A consumer report based on a Channel 13 Israel television program – Osot Heshbon – aired on Monday, May 21st, 2018
Love, love tahina? Tahini is the main ingredient of tahina – a delicious condiment. Basically it is sesame seed paste – fresh sesame seeds either hulled or whole ground down to a fine paste. It’s super simple to transform tahini (Heb. tahina golmi) into tahina – just add water (ice water preferred) maybe salt and lemon juice and this super-food is an instant delicacy. Tahini can be eaten in many ways; in hummus, as a condiment in falafel or with fish, salad dressings, a binding agent replacing eggs in vegan recipes, halva, biscuits and even ice-cream.
Grinding sesame seeds in the Levant goes back 3,000 – 4,000 years. Experts say that the best sesame seeds come from Ethiopia where unique weather conditions result in a paste sweeter than locally grown sesame seeds.
Although tahini has a high calorie count, around 600 per 100g it is a great source of Vitamins A, B-6 and B-12, vitamin C and vitamin D, magnesium, calcium and iron. The Israeli standard calls for 16-25.5g protein (per 100 grams) and 53g -67g of healthy vegetable fat (per 100g).
Sugar, salt, stabilizers, preservatives and a long list of other ingredients are added to tahini paste which is then turned into the tahina salad found in supermarket delis and refrigerators.
The purpose of last night’s program was to compare the ingredients, contaminants and flavor. Israelis prefer to make their own tahina salad from tahini paste and the local market for ready made tahina is considerably smaller.
10 brands of tahini paste (tahina golmi) were tested
Nasich
Barakay
Har Bracha
Caravan
Al Arz
Achva
Ayash
Hayona
Harduf
Yerushalayim
A sample of ready-to-eat tahina salad from the deli counter was also tested.
Comparisons on nutritional value, ingredients, contaminants (pesticides and bacteria) and of course the taste-test were performed
The results
None of the 10 brands of tahini paste, as listed above were found to be contaminated with pesticides, salmonella, listeria or other bacteria.
The tahina salad on the other hand had more than double the amount of coliform bacteria (that nasty E-coli one) allowed by the Ministry of Health. These tahina salads can easily be contaminated in the manufacturing process – the greater the number of ingredients, the greater the risk of contamination. Less than perfect refrigeration or an unsealed container, a slightly unclean utensil or even a latex glove can be some of the points of contamination.
The taste-test
The panel of 6 judges including Chef Avi Levy (the 2011 winner of Master Chef), restaurateurs, caterers and a food editor judged as follows for flavor, from worst to best:
8th place – from the deli counter
7th place – Achva
6th place – Barakay
5th place – Nasich
4th place – Ayash, Yerushalayim and Caravan
3rd place – Hayona
2nd place – Al Arz
and the best, in first place – Har Bracha
The folks at Har Bracha suggest serving tahina (using their tahini paste of course) with parsley, potatoes, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted almonds.
What’s the price of for a summer vacation in Israel this year?
Holiday price comparison – Israel and other destinations
Got that holiday feeling? It’s not too late to book your summer vacay.
The key to a great family holiday is to plan thoroughly and this means a carefully planned budget. This year, for our 2018 price comparison we compared some of the most popular holiday destinations in Israel and abroad so you’ll know exactly what to expect .
For this price check, we based our research on:
A 7 night stay from August 17th – August 24th at popular hotels as well as budget accommodation
One room: 2 adults + 1 child, including breakfast
Zimmerim in close proximity are quoted per night – we looked for the cheapest (weekend rates may differ from those quoted below)
Airbnb also in close proximity are also quoted per night and we also looked for the cheapest rate
Prices were advertised on the official website’s of each hotel chain, zimmerim.co.il and airbnb and are correct as of March 23rd, 2018
Availability of rooms at these prices is limited. Prices are not part of any package deal. Anglo-list cannot guarantee these prices at the actual time of booking.
Price are quoted in Shekels and are inclusive of VAT.
