Rabi Meir Baal Hanes
Today, the fourteenth of the month of Iyar "Pesach Sheni" is also the Hilula of the Tana HaKadosh "Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes"
We have heard and read so many times about "Rabbi Meir," and on many occasions we also give tzedaka in his name and read prayers mentioning that they be heard for his merit, but who was Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes really?
Rabbi Meir was the greatest of the fourth-generation Tannaim, the most important of Rabbi Akiva's students. Rabbi Meir played an important role in the compilation of the Mishnah.
Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess (Rabbi Meir, Master of Miracles) was one of the great Jewish sages of the Second Temple period, renowned for his exceptional memory. He wrote books and explanations of the Holy Scriptures and worked to restore Jewish leadership in Galilee after the Bar Kokehva revolt. He also excelled in the Haggadah. He was a great orator and beloved by all social classes. He divided his discourse into three parts: Halacha (law), Haggadah (legend), and fables, according to the sages.
Upon Rabbi Meir's death, the fabulists disappeared (end of Sota). Rabbi Meir was a scribe. He wrote Torah scrolls and megillot, and excelled in his work, specializing in calligraphy, for which he prepared the ink himself.
He knew the sacred scriptures by heart and, once, lacking a text, he wrote the scroll of Esther from memory (Megillah 18:2). According to one opinion, his name was Rabbi Nehorai and his surname was Meir because he enlightened the eyes of the wise with his explanations.
His wife's name was Beruria, the daughter of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion, who was famous for her Torah knowledge, wisdom, and good deeds. He had two sons who died at an early age, as our sages tell us. Rabbi Meir was in the house of study one Sabbath, at the time of the afternoon prayer. It was then that his two sons died. Beruria, their mother, laid them in bed and covered them with a blanket. At the end of the Sabbath, Rabbi Meir returned from the Bet Hamidrash (house of study) and asked his wife, "Where are the two children?" She replied, "They went to the Bet Hamidrash." He replied, "I was waiting for them at the Bet Hamidrash, but I have not seen them." She offered her husband food. Rabbi Meir asked again, "Where are the two children?" and she replied, "Sometimes they go to such and such a place, but they will soon return." Beruria offered her husband food. When he had said the blessing after the meal, she said to him, “Rabbi, I have a question to ask you.” “Speak.” “Rabbi, a long time ago a man came and entrusted me with a deposit. Now he has returned. Do we have to return his deposit or not?” “My child, whoever receives a deposit is obligated to return it to its owner.” “I would not have returned it without first telling you.” Then she took her husband by the hand, led him into the bedroom, approached the bed, and removed the blanket that was spread over their two sons. Seeing them, Rabbi Meir began to weep and lament. Beruriah said to him, “God had entrusted them to us for a certain time; now their owner has asked for them again, may his name be blessed!” In this way, his wife consoled Rabbi Meir (Midrash Mishle 28).
All the qualities Rabbi Meir listed in a person who would engage in Torah for the sake of Torah were crystallized in him. He was a friend, beloved, he loved the Omnipresent, and he loved creatures. Since he loved people, he spared no effort to make peace between man and his fellow man (Gitin 52:1). He loved both Jews and Gentiles, evil and good, for the blessed saint loves all creatures. On many tzedakah (charity) boxes, we find the phrase "by zechut" written in the merit of Rabbi Baal HaNes (the Miracle Worker).
Five hundred years ago, many of our Jewish brothers and sisters began to return to Eretz Yisrael. At first, it was a religious awakening of men and women who wanted to fully observe the Torah and its precepts and to make a reality of what we read in the Pesach Haggadah, Leshama Habaa b'Yerushalaim (Next Year in Yerushalayim). Eretz Yisrael was then deserted and desolate; swamps and disease plagued many of its regions, sustenance was difficult to find, and many suffered from hunger. The great rabbis—leaders of this generation, Rabbi Yosef Caro (author of the Shulchan Aruch) and Rabbi Moshe Alshich—realized the dire situation in the country, and so they decided to launch a special campaign targeting the Jews of the Golah, asking them to donate money to help their brothers and sisters in the Land of Israel. (Responses, Yehuda Lael Adas 1st part Yore Dea, 315) The campaign was opened by the “Zechut” (merit) of Meir Baal Hanes. He was called “Baal Hanes” (“The Master of Miracles”) because of the following story: He was married to Bruria, daughter of Rabbi Chanania ben Teradion, one of the ten martyrs. The governor had ordered the death penalty for Rabbi Chanina and his wife for teaching Torah in public. They decreed that their daughter, Bruria’s sister, should live a life of suffering. Bruria pleaded with her husband to save her sister. Rabbi Meir took a bag of gold coins and went to where his sister-in-law was, dressed as a Roman horseman. He offered the money as a bribe to the Roman guard guarding the place. The guard replied, “When my supervisor comes and sees that someone is missing, he will kill me.” Rabbi Meir replied, “Take half of the silver for yourself, and use the other half to bribe the other officers.” And the guard continued, “And when the money runs out, and the supervisors come, what will I do?” Rabbi Meir replied, “Say, ‘G‑d of Meir, answer me,’ and you will be saved.” The guard continued, “And how can you guarantee that this will save me?” Rabbi Meir replied, “Look, there are dogs here that attack and kill men. I will go to them, and you will see for yourself.” Rabbi Meir went over there, and all the dogs began to approach him to bite him. He shouted, “G‑d of Meir, answer me,” and the dogs backed away. The guard was convinced and handed the girl over. When the group of supervisors arrived, he bribed them with the silver that Rabbi Meir had given him. Eventually, the guard's crime became known. He was arrested and sentenced to death by hanging. While the rope was tied around his neck, he said, "God of Meir, answer me." The rope tore, to everyone's surprise. The guard recounted the incident, and everyone went to visit Rabbi Meir. The guard was pardoned. From that time on, the tradition was maintained that when a Jew finds himself in any kind of crisis, he gives charity for the benefit of Torah students in Israel, and dedicates the charity in memory of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes. He then says, "God of Rabbi Meir, answer me," and in that merit, G‑d willing, he will emerge from his crisis.
This prayer is also known as an aid in finding lost objects. Rabbi Meir proclaimed that he would personally intercede in Heaven on behalf of anyone who gives charity to the poor of the land of Israel in his merit. According to various sources, toward the end of his life he had to emigrate to Babylon, where he died. However, others believe his burial is on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, south of Tiberias. Popular belief associates him with miracles that have their origin in the stories told about him, including one that recounts how he escaped from Roman soldiers, who were blinded while pursuing him.
May God, by his merit, hear our prayers, bless us, take care of us and protect us!
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