicated him when they said that "Rabbi Meir ate the fruit and threw away the peel."
It was taught: "His name was not Rabbi Meir but Rabbi Nehorai, and he was called Rabbi Meir because he illuminated ('meir') the eyes of the Sages in halacha. And his name was not Nehorai but Rabbi Nechemia." (Eruvin 13b)
Almost all of his numerous statements are recorded anonymously, as "acherim omrim" (others say).
He divided his lectures into three parts: a third halacha, a third aggadah, and a third parables.
He knew 300 fox fables, which he could apply to any topic. (Sanhedrin 38b)
355 halachot with Rabbi Meir's explanations are mentioned in the Mishnah.
He disputes with Rabbi Yehuda 72 times in the Mishnah, 32 times with Rabbi Yosei, 10 times with Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, and once with Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar.
Rabbi Meir's wife was Bruriah, daughter of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon, who was executed by the Romans. She was one of the few women of whom the Talmud says that she was learned and often resolved the Sages' doubts on difficult matters. Wicked men lived near Rabbi Meir and caused him much trouble. Rabbi Meir prayed to the Creator for their death. Hearing his prayers, his wife Bruriah said: "What do you say about the words of Scripture: 'Let sins cease' (Tehillim 104:35)? It does not say 'let sinners be destroyed'! And afterward Scripture says, 'and the wicked will be no more.' That is, once the wrongdoing ceases, there will be no more sinners. So instead, ask the Creator not for the death of these people, but that they repent and abandon their sins." Rabbi Meir did so, and indeed, these wicked men repented and mended their ways.
The Death of His Sons
Once, at the conclusion of Shabbat, while Rabbi Meir was delivering a sermon in the Beit Midrash, both of his sons suddenly died. Bruriah, Rabbi Meir's wife, laid them on a bed and covered them with a sheet.
When he returned home, Rabbi Meir asked:
"Where are the children?"
"In the Beit Midrash," Bruriah answered.
"Strange," said Rabbi Meir, "I looked, but did not see them there." His wife handed him the cup for Havdalah. After Havdalah, Rabbi Meir asked again:
"Where are the children?"
"They must have gone out for a walk and will return soon." After giving her husband dinner, Bruriah said:
"Rabbi, allow me to ask you a question."
"Ask."
"A few days ago, someone gave me an item to keep for him, and today he came to take it back. Should I return it, or not?"
"My daughter!" said Rabbi Meir. "Must one not return someone else's property? How can you even ask about this?"
"I did not want to do it without your knowledge," said Bruriah - and with these words she took her husband by the hand, led him to the bed, and pulled back the sheet.
Rabbi Meir wept bitterly, mourning the death of his children:
"Oh, my children! My children and my teachers! Children dear to me for your good character, whose eyes shone with the light of Torah and illuminated me!"
"Rabbi," said his wife, "did you not yourself tell me that an item given for safekeeping must be returned to its rightful owner? 'The L-rd gave and the L-rd has taken away; blessed be the Name of the L-rd!'"
Shalom Bayit
The Midrash tells of a woman who once came to Rabbi Meir's evening lecture. She returned home very late, after the Shabbat candles had already burned out. Her upset husband demanded to know where she had been, and she explained that she had gone to Rabbi Meir's lecture. In his anger, the husband declared that he would not let her back into the house until she spit in that Rabbi Meir's face. When she left, Eliyahu HaNavi (the Prophet Elijah) appeared before Rabbi Meir and told him that because of him a woman had been driven from her home. When the Rabbi heard this story, he pretended to have a serious problem with his eyes. "Do you know how to treat eyes?" he asked the bewildered woman. "No, I don't know how" she stammered. "Very well, then quickly spit in my face seven times right now, and the problem will be solved." The astonished woman did as he asked and spat seven times. Rabbi Meir then said to her: "Go and tell your husband that he asked you to spit once, and you spat seven times!" His astonished students asked Rabbi Meir whether a dispute between husband and wife should end with such disregard for the honor of the Torah. "We would have brought him here, flogged him, and forced him to take his wife back!" they exclaimed. "Should Meir's honor be greater than the honor of the Creator?" the Rabbi retorted."G-d commanded us to wash away His Holy Name in the water that a woman suspected of infidelity - a sotah - drinks, in order to prove her innocence and restore peace between her and her husband."
