A ''Yom Hillula'' ( he, יום הילולא, day of festivity) is another word for ''

yahrzeit Bereavement in Judaism () is a combination of ''minhag'' and ''mitzvah'' derived from the Torah and Judaism's classical rabbinic texts. The details of observance and practice vary according to each Jewish community. Mourners In Judaism, the p ...

'' (the anniversary of a death). However, it differs from a regular ''yahrzeit'' in two respects. It refers specifically to the ''yahrzeit'' of a great

Tzaddik Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The ...

who taught

Kabbalah Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...

and/or Chassidus, and unlike a regular ''yahrzeit'', which is marked with sadness and even

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

, a ''Yom Hillula'' is commemorated specifically through

simcha ''Simcha'' ( he, שִׂמְחָה ; , ) is a Hebrew word that means gladness, or joy, and is often used as a given name. Uses The concept of simcha is an important one in Jewish philosophy. A popular teaching by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, a 19th- ...

(joy), and festive celebration. This term is most often used in

Hasidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

circles to refer to the day of the death of Hasidic

Rebbe A Rebbe ( yi, רבי, translit=rebe) or Admor ( he, אדמו״ר) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spiritua ...

s. According to Kabbalah, on the Yartzheit of a Tzaddik, all the spiritual redemption of their life shines into this World, contributing to the Messianic redemption and bringing spiritual blessing to all who are connected to them. The supreme Tzadik of the generation is described as the all-inclusive, general soul of the Jewish people, further emphasised in Hasidic doctrine. The observation of a hillula in North African Jewish communities is also widespread, especially in

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

, with the Hiloula of Rabbi Isaac Ben Walid and the Hiloula of Rabbi Amram ben Diwan <--(the Yom Hillula of

Rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

Amram ben Diwan Amram ben Diwan (Hebrew: : died 1782, Ouazzane, Morocco) was a venerated 18th-century rabbi whose tomb has become the site of an annual pilgrimage. Born in Jerusalem, he soon moved to Hebron in 1743 and was sent to Morocco in order to collect dona ...

) among them, as well as the

Baba Sali Israel Abuhatzeira ( he, ר׳ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַבּוּחַצִירָא), known as the Baba Sali ( ar, بابا صلى, he, בַּאבָּא סָאלִי, lit. "Praying Father") (1889–1984) was a leading Moroccan Sephardic rabbi and ka ...

in the Israeli town of

Netivot Netivot ( he, נְתִיבוֹת, "''paths''", ar, نتيڤوت) is a city in the Southern District of Israel located between Beersheba and Gaza. In , it had a population of . History Netivot was founded in 1956 and named after the bible: " ...

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

The first ''Tzaddik'' whose ''Yom Hillula'' was celebrated is that of Rabbi

Shimon bar Yochai Shimon bar Yochai ( Zoharic Aramaic: שמעון בר יוחאי, ''Shim'on bar Yoḥai'') or Shimon ben Yochai (Mishnaic Hebrew: שמעון בן יוחאי, ''Shim'on ben Yoḥai''), also known by the acronym Rashbi, was a 2nd-century ''tannaiti ...

, on

Lag Baomer Lag BaOmer ( he, , ''LaG Bāʿōmer''), also Lag B'Omer or Lag LaOmer, is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. According to some Rishonim ...

. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai referred to this day as ''Yom Simchato'' ("the day of his happiness") and a spiritual wedding. There is thus a very widely observed custom to visit the

tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai The tomb of Shimon bar Yochai (), or Kever Rashbi (), on Mount Meron is the traditional burial place of the 2nd century Mishnaic rabbi. A place of pilgrimage since the late 15th century, it is today the second most visited Jewish site in the wor ...

Meron, Israel Meron ( he, מֵירוֹן, ''Meron'') is a moshav in northern Israel. Located on the slopes of Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee near Safed, it falls under the jurisdiction of Merom HaGalil Regional Council. Meron is most famous for the tomb ...

on Lag Be'Omer, and celebrate with torches, song, and feasting. This celebration was a specific request by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai of his students.

External links

Rabbi M.M. Schneerson on why chassidim rejoice on a ''Yom Hillula'' (Yiddish)
Kabbalah Chabad terminology Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law {{Hasidic-Judaism-stub

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

See also

External links