Deep of the Deep

Lag BaOmer beginning sundown May first is a festive day on the Jewish calendar, celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the great sage and mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar.

Rabbi Shimon lived 2000 years ago during the time when the Talmud-Book of Law and Midrash-Book of Metaphor were composed; Rabbi Shimon wrote the Zohar-Book of Secret at the same time but he wrote it in heaven and did not transmit the text to the earth for another 1000 years.

When Rabbi Shimon passed away he commanded the people to celebrate on the anniversary of his passing because he was going home. There are 49 days counted between Passover the Shavuot celebrating the giving of the Torah, Rabbi Shimon passed away on the 33rd day (Lamed-30 Gimal-3/Lag) known in the Cabala a Hod ShabaHod/Splendor of Splendor–the deepest of the deep.

Rabbi Shimon was able to penetrate the most hidden secrets, yet the Zohar has remained in obscurity up until recently. Now that the Zohar is available, translated and annotated, still the Zohar is obscure.

the Cabala, key to the Zohar, came a few hundreds years later, but still the Zohar remains aloft. The Zohar fills the holes, answers the outstanding questions, but if one does not know the Torah, the Zohar is meaningless because the answer is nothing without the question.

Dylan Releases 33rd

Bob Dylan prophet of our times for over fifty years has released his 33rd album; fifty is considered forever in the Torah as in a slave who sells himself forever goes free after 50 years and 33 is also famous.

The release of the 33rd album comes precisely two weeks before the holiday known as Lag Bomer the 33rd day of counting the omer. The 33rd day of the Omer is famous because it is when Rabbi Shimon ben Y’Choi author of the Zohar-Book of Secret 2000 years ago passed away.

Rabbi Shimon instructed his students to celebrate at his passing because he was going back to his essence–this day is celebrated throughout the world with dancing and fire.

In Cabala 33 is known as deep of the deep after that begins the process of illumination; as Bob says in his new album–I feel a change coming on.