Hotel Chain
Jerusalem
Eilat
Dead Sea
Kinneret
Tel Aviv
Haifa/Carmel Coast
Ashkelon
Dan Panorama
7,247
11,180
–
–
8,100
5,907
–
Holiday Inn/Crown Plaza
6,282
8,776
8,218
–
10,842
8,019
–
Leonardo
7,066
13,676
10,231
8,270
5,820
6,838
6,206
Isrotel
13,348
15,083
7,930
–
8,936
–
–
Club Hotels
–
10,703
–
4,269
–
–
–
Prima Hotels
4,323
–
5,177
4,675
7,963
–
–
C Hotels
10,500
7,350
–
–
–
–
–
Kibbutz Hotels in close proximity
5,989
7,350
4,284
7,921
–
8,291
–
Zimmerim per night
250
387
–
400
400
400
–
Airbnb in close proximity/night (cheapest)
305
266
377
335
234
235
250
During this week, hostel accommodation in Eilat for a family room starts at 450 NIS/night
Other destinations you might want to consider for the same dates during August
823 shekels for 2 adults + 1 child for 7 nights at the Coral Resort in Nuweiba, Sinai
The Park Inn by Radisson in Bucharest comes in at 3,375 shekels
Novotel in Paris is yours for 5,283 shekels
Westin Hotel at Times Square, New York – 9,303 shekels
The Table Bay Hotel on Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront is yours for 10,321 shekels
It’s not just the cost of accommodation, there are other things to consider when planning your budget:
Transport costs
Depending on your destination, airfare can account for half of your budget
Make a budget for other transportation; shuttles, taxis, trains or the metro
Airfare
The listed price of airfare from Ben Gurion Airport to Eilat for August 17th is currently 251 shekels per person and the return price on August 24th is 193 shekels
Airfare for 2 adults + 1 child to New York will set you back a cool $4,500
Car rental
In Israel -160 shekels/day to rent an economy car (manual) from August 17th – August 24th, includes 4,000 km. Additional drivers, car seats, navigation systems etc. are all extras
In Italy you’ll be paying 204 Euros for the same period
Theme parks & other entertainment
Adult entrance fee at Superland in Rishon LeZion is 113 shekels
The entrance fee at Mini Israel is 59 shekels
Entrance fee at Yamit water park is 104 shekels
A ticket to The Lion King in London is upward of 50 GBP
A ticket to Euro Disney starts at 43 Euro
Food
A basic falafel meal with a drink for a family of four can cost upwards of 100 shekels
A family sized pizza with 1.5 liter drink, at Pizza Hut, is priced at 80 shekels.
A McRoyal combo meal at McDonalds’ is currently priced at 45 shekels
Agadir, one of the 10 best burger joints in Israel, is selling its classic burger combo meal for 51 shekels while a decent burger in New York is around $13
Captain Curry, chef’s restaurant by Yonatan Roshfeld’s in Sarona is serving a Tandoori curry for 54 shekels
150 shekels per person for an entrée, main, dessert and drink at a sushi bar, here in Israel, is average
In Italy you can easily pay 18 Euro for a plate of pasta
Track your spending
There are always extras and miscellaneous purchases; a handbag, a pair of shoes, cosmetics, clothes etc. Make sure you have enough funds in your checking account as well as on your credit card.
Use coupons if you can – a few dollars here and there may not seem like a lot at the time, but why not pay less than you need to?
If you are a member, use reward points if possible.
The costs of gifts can add a chunk of bucks to your budget. Do you really need to buy fridge magnets for all the girls in the office – a box of chocolates to share will be just as welcome.
Check local prices before you head off to the Duty Free.
Last but not least, discuss the cost of your holiday with your spouse, be honest – it’s tempting but don’t try to hide the cost or your spending.
In Yirmiyahu it is stated: “Who is the wise man, who will understand this, what the voice of G-d spoke to him, and told: For what was the land lost, and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passes through? And G-d says: Because they have forsaken my Torah which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, not walked therein!” (Yirmiyahu 9:11)
Chazal explain this as follows: (Baba Metzia 85): This matter was asked of the sages and they could not explain it, asked of the prophets and they could not explain it.
