The tale is told that during the Hadrianic persecution in the second century, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, an avowed critic of Roman rule and culture, was forced to seek refuge in a cave along with his son for 12 years to avoid capture. The miraculous appearance of a carob tree and a spring provided them with the bare nutriments been enabled them to survive. To preserve their garments, they wore them only when praying. Otherwise, they burrowed themselves naked into the soil and studied Torah. For 12 years they endured this monotonous routine until rescued by the prophet Elijah, whose presence at the mouth of the cave signaled the demise of the emperor and the end of their travail. But when they returned safely to society they were crestfallen by what they saw. Jews were not studying Torah but plowing and planting. Their values had gone awry. Mundane concerns diverted them from the pursuit of salvation. And so it happened, that wherever Rabbi Shimon and ...
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