Author Topic: Happy Lag B'Omer (Read 668 times)

muman613 · « **on:** May 18, 2014, 12:45:36 PM »

Shalom,

Today we are celebrating Lag B'Omer (the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer).

We celebrate by having bonfires and having Barbecue's... I will be leaving in about 4 hours to go to my rabbi's house where we are holding our Lag B'Omer celebration.

For those who are not familiar with this custom I will provide some article excerpts and some videos...

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http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/679431/jewish/Customs-Traditions.htm

* It is traditional to light bonfires on Lag BaOmer eve. These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings. This was especially true on the day of his passing, Lag BaOmer, when he revealed to his disciples secrets of the Torah whose profundity and intensity the world had yet to experience. The Zohar relates that the house was filled with fire and intense light, to the point that the assembled could not approach or even look at Rabbi Shimon.

* By far, the largest Lag BaOmer celebration takes place in and around Rabbi Shimon’s tomb, located in the northern Israeli village of Meron. Hundreds of thousands attend the festivities, and the round-the-clock celebration, singing and dancing are unparalleled.

* Children customarily go out into the fields and play with imitation bows and arrowsChildren customarily go out into the fields and play with imitation bows and arrows. This commemorates the midrashic tradition that no rainbow was seen during Rabbi Shimon’s lifetime. Rainbows first appeared after Noah’s flood, when G‑d promised to never again devastate the world. When the world is deserving of punishment, G‑d sends a rainbow instead. Rabbi Shimon’s merit protected the world, rendering the rainbow superfluous.

* The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged the practice of arranging children’s parades on Lag BaOmer in celebration of Jewish unity—a major Lag BaOmer theme.

* In some circles it is customary to eat carobs on Lag BaOmer. This commemorates a lifesaving miracle that Rabbi Shimon experienced. For a period of thirteen years, Rabbi Shimon and his son were fugitives from the Roman regime, in hiding in a cave in northern Israel. Miraculously, a carob tree grew at the entrance of the cave, providing nourishment for its two holy occupants.

* All the Omer mourning practices are suspended on Lag BaOmer. Permitted are weddings, haircuts,1 music, etc.

muman613 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2014, 12:47:05 PM »

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http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/omer/5755/vol1no22.html
YomTov, Vol. I, # 22
Lag B'Omer
by Rabbi Yehudah Prero

Lag B'Omer means "the 33rd day of the (counting of the) Omer. This day is observed as a day of rejoycing because on this day, the students of Rabbi Akiva (who we discussed in # 20) did not die. We therefore are permitted to take haircuts, listen to music, hold weddings etc., because the signs of mourning which we have been observing are not necessary on this day of great happiness.

Lag B'Omer, the 18th day of Iyar, also corresponds to the date of the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, one of the great sages from the era of the Mishna. Although the death of a great sage is usually not marked with rejoycing, but rather with sadness, we treat Rabi Shimon bar Yochai differently. The Zohar in Parshas Ha'azinu tells us that on the day Rabbi Shimon passed away, a great light of endless joy filed the day, because of the secret wisdom he revealed to his students. That secret wisdom was written down and recorded in the holy Zohar. The happinesson that day was to him and his students like that of a groom while standing under the canopy at his wedding. On that day, the sun did not set until Rabbi Shimon had revealed all that he was permitted to. As soon as he was done, the sun set, and his soul returned to its Maker. Because of the happiness back then, we celebrate with happiness now, as well.

In Israel, people flock to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the city of Meron. There is dancing, singing, bonfires are lit. Many people wait until their son is three before cutting his hair, and on the Lag B'omer of his third year, they cut the boy's hair. There is also a custom that children play with bows ("keshet" in Hebrew) on Lag B'omer. A reason given for this is that in all the days of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's life, a rainbow was never seen. A rainbow is a sign that the world was due for a flood of the proportion of that in Noach's time. However, beacuse Hashem promised Noach that such a flood would never be brought again, Hashem lets us know when we are deservant of such punishment by placing a rainbow ("Keshet" in Hebrew) in the sky. In the merit of Rabbi Shimon, the world was never deservant of such punishment in his generation, and the appearance of a rainbow was never necessary. Therefore, children play with bows, which in Hebrew share the same word as rainbow.

Check out all of the posts on the Omer! Head over to http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov to find the newly redesigned YomTov Home Page, and click on the holiday you are interested in to find all of the archived posts on that topic.