No one knew what it mean until Rabeino Shel Olam explained it Himself, as it says: “And G-d says: Because they have forsaken my Torah which I set before them”meaning because they did make a blessing for the Torah beforehand.
Rashi explained: When they would learn Torah, they would not make a blessing beforehand, and since they did not make a blessing, they revealed that they did not consider the Torah an important gift. Therefore this matter is relevant on the Shabbat before Shavuot, the holiday of the giving of the Torah, the holiday of appreciation of this important gift. However, anyone who looks at that chapter in Yirmiyahu will be shocked and stunned! The chapter begins with the most stringent sins that were done in Israel in that period, not individuals but the nation “For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men…They proceed from evil to evil, and they know me not, says G-d…And they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity…have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim (idolatry), as their fathers taught them.”
“The first Temple, for what was it destroyed? For three matters that were there- idolatry, forbidden sexual practices, and murder.” (Yoma 9) These are clear statements! How can we then understand the question: “Who is the wise man, who will understand this” this matter was asked of the sages – and they could not explain it “what the voice of G-d has said to him and told” – this matter was asked of the prophets and they could not explain it, “Why does the land perish, and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passes through?” The sins are explicit in the words of the prophets, revealed clearly to all! More than that: they are listed in that very chapter, in that very prophecy.
And they most pointed question: Instead of the Creator, may He be blessed, mentioning the serious, terrible sins, the sins of idolatry, forbidden immoral sexual practices and murder, he mentions the lightest of transgressions, the lack of performance of the positive commandment of the blessing of the Torah!
This matter certainly begs for explanation!
However, when we look further at the matter, we will understand. The question was much deeper than that, and only the Creator could answer it.
This is what Yirmiyahu the prophet asked: It is true that the situation has declined, and we have reached a point of no return. (See Rashi Shir Hashirim 5:6, that in the days of Yirmiyahu the decree about the Destruction had already been made, and it was impossible to nullify it!) It is true that the nation is stained with the most terrible of sins but how did this happen? Didn’t “I plant thee a noble vine, an entirely right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine to me?”
(Yirmiyahu 2:21) This was such a holy and elevated nation, the nation of G-d in the full meaning of the word, how few years had passed since they checked from Dan to Be’er Sheva and did not find an ignoramus! (Sanhedrin 94) What happened, how did this quick, crushing decline occur?
To this, no man had an answer. Not the sages, not the prophets, they all stood shocked. Until Hakadosh Baruch Hu came, Who investigates hearts and insides, and revealed the secret: Because they did not make the blessing on the Torah beforehand, even if they did learn it, even if they kept its commandments, it was not a precious gift in their eyes! There was crookedness in their list of values, they reversed the order of priorities.
They did not understand that the matters of this world are a door, an entrance to the matters of the world to come, to the eternal acquisitions that are the main thing. Certainly, one must work and profit, to plow and sow, everything in everything, but this is not the main thing and this is not the goal.
The goal and the main point are spiritual advancement, one’s complete personal acquisition. Instead of recognizing this, they “overturned the creations.” They turned physical matters into the main point, used wealth to measure success, and property to measure happiness; Status and material possessions were in forefront of their vision. No, this is not a sin, but it is an opening to destruction of values, and the animalization of society, for “Without vision the people become uncontrolled!” (Mishlei 29:18)
History, unfortunately, repeats itself, with incredible precision! Let us look at the serious thought of the voter who thinks about the acquisition of more values for the children of Israel, about the increase in education, about the spreading of even more classes in Torah? Who trembles at the spreading violence in the schools, at the plague of drugs that destroys all goodness, at the destruction of all barriers and the impassioned furthering from the eternal values of the nation?! Woe is to the nation that does not make the blessing on the Torah first; Without vision, there will be no control! Fortunate are those who prevent the erosion, who cry out loudly with the voice of Judaism! Let’s rejoice and be thankful that Am Yisrael accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai.
