B"H
About ten days ago I participated in a "Meditation Seminary" organized by Chabad (Lubavitch). The location of the three - day course was the hostel "Ascent" in Safed. Rabbi Shmuel Gavriel Tornek taught us some basic practices about Jewish meditation.
We didn't only spent our classes indoors but also went on two trips: One to the "IDRA RABBAH CAVE" where we meditated over a prayer. Our second trip took us to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to Meron.
It is said that the IDRA RABBAH was discovered by the medieval Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, 1534 - 1572. According to him, already Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, his son, Rabbi Elazar, as well as further Talmudic Rabbis had meditated in this cave.
The roof of the "Idra Rabbah Cave". As soon as you enter, you will see the original roof !
A list of those Talmudic Rabbis who used to meditate / pray in the cave.
Our meditation group in front of the entrance to the cave.
Center: Chabad Rabbi Eli Naiditch.
Our group meditating with Rabbi Tornek.
I still have no idea whose graves can be found inside the cave.
Photos: Miriam Woelke
In the Zohar it mentions that three of the rabbis in the Idra Rabba die of ecstasy: R. Yosi ben R. Ya'akov, R. Chizkiyah and R. Yesa. I would assume those are their graves.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know but just that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai used had already used that cave:
http://www.tzfat-kabbalah.org/tour.asp?p=552