Editing Shimon Bar Yochai (section)

== His Prayer ==
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's prayer, which is customary in all synagogues of the children of Israel in all their dwelling places, is the prayer of '''Berich Shemei'''.

The prayer appears in the Zohar on Parshat Vayakhel (Volume 2, page 206, column 1). The Zohar brings this prayer after quoting the instruction of '''Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai''' to recite it during the removal of the Torah scroll:

Rabbi Shimon said: When they take out the Torah scroll in public to read from it, the gates of heavenly mercy open, and love is awakened above, and a person should say the following: Blessed is the Name of the Master of the world... (etc.)

Translation: When they take out a Torah scroll in public to read from it, the gates of mercy in heaven open, and love is awakened above, and a person needs to say thus: Blessed is the Name of the Master of the worlds... (etc.)

The Zohar's statement and its explanation for the timing of the prayer is that when the congregation opens the Holy Ark and intends to remove the Torah scroll, the gates of heaven open simultaneously.

The "Berich Shemei" prayer is recited when opening the Holy Ark before removing the Torah scroll (see the prayer in Tehillat Hashem Siddur, page 35 - 69).

(For our Rabbis' words about the spiritual benefits of reciting "Berich Shemei" and its virtue, see the entry "Opening of the Ark").