In the square panel of a mosaic found at Beth Alpha Kibbutz was a zodiac wheel with all 12 symbols and names of the zodiac, surrounded by four female figures at the corners, identifying the seasons of the year. Credit: Art Resource, NY
Anyone who learns Torah for its own sake, brings peace up above and here, down below, as it says, “Then he will strengthen through my strength, he will bring peace to me, peace he will bring to me.” (Yishayhu 27:5) Rav said: as if he built a palace up above and a palace down below, as it says, “I will place my words in your mouth… To plant the sky and solidify the land.” (Yishayhu 21:15) Rabbi Yohanan said: He even protects the whole world, as it says “And with the shadow of my hand, I will cover you.” Rabbi Levi said: He even brings the redemption close, as it says, “And to say to Tziyon, you are my nation.” (Sanhedrin 99b)
Anyone who learns Torah, it is as if he has brought an Olah sacrifice, as if he brought a Minha sacrifice, as if he brought a Hatat sacrifice, as if he brought an Asham sacrifice, and as if he brought a Shelamim sacrifice. (Menhot 110a) Anyone who learns Torah, it is as if he has sacrificed all the sacrifices in the world to Hashem, and many places of honor are set for him in the world to come. (Zohar 3:159a)
Rabbi Yehuda began: “The Torah of Hashem is perfect, it revived the soul.” (Tehilim 19:8) How much should people learn Torah! Anyone who learns Torah will have life in this world and in the world to come, and will merit two worlds. Even one who learns Torah and does not do so for its own sake as is proper, will merit a good reward in this world and will no be judged harshly in the world to come. When his soul departs to return to its source, its Torah will walk before that soul, and how many gates will be broken by it until it returns to its source! The light of Torah will surround it until it wakes up again in the time that the dead will reawaken, and will be for him a defender. (Zohar 1:184b)
How beloved is Torah before Hashem, that anyone who works hard learning Torah is beloved above and beloved down below! G-d will listen to his voice and will not abandon him in this world or in the world to come, and the Torah requests that he should work hard learning her, day and night. (Zohar 2:46a)
Yisrael is fortunate, for Hakadosh Baruch Hu chose them from amongst all the nations, and because of his love for them, gave them the true Torah in order to know the ways of the holy King. Anyone who clings to the Torah, clings to G-d, for the Torah is all names of G-d, and those who learn Torah, learn the secrets of His name. All those who distance themselves from Torah, are distancing themselves from their Creator. (Zohar 3:89b)
Anyone who learns Torah, merits the opening of many gates for him in this world, and many lights. The hour that he departs from this world, his Torah precedes him and turns to all the gatekeepers crying out: “Let the gates open, and prepare a place of honor for this man! He has worshipped the holy King!” There is no joy for G-d other than one who learns Torah. How much more so, one who wakes up in the night to learn Torah, for all the righteous in Gan Eden listen to his voice and G-d is praised through him! (Zohar 3:213a)
“The beloved deer, bringing grace.” (Mishlei 5:19) Rabbi Shimon cried, saying: Torah, Torah, light of all the worlds! How many rivers and springs of water spread from you in all directions! From you is everything, upon you the upper and lower worlds are established, an elevated light comes from you! Torah, Torah, what can I say of you, “the beloved deer” you are, bringing grace above and below. Torah, Torah, a pleasure to your creator, who can count and reveal all your secrets and hidden stores! He placed his head between his knees and cried from his great love for the Torah. (Zohar 3:166b)
A Shavuot Parable
We will begin with a wonderful parable, with the words of the book “Maalot HaTorah”: Imagine, a great and mighty king sees a man lying in the garbage, beaten and suffering many afflictions and diseases, with many failings and problems. The man finds favor in the eyes of the king, and the king commands to wash him from his dirt, to heal him from his diseases until he is healthy and complete in all his limbs, to dress him in fine clothing, to crown him with jewels and pearls and to give him all his secrets. He commands that all matters of the kingdom should be by his hand, marries his daughter to him, and raises him above all the princes and servants of the king, telling all the great men of the kingdom to serve him in royal clothing, in whatever he desires.
