Grave

Shimon HaTzadik

Yahrzeit (Hillula)

29 Tishrei — Shimon HaTzadik

Grave of Shimon ben Chonio HaTzadik

Yahrzeit - 29 Tishrei - Erev Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan;

Resting place - northern Jerusalem, beneath the Arzei HaBira neighborhood on the outskirts of the Arab-occupied Sheikh Jarrah district.

Shimon HaTzadik was the last of the [sages] of the Great Assembly. He often used to say: "On three things the world stands: on [the study of] Torah, on the service of G-d, and on acts of loving-kindness." (Pirkei Avot)

After all the others had left this world, no one remained besides him who knew the entire Torah in perfection. Shimon HaTzadik held the position of High Priest after the prophet Ezra.

Shimon HaTzadik came from the family of Ezra HaSofer [Ezra the Scribe], founder of the Great Assembly, and studied under him (Seder HaDorot). For forty years he served as High Priest in the Second Temple (Yoma 9a).

The Talmud (39a) lists seven manifestations of Divine blessing that recurred in the Temple throughout all the years of his service: the crimson thread tied to the head of the scapegoat on Yom Kippur would turn white [evidence that the sins of the Children of Israel were forgiven], and the fire on the altar burned without the addition of wood [evidence of the presence of the Shechinah in the Temple].

Shimon HaTzadik twice performed the rite connected with preparing the ashes of the red heifer for the purification waters [before him, only Moshe and Ezra had performed this rite] (Parah 3:5; Seder HaDorot).

Shimon HaTzadik and Alexander the Great

When Alexander the Great and his army entered the Middle East, they were greeted by the leaders of the Kutim, who slandered the Jews, claiming that they cursed Alexander every day in their Temple. Enraged, Alexander set out to destroy Jerusalem. Israel was seized with fear, and the entire nation repented, fasted, and mourned. Upon hearing this news, Shimon HaTzadik put on the eight garments of the High Priest and went out to greet Alexander together with the honored men of Israel and thousands of young kohanim dressed in their white priestly garments. At dawn the two camps met, and to the astonishment of his generals, Alexander rushed forward, prostrating himself before Shimon HaTzadik. He later explained that he was accustomed to seeing in visions Shimon HaTzadik leading him victoriously through every battle: "the angel who appeared to him in night visions and granted him victories in wars looked exactly like this man" (Yoma 69a).

Shimon HaTzadik explained that they had actually been praying in the Temple for Alexander's success, not cursing him. Now the tables were turned, the Kutim were handed over to the Jews, and they were executed. Shimon HaTzadik led Alexander into the Beit HaMikdash, allowing him to go as far as any non-Jew could enter. Alexander asked that a statue in his image be built and placed before the altar. Shimon HaTzadik explained that this was impossible for religious reasons, but that to prove their loyalty to him, all the Kohanim born that year would be named Alexander. It is because of this incident that Alexander became a Jewish name.

"They traveled all night, by the light of torches," the Talmud relates, and at dawn met the advance guard of the invaders. Struck by the majestic appearance of the High Priest, Alexander the Great got down from his chariot and bowed before him to the ground. Alexander later explained to his generals that "the angel who appeared to him in night visions and granted him victories in wars looked exactly like this man" (Yoma 69a). The assault on Jerusalem was called off.

Shimon showed Alexander the Temple, and the guest asked, as a sign of their alliance, that his statue be placed near the altar. Shimon HaTzadik replied that this was forbidden by the laws of the Torah, but promised that all kohanim born that year would be named Alexander in the general's honor. (Seder HaDorot)

Shimon HaTzadik served as High Priest for forty years. Every year during the drawing of lots for the goat offering on Yom Kippur, the tablet inscribed "LaShem" (the goat to be slaughtered) was always drawn up in his right hand. This was considered a good omen for the Jewish people. In addition, the crimson thread used to test the atonement of the Jewish people on Yom Kippur always turned white.

There were other heavenly signs confirming the leadership of Shimon HaTzadik and his generation, including the blazing power of the altar flame and the constant fire in the western cup of the Menorah, which never went out.

Shimon HaTzadik predicted the time of his own death, relating that for forty years, every Yom Kippur, a certain elder dressed in snow-white garments would enter the Holy of Holies of the Temple together with him and leave with him as well, but this time the elder was dressed in black and, having entered the Holy of Holies together with Shimon, did not come out with him.

Right after the end of Sukkot, Shimon HaTzadik fell ill for seven days and then passed away (Menachot 109b).

After his death, the four-letter Name of the Most High, possessing special sanctity, was no longer pronounced in the Temple.

There is a tradition that his wife and his students were buried next to Shimon HaTzadik. A 14th-century plaque has been preserved at the tzadik's grave:

"The grave of the sage of G-d, Shimon HaTzadik; may his merit protect us, amen."

A large number of people gather here on Lag BaOmer, especially members of the eastern communities. This is because in earlier times it was difficult to reach Meron on Lag BaOmer, so the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas would celebrate the hillula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at the grave of his namesake - Rabbi Shimon HaTzadik.

Abarbanel cites an interesting letter in which Aristotle describes to Alexander the Great his meeting with Shimon HaTzadik: "...I began to debate with him, and he showed me his profound knowledge of the Torah, given to him as an inheritance from Sinai. And my heart was drawn to the words of the Torah... If I could gather all my books, I would burn them all, so that they would not corrupt people's minds... Those who grasp the Torah go toward the light, in the light of life, while those who grasp philosophy go into the pit of the underworld."

The Nazirite

Tosefta, Nazir, 4:7 Thus said Shimon HaTzadik: Never did I eat of a Nazirite's guilt offering, except for one single time. Once a man came to me from the south. I saw that he had rosy cheeks, beautiful eyes, and a handsome appearance, and his curls fell in waves. I said to him: "My son, why have you decided to cut off such beautiful hair?" The shepherd answered me: "I was in my town and went to draw water from a spring, and I looked at my reflection and felt a desire in my heart, and my evil inclination [yetzer] wished to destroy me, but I said to it: 'Wicked one, should you desire something that does not belong to you? Something that will become dust and food for worms?! Behold, I will shear you for the sake of Heaven!'" I bowed before him, and kissed him on the head, and said to him: "My son, may there be many like you who do the will of the Omnipresent in Israel. It is of you that Scripture says: If a man or a woman shall vow a vow of a Nazirite, to consecrate themselves to G-d (Bamidbar 6:2)."

May the merit of the Tzadik protect our people!

(Tzadikim.com)