Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes: The Sage Who Illuminated the World

The 14th of Iyar, is the yahrzeit of the holy Tanna Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes. Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes was one of the foremost students of Rabbi Akiva. He was among the five disciples ordained by Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava during times of persecution.

His True Name

The Talmud states: “His name was not Rabbi Meir but Rabbi Nehorai. Why was he called Rabbi Meir? Because he illuminated the eyes of the Sages in halachah.” (Eruvin 13b)

A Descendant of Nero Caesar

The Sefer Yuchasin records a remarkable lineage: “Rabbi Meir… was from the seed of Nero Caesar, the great Roman officer whom Caesar sent to destroy Jerusalem before sending Vespasian. Nero asked a child about a verse, and the child recited: ‘And I will place My vengeance on Edom through My people Israel.’ Nero realized Divine judgment awaited him, converted, and from him descended this holy man, ‘the supernal light.’”

His Immense Greatness

The Talmud teaches: “Stam Mishnah is Rabbi Meir” (Sanhedrin 24a) — meaning that any anonymous Mishnah is attributed to him.

Ravina said: “Anyone who saw Rabbi Meir in the Beit Midrash saw someone who uprooted mountains and ground them against each other.”

This expresses his extraordinary brilliance.

Humility and Modesty

Rabbi Meir was praised for many virtues, especially humility.
Rabbi Yossi ben Chalafta described him as: “A great man, a holy man, a modest man.” (Yerushalmi Moed Katan 3:5)

His humility was such that he did not rule according to his own opinion when colleagues disagreed with him. He said: “My heart never allowed me to violate the words of my colleagues.” (Shabbat)

Making Peace Between Husband and Wife

A powerful story in the Yerushalmi shows Rabbi Meir’s compassion: A husband forbade his wife from entering their home because she returned late from Rabbi Meir’s lecture. He declared she may not come home until she spits in Rabbi Meir’s eye.

Rabbi Meir, seeing this through ruach hakodesh, pretended his eye hurt. He called out: “Any woman who knows how to whisper a remedy over an eye, come help me!”

Her neighbors urged her: “Go spit in his eye — this way you can return home.”

Trembling, she came before him. He asked: “Do you know how to whisper over the eye?” She answered in fear: “No.”

Rabbi Meir said: “Then spit in my face seven times, and it will help me more than whispering.”

After she did so, he told her: “Go tell your husband: you told me to spit once, but I spit seven times.”

His students protested: “Rabbi, should Torah be disgraced like this? We could have punished the husband and forced him to appease his wife!”

Rabbi Meir replied: “Should Rabbi Meir’s honor be greater than God’s? If God commands that His holy Name be erased in the Sotah waters to restore peace between husband and wife — how much more so should Meir’s honor be erased!”

Teachings of Rabbi Meir

a. Pirkei Avot:

“Reduce your business activities, engage in Torah, be humble before every person. If you neglect Torah, you will face many neglecters; if you toil in Torah, God has abundant reward to give you.”

b. Pirkei Avot:

“One who studies Torah for its own sake merits many things…
He becomes beloved, a friend, a lover of God and people…
It clothes him with humility and fear, makes him righteous and faithful… He is like a spring that constantly strengthens and a river that never ceases.”

c. Berachot:

Rabbi Meir would say: “Study wholeheartedly to know My ways… guard your tongue from sin, purify yourself, and I will be with you everywhere.”

d. Chullin:

“A person should not pressure his friend to eat with him if he knows he won’t… nor offer excessive gifts knowing they won’t be accepted… and should not open a merchant’s barrels unless he informs him first…”

e. Midrash Tanchuma:

“Whoever performs a mitzvah is given an angel to guard him… and many mitzvot bring many angels to protect a person from harm.”

‘Baal HaNes’

The famous phrase “Eloka d’Meir Aneini” (“God of Meir, answer me!”) comes from a story in Tractate Avodah Zarah.

Bruriah’s sister (Bruriah was Rabbi Meir’s wife), daughter of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon, was imprisoned by the Romans. Rabbi Meir bribed the guard to release her. The guard feared punishment. Rabbi Meir told him: ​“If your money runs out, say: ‘Eloka d’Meir Aneini.’”

Eventually the guard was sentenced to death. When the noose was placed on his neck, he cried out “Eloka d’Meir Aneini!”, and the rope broke. He survived and revealed the story.

How could a non-Jew have proper intention?

He simply followed Rabbi Meir’s intention. So too, anyone who says “Eloka d’Meir Aneini” should intend it with the faith and merit of Rabbi Meir and all righteous people — and merit salvation.

Others explain the phrase means: ​“The God Who gives light to the world will answer me.”

The Greatness of Bruriah, Rabbi Meir’s Wife

The Midrash (Mishlei) describes her incredible strength: On Shabbat afternoon, while Rabbi Meir was teaching, their two sons died. Bruriah quietly placed them on a bed and covered them.

After Shabbat, Rabbi Meir returned and asked where his sons were.
She told him they went to the study hall.

After Havdalah, he asked again. She gave him food; he ate and blessed.

Then she said: “Rabbi, I must ask you a question. If someone deposited a treasure with me and now asks for it back, must I return it?”

He said: “Certainly.”

She took his hand, brought him to the room, removed the sheet, and showed him the bodies of their sons.

Rabbi Meir cried: “My sons, my teachers…”

Bruriah said: “Did you not tell me one must return the deposit to its Owner?”

Rabbi Meir responded: “The Lord has given, the Lord has taken; blessed be the Name of the Lord.”

The Practice of Saying “Eloka d’Meir Aneini” Three Times

The book Tabur HaAretz explains: “Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes… was called ‘Master of the Miracle’ because his merit brings miracles in all matters, and from him came the practice of saying: ‘Eloka d’Meir Aneinu.’”

The Ben Ish Chai writes that there is a practice to light a candle in Rabbi Meir’s honor on 1 Tevet.

The Chida writes that Jews everywhere, in times of loss, illness, or crisis, vow charity in his merit and say: “Eloka d’Meir Aneini” and are saved.

How the Segulah Is Performed

1. Give charity or light a candle in his merit.

2. Say three times with intention: “Eloka d’Meir Aneini”

3. One directs the prayer to God alone, invoking the merit of Rabbi Meir.