A pillar of fire escorted the Jewish people in the desert after leaving Egypt. But not only then-it reappears in every generation at the funeral of the biggest righteous men (tzaddik) of the time. Sometimes it is seen to everyone, but more often only to special people. In the Talmud, we read that about Rabbi Yehuda bar Iluaye, one of the biggest Rabbis after the destruction of the Second Temple. He used to dance before (not with!) brides with a myrtle bow (hadas). At his funeral, a pillar of fire was seen, in the form of a myrtle bow.
Around 5330, there were several very special holy Rabbis in Safed, Israel (Tzfat). One was Rabbi Moshe Cordevero. (brief biography) At his funeral, the sage Rabbi Yitzhak Luria asked, who sees what I see? One lad, who had just become Bar Mitzvah, said, Rebbe, I do. What? A pillar of fire escorting the deceased.Rabbis Luria said that the boy had that priviledge, because he had not yet sinned. He thought to engage him to his daughter, but by the time he talked to him again, he saw on his face a sin, and cancelled the plan (Yes, it is not a joke to say it is written on your face-everything you do is, and holy people see it!)
And only around 50 years ago, something similar took place at the funeral of the Grand Rebbe of Belz, Rabbi Aharon Rokach. The day after, the Makeveh Rebbe walked with the Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel Alter. They had both attended the funeral. The latter asked the former, "Did you see?" The question was overheard by the Makever's son, but not the reply. The son asked his father,"What did the Gerrer Rebbe mean?" "A pillar of fire." "And what did you reply?" The answer-typical of the humility of big Rabbis-"Not everything you have to know!"
Created on ... January 05, 2005