Monday, October 16, 2006

Daf Yomi - Sukkah 45 - There is only one G-d

Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai declared, “there are few people of the highest level, i.e. who have received the Divine presence. If there are a thousand, I and my son are from that group. If there are a hundred, I and my son are from that group. If they are two, they are myself and my son.” Why did Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai have to state that if there are two, then they are myself and my son? This would seem obvious, based on his previous declaration. Perhaps Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai was demonstrating extreme humility with this statement. Rashi in Parashas Bereishis cites a few instances where HaShem created the world in a certain manner so that people would not be led to think that man is also a god. Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai, who understood his greatness, was concerned that people might come to worship him due to his great spiritual level. For this reason, Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai declared that there were two great people in the world, himself and his son, so no one would be led to believe that he was a god, Heaven forbid.

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