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Shimon bar Yochai
132 CE – 160 CE · Roman Judeamystical
Description
Shimon bar Yochai or Shimon ben Yochai, also known by the acronym Rashbi, was a 2nd-century tanna or sage of the land of Israel. He was one of the most eminent disciples of Rabbi Akiva. The Zohar, a 13th-century foundational work of Kabbalah, is ascribed to him by Kabbalistic tradition, but this claim is universally rejected by modern scholars.
Facts
| Born | 90, Galilee |
| Died | 160 (aged 70) |
| Buried | Kever Rashbi, Meron, Israel |
| Children | Eleazar ben Simeon |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Yahrtzeit | Lag BaOmer (Hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) |
Life & work in brief
Summarised by section — one row per topic, for fast reading.
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| Biography | Shimon was born in the Galilee. |
| Teachings | The fullest account of Shimon's teachings is to be found in W. |
| Commemoration | Some believe that bar Yochai died on the 33rd day of the Omer, known as Lag BaOmer, due to a printing error in Hayyim Vital's Pri Etz Chadash. |
Prophecies
Key prophetic utterances and visions attributed to Shimon bar Yochai, with sources.
| Prophecy / vision | Source |
|---|---|
| 13 years hidden in a cave; the secrets of the Torah revealed | Shabbat 33b |
| The inner light of the chariot; the hidden world of Atzilut disclosed | Zohar |