In a moving and well-attended Hilula event held in Manhattan in honor of Lag BaOmer—the yahrzeit of the holy Tanna, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (z”ya)—the Admor Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto delivered powerful words of spiritual encouragement about the strength of Torah and its ability to bring salvation to the Jewish people, even during difficult and complex times.
“We often see that Am Yisrael is above fate, above physical strength,” said Rabbi Pinto. “When a person thinks with logic—can I acquire this? Maybe not. Can I achieve that? Maybe not. But with the soul of Am Yisrael and the power of the holy Torah—everything becomes possible: attainable, conquerable, and victorious.”
He continued: “If a person has the power of Torah, it’s no longer just intellectual. When a Jew lives with holiness and purity, he rises above nature—and once above nature, it no longer matters whether something is rational or not. You transcend logic. You gain a power greater than anything. Whatever you plan—if you come with faith in Hashem—you are empowered beyond limits.”
Rabbi Pinto added: “Rabbi Akiva taught the Jewish people a great lesson. They lay siege to us, they restrict us, they constrain our steps—but we rebel, we resist with all our strength. And in the end—we prevail.”
The Hilula was attended by many New York residents, including business leaders, politicians, and a large crowd that came to strengthen their faith and receive blessings.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel