Who Knows 33?

THE SECRET OF THE NUMBER 33

If you are observing the Cosmic Calendar and Torah Time, you will be aware that we have recently emerged from a significant period marked by the celebration and time portal known as Lag B' Omer.

For those unfamiliar, Lag B' Omer is observed on the 33rd day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. Keep in mind, G-d doesn't create moments or events in the Cosmic Calendar without making something extraordinary accessible to us in this world.

Recall how an infinite being connects to a finite world: through these cosmic times and events!

Returning to Lag B' Omer and the importance of the 33rd day, this day is filled with various spiritual and physical activities. However, I want to concentrate on the number 33. When I first celebrated Lag B' Omer, the number 33 intrigued me. As a convert from the Greek Orthodox Christian Church, I contemplated the significance of this number. It occurred to me that JC is believed to have passed away at the age of 33.

Later, I learned that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is also said to have died on a day marked as the 33rd. He was a notable Kabbalist and Rabbi who rejuvenated Judaism with Kabbalah in the first century. As I explored his story, I found it surprisingly parallel to the Christian narrative of JC, with both reportedly dying at 33 or 33rd level. My Rabbi taught me to always consider the importance of numbers in the Torah World and to ask, "Why this number?" or in this case, "Who knows 33?" So, I investigated, and here are some insights...

1. It represents the process of physical to Spiritual Ascent.

2. A newborn child has 33 bones on the vertebrae. As a person grows, the 33 bones fuse into 26, the value of God’s Ineffable Name- YH-VH (Yud=10 Hei=5 Vav=6 Hei=5 = 26)

3. The aim of the 33 is to unveil the wisdom of the 26. King David, who ruled from Jerusalem for 33 years, pleaded with God to open his eyes, gal einai, so he could uncover nifla’ot miToratecha, the secrets or wonders of God’s Torah (Psalms 119:18). The term Gal (גל), used for unraveling the secrets of Torah, has a numerical value of 33.

4. The number 33 represents the level of 'transcendence' attained after engaging with the 32 pathways of the Tree of Life. These 32 pathways consist of the 10 Sephirot (emanations of God's Light and Attributes) and the 22 Hebrew Letters. Once we achieve affinity with these attributes, we 'die' to our physical self and transform into our 'spiritual self.'

This is the 33rd level.

When we understand this, Christians and Messianic Christians might realize that the idea of JC dying at 33 is an allegory for the righteous in general to achieve this level by connecting to the Tree of Life. He was not crucified on a cross, as the 'story' suggests, but rather on an 'etz', a Tree.

I mention these points to illustrate that interpreting the stories in the Torah or any derivative texts, like the Christian narrative, literally is a significant mistake. The Sages clearly state that those who take these stories literally should not have had their souls enter the world.

5. So, when Rashbi sought to reveal the secrets of Torah, he selected the 33rd day of the Omer. Moreover, in terms of the Sefirot of the Omer period, the 33rd day corresponds to Hod sh’b’Hod, “Splendour of Splendour”. Zohar itself means “radiance” or “splendour”. This was the ideal day to reveal the hidden light of the Torah.

   
   

   Finally, I believe Rashbi didn’t miss the fact that the 33rd day of the Omer is the 18th of Iyar, י״ח באייר, which is essentially an anagram of his own name, בר יוחאי! (Source: Mayim Achronim)