Then, while he is still wearing the clothes of royalty and crowned in jewels and all of the great men of the kingdom walk before him and light his way with lamps, he sees children playing in the garbage, collecting rocks and laughing. He is jealous of them and leaves the royal procession and sits with them in garbage, joining in their games. Will there be any end to his punishment, he who has insulted the honor of the king and his servants, dirtied the fine clothing, degraded his status and kicked the gifts of the king through his preference for children’s games?!
Up until here is the parable, and what is the explanation?
We will first say: A great merit and a great responsibility came to our hands this year, with the juxtaposition of the holiday of Shavuot, the holiday of the giving of the Torah to the holy Shabbat. True, everyone is responsible to learn Torah every day, and to set aside times for learning Torah; However, many are busy with their livelihood and imagine that they have no choice.
Six long days we are busy with our work; on Shabbat we are tired from the week’s work. It is a bad excuse, but an excuse. Now though, we celebrate the holiday of the giving of the Torah on Friday. We thank G-d for this most wondrous of gifts, the most glorious of inheritances and now we will test if our hearts and our mouths really match up. Are we really happy with the Torah and thank G-d with a full heart for its giving? The next day is Shabbat, a Shabbat after a relaxing holiday. We are not tired on it, not worn out we will sanctify it with the Torah?! Or will we, G-d forbid, turn to children’s games, wasting time, reading newspapers….
Sivan is a very special month because of the event that takes place in this month. On the 6th of Sivan, the Torah was given at Mount Sinai. The whole reason Hashem created the world was for the Torah to be revealed. Mount Sinai was the pinnacle of creation. One question we need to ask is what actually happened at Mount Sinai? Read more…
Contact information for the American Embassy in Jerusalem
The American Embassy in Jerusalem will include the office of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who will begin working from Jerusalem on a regular basis. Many functions of the embassy will remain in Tel Aviv, at the building housing the current embassy on Hayarkon Street.
Parashat Hashavua Bechukotai in a nutshell: Bechukotai, describes the rewards given for observing G‑d‘s commandments and punishments that will befall us if we disregard them. The Torah then discusses different types of gifts given to the Temple and the animal tithe.
In this parasha we find that in verse 6 the Torah tells us … “and I will put peace on the earth, you will lie down and there will be no one to scare them, I will make the fierce beasts of the earth to cease and the sword will not pass through your land “…,
Here it refers to mental peace for man, peace in nature and social peace, since it says that there will be no wars.
After naming a long list of blessings, abundance of food, rain, and prosperity, Hashem tells us that He will bring peace to the earth.
Rashi explains that this means that even though we receive material blessings of all kinds, nothing has a real meaning if we do not have peace from Hashem.
Peace is equivalent to everything we can receive, in the first blessing before the Shema Israel, He says. .. “G-d that makes peace and creates everything” … It is here that an equivalence is formed between the creation of everything and peace.
In the daily Amidah at the end, the last thing we ask is Shalom. It tells us that if at the end of the whole process we do not have Shalom, it will be very difficult to enjoy all the other things.
The Kaddish in its long versions end with a verse in Hebrew, which was added, the Kaddish is written in Aramaic but at some historical point the need was felt to add this verse written in Hebrew … “He who makes peace on high, put peace on us and on all the people of Israel, shall we say, love” … the Kaddish, one of the most emblematic messages was incomplete without this mention of the peace they put in the end.
In verse 7 and 8 it says … “they will persecute their enemies and they will fall in front of you, 5 of you will persecute 100 of them, and 100 of you will persecute 10,000 of them”. As we found our existence threatened by our enemies, may we be comforted by these verses.
