Rebbe Yochanan

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Emuna Daily

“The Talmud (tractate Berachot 5b) tells of the renowned sage Rebbe Yochanan, who having lost all his ten sons, would walk around with the tooth of his tenth son in his pocket and declare, ‘This is the bone of my tenth son that died.  See how I lost ten sons, but am still happy and smiling!  I realize that this world is not our principle concern, and those holy souls that were my sons simply finished their tikkun and respective missions in this world, so why should I be sad?  They are now in a world of eternal bliss, but we are still suffering on this lowly earth.'” ~ The Garden of Emuna

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2 Responses to Rebbe Yochanan

  1. david's avatar david says:
    November 8, 2011 at 10:01 am

    Very hard to understand, or swallow without context and explanation.

    Reply
  2. Emuna Daily's avatar Jeremy says:
    November 8, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    I posted this as a follow up to my post last week on the Arizal – https://emunadaily.com/2011/11/01/incredible-story-and-lesson/
    People should realize that this is not just a story about the Arizal, but it’s a lesson right out of the Gemarah.

    I agree however, that it is tough to swallow, but I think it is a point that we all have to take to heart. This world is not our principle concern. We are here temporarily for a specific purpose. Rebbe Yochanan took comfort in knowing that his sons were very holy people and simply finished their tikkuns and respective missions in this world and are now in a world of eternal bliss.

    I don’t know if we are necessarily capable of thinking the same way, since not everyone finishes their tikkun before they die. On the other hand, Rebbe Yochanan and the Arizal knew those people completed their missions in life.

    Reply

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