Send a Prayer to the grave of Rabbi Elazar, son of the Rashbi

Passing (yartzeit) is the 25th of Elul. On the occasion of R’ Elazar’s Bar Mitzva, the Zohar relates that: "R’ Shimon Bar Yochai [R’ Elazar’s father] invited the leading scholars of the Mishna to partake of a great festive meal which he had arranged. He was very happy because (as he explained), "On this day, a holy and exalted soul descended... into my son R’ Elazar, and on this joyous occasion, I shall experience supreme joy," in accordance with the custom that "on that day (the day of Bar Mitzva), it is an obligation on the righteous to make a simchah similar to that on the day of a wedding." [Zohar Chadosh, Bereishis 15:4. See also 10:3,4 ibid., and Zohar, Vol. II, p. 98a. See Igros Kodesh, Vol. XVI, p. 103.] Later in life, when his father R’ Shimon fled Roman capture and torture for speaking against their tyrannical rule, both he (R’ Elazar) and his father (R’ Shimon) hid in a mountain cave for 13 years and expounded the secrets of the Torah together, teachings which later provided the basis for the holy book of the Zohar. A great Torah scholar in his own right, R’ Elazar is buried next to his illustrious father on Mt. Meron.