The Wonders of Harav Yitzchack Kadouri

109 sary to go to the vault on the main Àoor, where the tombstones are situated. He would descend to the opening underneath and say his prayers there. According to the Kabbalists, this is where Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son Rabbi (liezer are buried. In Tzfat, the Rav would also visit the grave of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, circling seven times around the grave and then sitting on the ground to say the Tikun Chatzos (mourning prayers for the exile) as these were the days of mourning before Tisha B’av (and it is customary to say such prayers even during the day.) Afterwards, the Rav would speak some words of Torah to the Kabbalists who accompanied the Rav as they ate a small lunch. From there they would travel to the grave of the Tanna Rabbi Yehudah bar Illaye, as well as the general of King David, Beniyahu ben Yehoyada. It was here that the Ben Ish Chai would travel, coming from Baghdad from time to time, and in whose merit he attributed his many works in all areas of Torah. The titles of almost of his works had something to do with this great tzad- dik. The Rav would pray by each site, and continue on, as much as the time allowed. Of course, the Rav also went to the grave of the Tanna Rabbi Meir ‘Ba’al Hanes’ (one whom many miracles was attributed to) , may his merit stand by the side of all of Israel, in every place that they may be, Amen. Here too, the Rav would enter the cave via the steps, where the Ben Ish Chai wrote that the Tanna is buried. Upon his grave lays two large stones, one upon the other. Nearby, lays the graves of his two major disciples, Rabbi Shimon ben (lazer and Sumchas. When I take a group of people by bus, every erev Rosh Chodesh, to visit these holy sites and pray by the graves of tzaddikim, I point out that according to tradition, Rabbi Meir is buried standing up. When the Messiah will come, he will be one of the ¿rst after the resurrection of the dead, to stand on his own two feet. Perhaps another reason for his burial position has to do with the simi- larity between man and trees. The Psalmist compares man to trees which stand upright and bear delicious fruit, are constantly watered and are not blown over by the wind. So too, man. Man can only produce his bounty of good deeds if he stands upright and imitates the Divine Image, not descending to the level of animals. Were a tree Kabbalists by the tomb of Beniyahu ben Yehoyada, the general of King David