Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai

Visitors to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's tomb encounter a small display case holding a piece of an ancient olive tree labeled "Idra Tree." What's the story behind it, and how does it connect to Rabbi Shimon's mystical Idra?

Galia Sylvia, the woman who gathers the children who come to the resting place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai for the reading of Tehillim and stories of tzaddikim, has a fascinating life story filled with challenging trials. So what led her to Rabbi Shimon's resting place, how does this relate to her daughter's illness, and what do Shabbat experiences at Rabbi Shimon's site look like?

Yael Shila recounts her son who was born and passed away on Lag BaOmer, deeply connected to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. What responsibility did he take from a young age, what happened when his kippah fell off as a baby, and the special meaning his name carried at his passing?

Linor Abargil reveals: "My grandmother appeared to me in a dream, saying the Kaddish was missed for her": Check out the videos and articles that captivated you this week

With the holy site of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai closed for the first time in years, Meron locals share their plans for celebrating Lag B'Omer amid severe restrictions.

In anticipation of the hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on Lag BaOmer, when countless Jews visit his holy tomb in Meron, the "Yom L'Yom" newspaper brings the amazing story of the former resident of Meron, Hacham Yechezkel HaCohen, who made the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon his study place all year, and even renovated and established the building and courtyard of the cave in Meron.

On Lag B'Omer, we commemorate, among other things, the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. While it's widely believed that Rabbi Shimon authored the Zohar, there are some who dispute this claim. What's the truth?