Rashi says , you can not find a mathematically reasonable proportion to what the torah is saying, because if 5 pursue 100, 100 should persecute 2,000, Rashi explains, that is, because it is not the same when few fulfill torah, that when many they fulfill torah, this is a law scientifically called synergy, this means that when more people are involved in a system, the potential of these people is not only the sum of their parts but there is an extra potential added.
Maybe it is a way of teaching us because Judaism is experience to the fullest in a community, because the top of our spiritual levels is directly connected with sharing everything I have and I learn with what I have by my side, and it is at that moment when it enters our lives that “extra”, that empowers us and positions us in the best place we can be … very close to Hashem and accept His Torah .
Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 – The results
Well done Netta Barzilay, a great performance and a real winner. It was a tight contest at the end with runner-up, Cyprus, coming in with 436 points. Israel was placed third in the judges vote but Netta beat the odds and took the popular vote to finish with 529 points.
Twenty five year old, Israeli singer and Looping* artist, Netta Barzilai represented Israel in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest after winning season five of HaKokhav HaBa (Rising Star) on Israel TV. She sang her song, “Toy”, which was released on 11 March, 2018. The track was written by Doron Medalie and Stav Beger.
The finals – Saturday, May 12th, 2018
Twenty six countries fought for the coveted Eurovision crown. Countries competing, in order of appearance, were:
01. Ukraine
02. Spain
03. Slovenia
04. Lithuania
05. Austria
06. Estonia
07. Norway
08. Portugal — break position
09. United Kingdom
10. Serbia
11. Germany
12. Albania
13. France
14. Czech Republic
15. Denmark
16. Australia — break position
17. Finland
18. Bulgaria
19. Moldova
20. Sweden
21. Hungary
22. Israel
23. The Netherlands
24. Ireland
25. Cyprus
26. Italy
Lyrics to Netta’s song – “Toy”
[Intro]
Ree, ouch, hey, hm, la
Ree, ouch, hey, hm, la
Ree, ouch, hey, hm, la
Ree, ouch, hey, hm, la
Ree, ouch, hey, hm, la
Ree, ouch, hey, hm, la
[Verse 1]
Look at me, I’m a beautiful creature
I don’t care about your “modern time preachers”
Welcome boys, too much noise, I will teach ya
(Pam pam pa hoo, turram pam pa hoo)
Hey, I think you forgot how to play
My teddy bear’s running away
The Barbie got something to say, hey, hey, hey
Hey! My “Simon says” leave me alone
I’m taking my Pikachu home
You’re stupid just like your smartphone
[Pre-Chorus]
Wonder Woman don’t you ever forget
You’re divine and he’s about to regret
He’s a bucka-mhm-buckbuckbuck-mhm boy
Bucka-mhm-buckbuckbuck
I’m not your bucka-mhm-buck-mhm-buck-mhm
The Eurovision Song Contest 2018 is the 63rd edition of the annual European song contest. Last years winner, Portugal, are hosting the contest this year. The contest is being held in Lisbon and consists of two semi-final rounds; the first semi-final on 8th, the second semi-final on 10th May and the final on May 12th,2018.
Forty-three countries will participate in this year’s contest.
Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 40 times since making its debut in 1973.
Israel achieved back to back victories in 1978 and 1979, with wins for Izhar Cohen with the song “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” and Gali Atari with “Hallelujah”. During Israel’s 70th Independence Day celebrations, the song “Hallelujah” was played in the finale, with Jewish communities around the globe, joining in to sing the song. Israel achieved its third victory in 1998, with Dana International and “Diva”. Israel has hosted the contest twice, in 1979 and 1999, both times in Jerusalem.
Since the Introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Israel has failed to reach the final six times.
Well done Netta!!!
*Definition of “Looping”
Live looping is the recording and playback of a piece of music in real-time using either dedicated hardware devices, called loopers or phrase samplers, or software running on a computer with an audio interface.
