Rashbi and the Torah of Entering & Exiting the Cave

1) Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Shimon sat [together], and Rabbi Yehudah ben Gerim sat with them. Rabbi Yehuda opened and said, "How fine are the deeds of [the Roman] nation; they set up markets, they set up bridges, they set up bathhouses." Rabbi Yose was quiet. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai answered and said, "All that they set up, they didn't set up except for their own needs; they set up markets to place prostitutes in them, bathhouses to pamper themselves, bridges to take taxes from them." Rabbi Yehudah ben Gerim went and told over their words and they were heard by the government. [The government officials] said, "Yehuda that elevated [us] should be elevated, Yose that was quiet should be exiled to Tsippori, Shimon that disgraced [us] should be killed."

2) He and his son went [and] hid in the study hall, every day, his wife would bring them bread and a container of water and they ate. When the decree became more pronounced, he said to his son, "women have weak resolve; maybe [the Romans] will distress her and she will reveal [our location]."

3) They went and hid in a cave. A miracle occurred [and] a carob tree and a spring of water were created for them. And they would take off their clothes and would sit up to their necks in sand; the whole day they would study; at the time of prayers they would get dressed, cover themselves and pray; and [then] they would go back and take off their clothes so that they would not get worn out. They sat for twelve years in the cave.

4) Eliyahu came and stood at the entrance of the cave [and] said, "Who will inform Bar Yochai that the Caeser has died and that his decree has been annulled?" They came out; they saw people that were plowing and planting. [Rabbi Shimon] said, "They are leaving over eternal life and involving themselves with temporary life." Every place upon which they would set their eyes would immediately burn. A Heavenly voice came out and said to them, "Did you come out [of the cave] to destroy my world? Go back to your cave!"

5) They returned and went [back]; they sat for twelve months of a year; they [then] said, "the judgment of the wicked is twelve months in Gehinnom." A Heavenly voice came out and said, "go out from your cave." They went out. Wherever [his son] R. Elazar smote – R. Shimon healed. He said, "My son, you and I are sufficient for the world."As the [sun was setting] on the eve of Shabbat, they saw an hold man holding two bundles of hyssops and running at twilight. They said to him, "what are these to you?" He said to them, "For the honor of the Shabbat." [They said back,] "Would one not suffice?" [He responded,] "One corresponding to Exodus 20:7), 'Remember' and one corresponding to (Deuteronomy 5:11) 'Guard.'" [Rabbi Shimon] said to his son, "See, how beloved the commandments are to Israel." [And so] their minds were put at ease.

6) R. Pinhas b. Yair, R. Shimon's son-in-law, heard and went out to greet him. He took R. Shimon to the bathhouse. R. Pinhas was massaging R. Shimon's flesh. Seeing that there were clefts in R. Shimon's flesh, he began to weep, and when the tears fell from his eyes [they fell on R. Shimon's flesh] and R. Shimon was yelping [from pain]. R. Pinhas said to him, "Alas that I see you so!" R. Shimon said to him, "Blessed are you that you see me so. For if you did not see me so, you would not find me so [learned]."

7a) R. Shimon said, "Is there something that needs fixing [tikkun]?" They said to him, "There is a part [of Tiberias] which is of doubtful impurity and it causes much trouble for the priests to go around it." Wherever it (the ground) was hard he ruled pure. Wherever was loose he marked.

7b)

R. Nechuniah b. Hakannah would recite a short prayer upon entering the house of study and upon leaving it. When asked: "What is the place [i.e., the nature] of this prayer?" he replied: "Upon entering I pray that no mischance occur because of me" [that I not create a stumbling-block, as explained in the baraitha: "that I not err in a halachah and my friends rejoice (in my discomfiture)" — whereby I become the cause of evil, my friends being punished because of me]; "and upon leaving, I give thanks for my portion." [I thank Him for the good that He bestowed upon me in placing my portion among those who sit in the house of study. These two prayers, upon entering the house of study and upon leaving it, are binding upon all men. For thus is it stated in the baraitha: "Upon entering what does he say?" and "Upon leaving what does he say?", the implication being that he must say them.]