A Special Segula for Lag BaOmer with Tannaim and Amoraim

A Special Segula for Lag BaOmer with Tannaim and Amoraim

Mekubal Hacham Rav Menachem Menashe (whose great holiness was mentioned more than once by Rav Halban) writes in his book Aavat Chaim that among the days of the Counting of the Omer, the 33rd day—Lag BaOmer—has special significance for another reason as well. “On this day, there is a special and beautiful segula to light candles in honor of the Sages of the era of the Mishnah (Tannaim) and the Talmud (Amoraim).” Chazal teach that when a person mentions the name of a Tanna or Amora while lighting a candle, the soul of that Sage comes to him from the Upper World and looks into his face, remembering his likeness. Then, when that person departs from this world, that tzadik defends him at the Heavenly Court, saying that although this person had never seen that Tanna, he nevertheless lit candles in his honor, solely out of the faith he possessed. All these righteous ones then seek out every merit that can possibly be found in this person. It is even better, however, when a person studies Torah while mentioning the names of these Tannaim and Amoraim as he studies their actual words; their lips move in the grave, as it says in Shir HaShirim: “dovev siftei yeshenim”—“causing the lips of those who sleep to murmur.” Then they help him even more. I will quote here what I saw in the book Shaarei Orah, in the name of the Kabbalists of old, where the following is stated: “Know that the sages of the Mishnah and Talmud, through their great holiness, were able through prayer to save the Jewish people from all kinds of calamities, just as Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh aroused Divine forbearance and thereby prevented many harmful spiritual forces from causing harm to the Jewish people.”   Tannaim Tanna (in Aramaic, “tanna”)—a sage of the era in which the Mishnah was compiled. The opinions of the Tannaim regarding each provision of Jewish law are recorded in the Mishnah and Baraita. First generation: Rabban Gamliel the Elder, Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rabbi Tzadok. Second generation: Rabban Gamliel of Yavneh, Rabbi Dosa ben Horkenos, Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah. Third generation: Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, Rabbi Tarfon of Lod, Rabbi Yishmael, Rabbi Yochanan, Rabbi Yose HaGlili, Rabbi Shimon. Fourth generation: Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes, Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi Yose ben Halafta, Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. Fifth generation: Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, Rabbi Elazar ben Shimon. Sixth generation: Rabbi Chiya, Rabbi Oshaya, Rav.   Amoraim: The period of the Amoraim began with the completion of the editing of the Mishnah by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. It lasted approximately 300 years. First generation: Rabbi Oshaya, Rabbi Yannai, Rabbi Chanina, Rabbi Levi, Rabbi Chizkiyah, Rabbi Yochanan, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish (Reish Lakish), Rabbi Simlai. Second generation: Rabbi Ami, Rabbi Asi, Rabbi Chiya bar Abba, Rabbi Abahu, Rabbi Zeira. Third generation: Rabbi Yirmiyah, Rabbi Yonah, Rabbi Yose.   Babylonia: First generation: Rav Shmuel, Rav Ukva. Second generation: Rav Huna, Rav Yehudah, Rav Chisda, Rav Sheshet, Rav Nachman, Rava bar bar Chana, Rav Ulla. Third generation: Rava bar Huna, Rabbah bar Nachman, Rav Yosef bar Chiya. Fourth generation: Rava bar Yosef bar Chama, Rav Abaye, Rami bar Chama, Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak. Fifth generation: Rav Pappa bar Chanan, Rav Zevid, Rav Amemar, Rav Dimi, Rav Kahana, Rav Mar Zutra, Rav Ashi. Sixth generation: Rav Idi, Rav Mar bar Ashi, Rav Acha. The list concludes with Rav bar Huna, the last Amora of Sura, and Rav Yose, the last Amora of Pumbedita.  

Segula to light 33 candles corresponding to the 33rd day of the Omer - לג

Thus, one may light candles in the merit of the Tzadikim listed below. I selected those whose graves I have visited and indicate their burial places. Tannaim 1. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Meron), 2. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai (Tiberias), 3. Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef (Tiberias), 4. Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha (Sajur), 5. Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel (Amuka), 6. Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes (Tiberias), 7. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah (Safed), 8. Rabbi Eliezer ben Arach (Alma), 9. Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai (between Safed and Meron) 10. Rabbi Yose HaGlili (Dalton), 11. Rabbi Chiya the Great (Tiberias), 12. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa (Kfar Arbeh), 13. Rabbi Yosi mi-Peki'in (Peki'in); 14. Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi (Sepphoris), 15. Rabbi Elazar ben Shimon (Meron), 16. Rabbi Amnon Saba (Wadi Amud), 17. Rabbi Nachum Ish Gam Zu (the South), 18. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair (Safed), 19. Rabbi Tarfon (Kadita), 20. Rabbi Mattityahu ben Charash (Ilabun), 21. Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya (Kfar Chananya), 22. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah (Alma), 23. Rabbi Azariah HaKohen (the father of Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah—Alma), 24. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov (Kfar Chananya), 25. Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar (Meron), 26. Rabbi Yosi (Idra Rabba), 27. Rabbi Abba (Idra Rabba), 28. Rabbi Yosi be-Rabbi Yaakov (Idra Rabba), 29. Rabbi Yosi ben Halafta (Kfar Chananya), 30. Rabbi Kruspedai (Ein Zeitim).   Amoraim 31. Rabbi Abahu (Caesarea), 32. Rabbi Oshaya Ish Tarya (Peki'in), 33. Rabbi Honi HaMe'agel (Hatzor HaGlilit).   More about the Tzadikim can be found in the following sections: Kivrei Tzadikim  Список киврей цадиким в алфавитном по Yahrzeit of Tzadikim Йорцайт цадиким сортированные по м May the merit of the Tzadikim protect our people and bring the Geulah closer! (Aavat Chaim, Hacham Rav Menachem Menashe, Vayikra, Shemini)