In the Zohar, in a number of instances in which the students praised Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, we find: “Woe to the generation when you pass away.” Go, study, and you will find.
This corresponds to [that which our Sages teach]: “ShaVaT Va’YeNaFaSh (He ceased working and rested)” (Exodus 31:17)—now that it is ShaBbaT, VaY (woe!) for the loss of NeFeSh (the soul) (Beitzah 16a). That is, because of the great delight engendered by the extra soul which comes on Shabbat, we immediately begin to long for and feel sorrow over the loss of that soul once Shabbat ends.
The same applies to the students. Because of the great delight and pleasure which they had received from their teacher, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, they therefore immediately began longing, anticipating the sorrow they would experience at his passing.
Wherever the students praised Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai for revealing an amazing mystery to them, you will find that he afterwards taught them additional Torah insights.
בַּזֹּהַר, בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁשִּׁבְּחוּ הַחֶבְרַיָּא אֶת רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחַאי, אִיתָא: וַי לְדָרָא כַּד תִּסְתַּלֵּק, פּוּק עַיֵּן וְתִשְׁכַּח.
In the Zohar, in a number of instances in which the students praised Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, we find: “Woe to the generation when you pass away.” Go, study, and you will find.
וְהוּא בְּחִינַת (שמות ל״א:י״ז): שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ – כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁבַת וַי אָבְדָה נֶפֶשׁ (ביצה טז). הַיְנוּ, שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת גֹּדֶל הַתַּעֲנוּג שֶׁל הַנֶּפֶשׁ יְתֵרָה שֶׁבָּא בְּשַׁבָּת, עַל־כֵּן מַתְחִילִים תֵּכֶף לְהִתְגַּעְגֵּעַ וּלְהִצְטַעֵר עַל אֲבֵדַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּמוֹצָאֵי־שַׁבָּת;
This corresponds to [that which our Sages teach]: “ShaVaT Va’YeNaFaSh (He ceased working and rested)” (Exodus 31:17)—now that it is ShaBbaT, VaY (woe!) for the loss of NeFeSh (the soul) (Beitzah 16a). That is, because of the great delight engendered by the extra soul which comes on Shabbat, we immediately begin to long for and feel sorrow over the loss of that soul once Shabbat ends.
כֵּן הַחֶבְרַיָּא, מֵחֲמַת גֹּדֶל הַתַּעֲנוּגִים וְהַשַּׁעֲשׁוּעִים שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ מֵרַבָּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחַאי, עַל־כֵּן תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד הִתְחִילוּ לְהִתְגַּעְגֵּעַ, וְעָלָה עַל לִבָּם צַעַר הַהִסְתַּלְּקוּת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם.
The same applies to the students. Because of the great delight and pleasure which they had received from their teacher, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, they therefore immediately began longing, anticipating the sorrow they would experience at his passing.
בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁשִּׁבְּחוּ הַחֶבְרַיָּא אֶת רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחַאי עַל שֶׁגִּלָּה לָהֶם סוֹד נִפְלָא, תִּמְצָא שֶׁאַחַר־כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם עוֹד חִדּוּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה:
Wherever the students praised Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai for revealing an amazing mystery to them, you will find that he afterwards taught them additional Torah insights.