Question: I’ve always been intrigued by the large assemblage that gathers at the gravesite of R. Meir Ba’al HaNes in Tiberias on his yahrzeit, the 14th of Iyar. Why is such attention directed to his gravesite, in particular?
F. Hager
Answer: To understand the origins of the unusual attention paid to the gravesite of Rabbi Meir Ba’al HaNes, one must delve a bit into the history of this great tzaddik. The encyclopedic work of Rabbi Zvi Cohen, Bein Pesach Le’Shavuot, contains a detailed study of this subject, which we hope will shed sufficient light to answer your question.
Rabbi Cohen notes that many oriental Jewish communities are accustomed to having a great feast or hilula on the 14th of Iyar (Pesach Sheni) at the gravesite of R. Meir Ba’al HaNes in Tiberias at which they study his teachings. They also sing and light torches in the tanna’s honor, and carry a Sefer Torah from the ancient synagogue in Tiberias, called Etz HaChayim, to the synagogue at his gravesite.
As to the appellation “Ba’al HaNes – Performer of Miracles” that has been attached to this mishnaic scholar’s name, the Gemara (Avodah Zara 18) relates the following:
R.Meir’s wife, Bruriah, was R. Chanina ben Teradion’s daughter and told her husband that she was ashamed that her sister had been found in a brothel (placed there by wicked Roman officials). He set out to save her, disguised as a knight, and reflected that if she had not been subjected to any disgrace, a miracle would be wrought on her behalf; if she had, no miracle would occur.
When he arrived, he went to see Bruriah’s sister, who evidently did not recognize her brother-in-law, and R. Meir said to her, “Prepare yourself for me.” She replied, “Presently the manner of women is upon me.” He said, “I am prepared to wait,” to which she replied, “But there are many here far prettier than I am.” R. Meir concluded that she was virtuous and nothing untoward had occurred for she discouraged any who approached her.
He then approached the guard in charge of the brothel and asked him to free her. The guard replied, “I fear the authorities.” R. Meir took a tarkab of dinars and gave it to the guard, saying, “One half hand out [as a bribe] and the other half shall remain for you.” The guard asked, “ What happens if the funds run out and I am caught?” R. Meir answered, “Call out, ‘G-d of Meir, answer me!’ and you will be saved.”
The guard was still not satisfied and asked, “But who can assure that I will be saved?” R. Meir demonstrated the effectiveness of his advice by throwing a stone at some dogs known to bite people when incited. Just as the dogs approached to bite, R. Meir exclaimed, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” and the dogs immediately retreated.
In the end, however, the matter became known to the authorities and they came to hang the guard. Just as he was brought up to the gallows, he exclaimed, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” He was taken off the gallows and asked about what he had said. He proceeded to relate the entire incident with R. Meir. The officials then etched the likeness of R. Meir on the gates of Rome and proclaimed that anyone who sees him should bring him to the authorities.
One day, some Romans found R. Meir, who proceeded to run away. There are three interpretations as to what happened next. Some say R. Meir entered a harlot’s house. Others say he came upon a pot of food cooked by heathens, dipped one finger inside it and licked a different finger, creating the impression that he had tasted non-kosher food. A third opinion says Elijah the Prophet appeared in the form of a harlot and embraced R. Meir as if he were a regular visitor.
Whatever happened, R. Meir’s pursuers were fooled; they assumed the person they were chasing couldn’t be R. Meir since R’ Meir would never act in this fashion. So they stopped chasing him.
We see that Hashem performed a series of miracles for R. Meir, his sister-in-law, and even the guard who let him go in the course of R. Meir performing the vital mitzvah of pidyon shevuyim (the redemption of captives).
The Maharsha (loc. cit.) notes – based on Rambam’s ruling (Hilchot Korban Pesach 1:11) – that one must never rely on a miracle for one’s needs if one can achieve the same objective with money. (See also Rava in Pesachim 64b, noting that the doors of the Azarah were physically closed whereas Abaye claims they miraculously closed on their own.) That’s why R. Meir gave the guard a tarkab of dinars.
The Maharsha notes that R. Meir did not trust the guard; he feared that the guard would keep all of the money for himself and rely on a miracle occurring. That’s why R. Meir threw stones at the dogs – to impress upon the guard the need to distribute coins to the Roman officials.
The Maharsha asks how R. Meir could include the name of G-d with his own (“G-d of Meir”) in his lifetime. Our forefather Jacob invoked “Elokei Avraham u’pachad Yitzchak – The G-d of Abraham and the dread of Isaac.” He used the word “dread” as a euphemism for G-d since Isaac was still alive at the time and Rashi (ad loc.) explains that G-d does not attach His name to a tzaddik during his lifetime.
The Maharsha answers his own question by explaining that R. Meir did not refer to his own name when he said “G-d of Meir.” This phrase actually means “The G-d who lights up [me’ir] the land and those who dwell therein.”
(To be continued)