Due to work to improve track infrastructure, train services will stop temporarily on the night between Thursday, 10.5.18 and Friday, 11.5.18 at 00:01 and will resume on Friday, 11.5.18 at approximately 18:00.
Trains to and from the North: Will start and end their journey at Binyamina Station.
Trains to and from the South: Will start and end their journey at Hadera West Station.
Night trains to Ben Gurion International Airport: Trains from the North will start and end their journeys at Binyamina Station. Trains from the South will start and end their journeys at Hadera West Station.
For your convenience, free shuttle services will operate between Hadera West Station and Binyamina Station and between Ben Gurion International Airport Station and Haifa Hof Ha Carmel Station. Click here for shuttle timetable…
On Saturday night 12.5.18 the railway service will operate as scheduled.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai taught: “Anyone who helps a fellow Jew is considered as if he helped G-d himself.”
Lag B’Omer is a minor but religious holiday. It’s celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting up to the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. Did you know that building a bonfire on Lag B’Omer is not mandatory? It’s just a custom.
What is Lag B’Omer? It says that a Tzadik chooses the day he wants to leave this world.
Thoughts on Lag B’Omer by Rav Mordechai Makor
It says that a Tzadik chooses the day he wants to leave this world. Rabbi Shimon chose the day of Lag B”Omer to pass away, why?
What is so special about this day?
For the answer, we need to refer to the Omer and the sefirot. We know that each day in the Omer refers to a certain sefirah, the first being Chessed of Chessed, and the last being Malchut of Malchut. The sefirah for Lag B”Omer is Hod of Hod. What is Hod of Hod. To give a little background. All light(energy) from the Upper Worlds come down through the Sefirot. There is an system that before any light can come to the physical world, it has to go through the sefirah of Yesod. In the Upper Worlds, Yesod is like a funnel. It gathers all the shefa (bounty) and let’s it pass through to our world. Yossef HaTzadik represents the sefirah of Yesod and what did he do, he gathered all the food in the world.
Therefore, Yesod doesn’t really have its own light/Ohr. If this is the case, Hod of Hod in the spiritual world is the same as Malchut of Malchut in the physical world, which is manifestation. Hod of Hod is Shavuot in the spiritual world. We have to wait another 17 days in the physical world before it becomes manifested. Tov(Good) has a numerology of 17. Together, the sefirah of Hod of Hod and Rabbi Shimon, make this day something special.
Please understand the power of Lag B”Omer and Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon said, Gemara, Sukkah 45;“I can free the entire world from judgement”. Think of this, one man, one person can stand up for the whole world. Rabbi Shimon is everybody’s Rebbe. He accepts everyone no matter where they are spiritually. Rabbi Shimon is the conduit for all blessing and bounty for Klal Yisrael. Lag B”Omer is an auspicious time for salvations. Don’t waste this day. The best way to connect to Rabbi Shimon is to read Zohar. You don’t need to understand it, you just need to read it. Your soul understands. The Pele Yoatz says, that just reading a few pages of Zohar everyday, purifies the soul. Read at least a page EVERY day. Have a great time!!!
A Yortzheit is called a Hilulah. Hilulah also means a day of joy/wedding. The Rema MiPano explained that they are similar, because just as by a wedding, people’s entire focus should be on the chattan and kallah and on the joy of the wedding, and on nothing else, similarly, the entire focus in Heaven on the day of a Yortzheit, is on the Tzaddik who was niftar on that day.
In Heaven when there is a Yortzheit, the only topic that is discussed is the Torah and the lessons of that Tzadik.
On the Yortzheit we must also be happy because this is the best day to connect to that soul of that Tzadik.
There is a story about a father who used to gather his kids around the table on the Yortzheit of a big Tzadik and ask each kid what present they were going to send to the Tzadik. Some said they would learn in his honor, some said that they would do other Mitzvot like visiting the sick etc. This is a very beautiful way to honor a Tzadik or parent, by sending them presents. Do some extra Mitzvah in their honor and I guarantee that they will come and help you. Do something special for Rabbi Shimon.
