Question: I’ve always been intrigued by the large assemblage that gathers at the gravesite of R. Meir Ba’al HaNes in Tiberias on his yahrzeit, the 14th of Iyar. Why is such attention directed to his gravesite, in particular?
F. Hager
Answer: The Chida writes in Petach Einayim (on Avoda Zara 18) that we customarily say, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” during a tragedy and vow to burn oil (or candles) or donate charity on behalf of R. Meir’s soul. We do so because of R. Meir’s miraculous rescue of his wife’s sister; his miraculous escape from the Romans; and her guard’s miraculous escape from death after saying, “G-d of Meir, answer me!”
Rabbi Menachem Azaryah DaFano (Ma’amar Chikur Hadin) argues that what R. Meir meant with his exclamation was, “G-d who lights [she’me’ir] the world, answer me.” (The Maharasha offers the same explanation, as we noted last week.) We, too, he says, should have the same meaning in mind when saying this short prayer.
The Yad Yehuda notes that the guard was saved even though he didn’t have this explanation in mind. We thus see that even one who is not familiar with the intricacies of kavana may be helped by uttering this prayer as long as he truly puts his trust in G-d.
Rabbi Eliyahu HaKohen from Izmir writes in Midrash Talpiot (published in 1736), “I have a kabbalah [tradition] that whoever loses an object and pledges, ‘If I find it, I will give such and such an amount of money for oil [for a lamp] on behalf of the soul of R. Meir,’ is assured that he will find his lost object provided he doesn’t tarry [in fulfilling his pledge]. If the lost object was money, it is possible the finder spent it; if it is a garment, it is possible it was taken to a different location or altered, rendering it unrecognizable, in which case the pledge won’t be effective.”
A number of years ago, I had an experience of this nature when I was in Israel. On a tour to Kibbutz Chafetz Chayim with my wife, I noticed an old grave at the side of the road. I was told it was the gravesite of Dan, the son of our patriarch Jacob. I was determined on the way back to stop and pray at this holy site.
At the kibbutz, we met a young man, an oleh from South America, with whom we developed an instant friendship. He offered to drive us back to Jerusalem and stop at Dan’s burial site. At the site, I prayed on behalf of my kin and all the Jewish people. I took out my wallet and offered some charity, as is traditional at holy graves. After that, we went on our way.
The young man dropped us off at the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem, from where we would be able to return to our hotel. As he pulled away, I put my hand in my pocket and discovered that my wallet was missing.
My wife went ahead to the hotel, and I joined a Mincha minyan at the Central Bus Station. Afterwards, I designated a five-shekel note for charity and recited, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” I called the young man’s home to inquire if he had found my wallet and was informed by his wife that he wasn’t home. I left my hotel phone number with her in case the wallet was found.
I then undertook a bus trip back to the gravesite where I last recalled taking my wallet out of my pocket. Walking into the small structure erected on this holy site, I asked the tzaddik for his forgiveness for coming to his grave simply to search for my wallet. As I began my search, I must admit I felt a bit like Laban searching in all of Jacob’s tents – and apologized to the tzaddik buried there. I searched and searched, but didn’t find my wallet.
Downhearted, I waited for a bus to take me back to Jerusalem. As soon as I walked into my hotel room, my wife informed me that the young man had called to say that he was on his way to us – with my wallet. When he arrived, he told us that he had given numerous people rides in his car after I left, each person embarking and disembarking on the passenger side. Upon his return home, he opened the door on the passenger side to remove a package and noticed my wallet sitting at the edge of the threshold near the door – miraculously undisturbed by all who had entered and left.
Certainly many of our readers can relate similar experiences that clearly demonstrate the greatness of the tefillah of the tanna R. Meir Ba’al HaNes. We invite you to share them with us, and we hope to publish some of them in the future.
(To be continued)