How Important a Person's Name Is
The tzadik attached great importance to people's names.
Once, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Yosei arrived at the inn of a man named Kidor. Hearing this name, Rabbi Meir remarked: "Then he must be wicked, for it is written in the Torah: 'Ki dor tahapuchot heimah' (for they are a perverse generation)." It happened to be right before Shabbat; Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei left their money with the innkeeper, but Rabbi Meir did not trust him with his. The next day, when the rabbis asked for their money back, the innkeeper replied: "You never gave me any money, I know nothing about it."
How Rabbi Meir Became 'Baal HaNes' (Master of the Miracle)
The Talmud, in Tractate Avodah Zarah (idolatry), describes the following incident:
The Roman authorities sentenced Bruriah's sister, the wife of Rabbi Meir, to be sold into a brothel. Rabbi Meir took money and went to the place where she was being held, to try to redeem her. He said: "If she has not sinned, a miracle will happen to her; if she has sinned, it will not." He disguised himself as a Roman horseman and called out to her. She refused him, saying, "I have my monthly period." He replied: "I will wait." She continued to refuse, saying: "Why do you need me, there are far more beautiful women." Rabbi Meir understood that she was without sin, and went to the guard. He offered him 1,000 dinars, but the guard refused, saying he feared punishment if he let the captive go. Rabbi Meir said to him: "Give half as a bribe to the one guarding her, and keep half for yourself." "And when the money runs out, what shall I do?" "Say, 'G-d of Rabbi Meir, answer me' - and you will be saved." "And who will prove to me that this is true?" "Watch," said Rabbi Meir. Nearby was a pack of enormous wolfhounds. Rabbi Meir threw a handful of sand at them, and the dogs lunged at him. Rabbi Meir said, "G-d of Rabbi Meir, answer me," and the dogs left him alone. Seeing this, the guard freed Bruriah's sister and handed her over to Rabbi Meir.
Since then, many have merited miracles through faith and in the merit of Rabbi Meir. And now we have a tradition that when a Jew finds himself, G-d forbid, in some kind of trouble, he should donate something for the benefit of those who study Torah in Israel, to any yeshiva, and should dedicate the donation in memory of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes. He should say: "Elaha D'Meir Aneni" - and he will be granted relief from his troubles.
The Kabbalists teach that in the prayer "Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes" Rabbi Meir was not referring to himself, but to the Holy One, Blessed be He: "E-lokim she-Meir la-Aretz u-le-Darim Aleha be-Rachamim" - meaning - "G-d, Who illuminates (meir) the earth and all who dwell upon it, with mercy."
The Ben Ish Chai wrote: "One should light a candle in memory of Rabbi Meir on the first day of the month of Tevet."
Rabbeinu Chida (Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai) wrote in his book "Petach Einayim" (Open the Eyes):
"It is fitting for the holy people of Israel, in every community throughout the world, in the event of any trouble or illness, to pledge to leave coins at the tomb of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes and to recite the prayer 'Elaha D'Meir Aneni,' and his prayers will be answered."
Toward the end of his life, Rabbi Meir traveled to Africa, where he passed away (Jerusalem Talmud, Kilayim 9:4). He asked to be buried in Eretz Yisrael by the sea, so that the water washing the shores of Eretz Yisrael would lap against his grave. (Jerusalem Talmud, Kilayim 9:4).
The Arizal says that Rabbi Meir is buried standing up in Tiberias. ('Sha'ar HaGilgulim')
May the merit of the tzadik Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes protect us all, Amen.
(from the website dailyZoar-Tzadikim)
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14 Iyar · Yahrzeit