Community Magazine October 2014

24 Community magazine obligating the scholar to share what he has learned with others in order to allow the profundity and holiness of the Torah to spread. Let us now return to the perplexing exchange between Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. When Rabbi Yehoshua “jumped” into the next world alive, Rabbi Shimon wondered if he was another Hanoch, a righteous individual who withdrew from his contemporaries and was thus brought into Gan Eden alive. He therefore turned to Rabbi Yehoshua and asked, “Did the rainbow ever appear during your lifetime?” He wanted to know if Rabbi Yehoshua, the great sage of his time, served as the “rainbow” of his generation, shining the light of Torah to drive away the darkness. Or, did he accept the dark storm clouds as a permanent condition, without making any attempt to provide his generation with the illumination it desperately needed? Did he provide the light for his contemporaries, or was it necessary for Gd to show the rainbow to remind him that there is always hope, that the light of sanctity is always able to shine, even after the darkest period? Although Rabbi Yehoshua humbly answered that the rainbow shone in his time, the Gemara affirms that in truth, there was no need for it. Rabbi Yehoshua, as discussed, taught the “ill patients” of his generation. Symbolically, this refers to the spiritually ill, to the lowest elements of his society. Earlier, we cited Rashi’s comment that ra’atan is caused by an “insect” in the brain. Rabbi Yehoshua’s students were those people stricken by an illness of the mind, plagued by wrong ideas and deplorable character traits. But the rabbi was neither afraid nor deterred. Rather than remain locked up in his Ivory Tower, and spending all his time around great rabbis and scholars, he went to the “sickest” patients, and spread Torah among all those who sought it. He was confident that the merit of this effort would protect him from negative influences, and that this is precisely what Gd wanted him to do – to shine the brilliant light of the Torah through the dark, menacing clouds of depravity. Our community, baruch Hashem , is witnessing a magnificent “rainbow” of its own, a remarkable Torah renaissance that few people would have predicted just two generations ago. We have seen with our own eyes how after a period of “darkness,” when Torah study and observance was rapidly declining, the light shines again. Whether it’s the large numbers of fulltime students or the inspiring sight of working men who devote hours each day for learning, the “Torah rainbow,” with its myriad of colors and shades, shines brightly in our community. The lesson we must learn from Noah is “ al tahazik tovah le’atzemacha ” – not to keep this blessing to ourselves, and to instead do all we can to spread it and share it with as many of our fellow Jews as we can. We will then be worthy of Gd’s special protection just as He rescued the Jews during the times of Hizkiyahu and Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, and bestow upon all of us His blessing of peace and prosperity, amen . • Close to the beautiful Mediterranean seacoast and boardwalk. • Bat Yam City Center. Building Features: Shopping Mall and Synagogue Health club, Swimming pool and Spa • Train station stops few steps from the building. Buy your Dream Residence in Israel! Once in a Lifetime Investment Opportunity! Below the market pricing. 40% ** Seller’s BUY BACK GUARANTEE ! BAT YAM Luxury New Construction Occupancy 2018 For more information, call 516-355-8229 or email sharok26@gmail.com Early Pre-construction Discount! Low price guaranteed -Till October 1, 2014 2 BR .... 80 Square Meters ... ( $420,000 with only $165,000 down) 3 BR .... 105 Square Meters .... ($495,000 with only $195,000 down) 4 BR .... 130 Square Meters .... ($575,000 with only $225,000 down) 1,200 Sq. M. Full floors of Loft Space available in the Oval Building