Rabbi Yehudah tried to find something meritorious about them and mentioned how they had brought new commerce to the land of Israel, built cities, bridges and beautiful baths.
Rabbi Yossi heard his words and remained silent. He didn't want to praise the Romans, yet he also didn't want to malign them.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai remembered all the evil and destruction the Romans had done - they burned the Holy Temple, killed many people, and especially delighted in torturing the sages. Fearlessly, he criticized, "Everything that they improved or restored was only for their own pleasure and benefit. All of their actions boded evil for us."
A man who had been sitting nearby heard the words of the sages and repeated them to his friends, who repeated them to their friends, until, eventually, they were heard by Roman officers, and finally, the Caesar himself, who decreed: "Yehuda, who praised us, will be greatly rewarded. He will be elevated to head of the Jews. Yossi, who stayed quiet, will be punished lightly. He will be exiled from his city. But Shimon, is condemned to death."
When Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai heard what the Romans had planned for him, he took his son Elazar, and hid in the study hall. They did not leave their hiding place, and Rabbi Shimon's wife brought them food every day.
But soon, the Romans stepped up their search and warned that anyone who helped them flee or hide would be punished. Out of concern for his wife's life, Rabbi Shimon fled with his son to a far-off cave in a desolate area. Here, Rabbi Shimon and his son were safe from their pursuers.
But, there was no one to bring them food and they were afraid to go out to find any. However, there was a carob tree next to the cave and a spring right inside. They wore their clothing only during prayers in order to preserve them and at times of Torah study they covered their bodies with sand. For twelve years, they remained in the cave, never seeing another human being, speaking only to each other, and learning Torah constantly.
After twelve years, Elijah the prophet came to the entrance of the cave and called out, "Who will tell Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai that the Roman Caesar who pursued him has died and the decree is annulled?"
Immediately, Rabbi Shimon and his son left the cave. But after twelve years they were not able to acclimate themselves to everyday life. They saw a farmer tending his field. "Why is he wasting his precious time preparing for his needs for this world when he ought to spend his valuable time making preparations for the world to come," Rabbi Shimon wondered. He looked at the man with a penetrating stare and before their very eyes the farmer turned into a heap of bones. Immedately aheavenly voice called out, "Do you want to destroy My world? Go back to the cave. The world is unable to exist with your great holiness."
Another year passed, and it was revealed to them that they must re-enter the "mundane" world. Upon leaving the cave they saw an old man running quickly to his home with two bundles of myrtle branches. They asked him, "Why do you have these myrtle branches?"
To which the old man replied, "They are in honor of the Sabbath, for they have a beautiful scent."
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said to his son, "Do you see how beloved and cherished mitzvot (commandments) are to the Jews." They were filled with a new understanding of the purpose of man and were able to rejoin the world.
When people saw Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai return there was great rejoicing. Rabbi Pinchas Ben Yair saw that Rabbi Shimon's body was badly scarred from his many years of immersion in the sand. Rabbi Pinchas took Rabbi Shimon to the bath house and began to wash him with the soothing waters. Rabbi Pinchas tears fell upon Rabbi Shimon's body, adding to his pain. Rabbi Pinchas exclaimed, "Woe to me that I see you in such a terrible state." Rabbi Shimon consoled him:" If I had not been in this state, then I certainly would not have been able to achieve the high level of learning that I was able to reach."
Rabbi Shimon wanted to do a good deed in order to celebrate the great miracle of his deliverance and of his elevated level of Torah knowledge. The townspeople told him about a road under which there had been a lost grave. As Kohanim (priests) are not permitted to come in contact with dead bodies, they had to take a long detour when traveling that route. The holy Rabbi Shimon was immediately able to discern the location of the grave and the problem was corrected.
Once, one of Rabbi Shimon's students left the Holy Land in order to engage in commerce. When he returned to Israel, he brought with him great wealth. The other students saw and become envious. When this became known to Rabbi Shimon, he took them out to a valley facing Mount Meron and prayed, "Valley, valley, fill yourself with gold dinars!" The entire valley fill up with gold coins. Rabbi Shimon then said to his students, "Here is gold, go and take it. But you should know that whoever takes now is taking from his portion in the World to Come."
The anniversary of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's passing on Lag B'Omer is, as per Rabbi Shimon's request, a day of rejoicing.
