33 — The Magic Number that Connecting Humanity with Nature in One Thought

A new story from my dear friend, Ernest Itzkovitch from Toronto:

Today, May 11, 2020, is Lag Ba Omer — an old traditional holiday that rolls back from “The Story of Creation”. You may find on the internet endless links, references, and interpretations of this Holiday and their symbols.
However, one commonly shared Source that respected by the modern humanity — is “The Book of Zohar” that is calling for us to begin this celebration journey of “Unity of Humanity” toward being “as one man with one heart”, that becomes even more important and relevant to the world especially in these “Corona lifting restriction times”.

Once a year, children and youth collect any piece of wood they can lay their hands on and pile them up into huge heaps, which they set on fire on the 33rd day of Omer night (for more details — see/search for the 33rd day of the omer count, which begins on the first day of Passover and ends on Shavuot).
On that day, there is an old habit of people (who are accessible) to flock to the grave of the author of The Book of Zohar, Rashbi, to ask and to celebrate the writing of this seminal book of Zohar — the wisdom of Truth/Kabbalah.
This “festival of lights” marks a profound point in our evolution as One Global Nation and individual development.

According to legend, Rashbi and his son fled to the Galilee where they hid in a cave for 13 years eating only carobs from a nearby tree and drinking the water of a nearby spring. During that time, they delved into the wisdom of the hidden, the wisdom of Kabbalah, and revealed the secrets of Nature’s creation. Their efforts granted them the understanding of nature’s deepest levels of Humanity’s development and the understanding of the underlying unity at the basis of existence.

After 13 years, Rashbi came out of the cave. He gathered eight more students, in addition to his son Elazar, and taught them the secrets of Nature he had revealed. With his students, Rashbi went into another cave, and with their help, he wrote The Book of Zohar, which is an interpretation of the Pentateuch, parts of the Prophets, and the Writings (Hagiographa), and is the seminal book in the wisdom of Kabbalah.

The Book of Zohar describes the natural relationships that exist among all people. Contrary to popular belief, it does not talk about mystical creatures and esoteric powers but rather writes about us — the process we go through as we develop our thoughts and good relations with other people.

Through his insinuations and intimations, Rashbi explains how we should construct our relationships correctly through consideration of others, and how collaboration with others will bring peace to the entire world in other words “how good and how pleasant it is when brothers sit together”. These are the friends as they sit together, at first, they seem like strangers that have nothing to do one with each other but later on, they return to being in brotherly relations. Henceforth, you will also not part … and by your merit, there will be peace in the world.”

These brothers and friends that The Zohar book mentions — are people just like you and me, who have decided to connect for one and only purpose: to attain that underlying unity at the basis of existence that we mentioned earlier. By acknowledging their mutual and different views and opinions and subsequent exertion to rise above it and unite, they engage to that intention of unity and establish such profound collaboration among them, such true mutual responsibility, that even The Zohar fails to describe and refers to it as “a burning flame of friendship” or “the light of The Zohar.”

Symbolically, Lag Ba’omer is the day when Rashbi passed away. It is also the day when the wisdom of Kabbalah was given to the world through the sealing of The Book of Zohar.
The tradition to light fires on Lag Ba’omer symbolizes the great light that appeared in our dark world when The Zohar was signed, sealed, and delivered to humanity — a light that can establish among us connections for good.

The darkness of the deadlock that our world has fallen into over the last decades stems from our unrestrained egoism. Today’s alienation and atmosphere of animosity in society are bound to wreak havoc in the world in general, but uniting our intention to help and support each other and overcome obstacles — is our real challenge.
The way out of the labyrinth requires that we use the same method of connection and unity that our ancestors used 20 centuries ago. If we implement it among us and connect above the internal rejection we feel toward each other, we will light up the same great Nature’s flame that burned before & the light of The Zohar will be revealed.

“In each one there is a spark of the friendship of others. However, the spark cannot ignite the light of brotherhood. Therefore, by bonding together, the sparks become One Big Flame of Human Unity” — I found it very inspiring.

Today, it is becoming clear that our society requires a fundamental, long-lasting, and sustainable solution to the problems we face. The great rule of the Torah, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” is within our power to perform, if we choose together to install it among us. Fact — we are indeed selfish. Yet, even a journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step, and now we must take that step and begin to march on a new path: the path of unity, connection, and friendship.

Lag Ba’omer symbolizes the appearance of the immense light of unity in our world through The Book of Zohar. It is a great opportunity for us to begin this journey toward mutual responsibility, toward being “as one man with one heart,” toward being what One Global United Nation is all about — consideration of others — and toward sharing that spark of friendship with the nations of the world, just as we are expected to be and bring “light unto nations.”