By Betzy Lynch in La Jolla, California
Discovering what is hidden in plain sight is a deeply Jewish idea. One of the most famous teachings attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says, “woe to the person who says that the Torah comes merely to tell stories and ordinary matters… rather, every word of the Torah contains a supernal secret.”
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a 2nd-century sage, mystic, and disciple of Rabbi Akiva, lived during one of the most painful eras in Jewish history. Following the destruction of the Second Temple, the Jewish people endured Roman oppression, persecution of Torah study, and the devastating aftermath of the Bar Kokhba revolt. Out of that darkness, Rabbi Shimon taught that beneath the surface of our world lies hidden wisdom, waiting to be uncovered.
Last week we observed Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the Omer and the traditional anniversary of Rabbi Shimon’s death. According to Jewish tradition, on the day he died he revealed profound mystical teachings and his home filled with extraordinary spiritual light. The bonfires we light on Lag BaOmer symbolize that illumination, the light of hidden wisdom entering the world.
I often find myself searching for that hidden light, and this week that search led me down the “rabbit hole” of an ancient Jewish mystical practice called Temurah. Temurah is a method of uncovering deeper meaning through the rearranging or substitution of Hebrew letters. Rooted in Kabbalah, it is based on the belief that language itself is woven into creation and that hidden truths can emerge when letters are transformed.
One form of Temurah is Atbash, one of the oldest known cryptographic systems in Jewish tradition. Atbash reverses the Hebrew alphabet by pairing the first letter with the last, the second with the second-to-last, and so on: aleph with tav, bet with shin, gimel with resh. Though simple in structure, Atbash carries deep symbolic meaning. Its earliest known use appears in the Book of Jeremiah, making it at least 2,500 years old. Scholars believe it began as a literary cipher or scribal code before later mystical traditions infused it with spiritual significance.
In memory of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the fires of Lag BaOmer, I explored the Atbash transformation of the Hebrew word for fire: aish (אש). In Atbash, aleph-shin transforms into tav-bet (תב). Tav-bet is not a common Hebrew word, but in mystical interpretation the letters themselves matter. Tav, the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is often associated with completion and truth. Bet is associated with bayit, home, as well as blessing and creation.
Perhaps that transformation offers a deeper lesson: the light of the fire ultimately leads us home.
A bonfire does more than provide warmth. It gathers people together. It creates a space where we feel seen, protected, and connected. Around the fire, strangers become community and memories become tradition. In many ways, that is the hidden wisdom of Jewish life itself.
On May 31st, we will celebrate more than 80 years of Camp Jaycee at the Campfire Gala. For generations of campers, counselors, and families, Camp Jaycee has been that kind of home, a place where people are embraced, nurtured, and transformed.
At the Campfire Gala, we will also honor Sandy Siperstein-Rafner, whose nearly 45 years of leadership have shaped that home for countless children and families. It is rare to celebrate someone whose impact is still unfolding in real time, but Sandy’s work has always been about ensuring that every child feels seen, protected, and loved.
Please join us on May 31 at the Campfire Gala to celebrate Camp Jaycee and honor Sandy. And if you cannot attend, please consider contributing to the newly established financial assistance fund in Sandy’s honor, helping ensure that every child can experience the magic and perhaps discover the hidden light of finding their true home at Camp Jaycee.
*
Betzy Lynch is CEO of the Lawrence Family JCC.