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Postponing Lag BaOmer Bonfire Ceremonies on Saturday Night?

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edu:
From http://vbm-torah.org/archive/moadim70/12-70moed.htm

--- Quote ---Lag Ba-Omer

 

As mentioned above, almost all communities suspend, or even cancel, the minhagei aveilut for Lag Ba-Omer.  What is the uniqueness of Lag Ba-Omer?

 

Lag Ba-Omer does not appear in Rabbinic literature until the early 14th century.  As we discussed, the Meiri (Beit Ha-Bechira, Yevamot 62b) relates that “according to the tradition of the Geonim… the plague ceased” on Lag Ba-Omer. The Derashot R. Ibn Shuib also cites a midrash which claims that the plague that killed the students of R. Akiva ended “be-peros ha-atzeret," which, according to some, refers to Lag Ba-Omer.

 

The Peri Chadash (493) questions how Lag Ba-Omer, the day which apparently marks the death of the last of R.  Akiva’s students, can be considered a day of simcha. He suggests that the simcha relates to those students who didn’t die - to the five students he began teaching afterwards. Indeed, the Chida (Tov Ayin, Orach Chaim 493:8) explains that on Lag Ba-Omer, R. Akiva began teaching these five students, the next generation of Torah scholars. As the midrash (Kohelet Rabba 11) relates, when R. Akiva began teaching his five new students, “the world was filled with Torah.” R. Chaim Vital (Sha’ar Ha-Kavannot, Inyan Sefirat Ha-Omer, Derush 12) asserts that R. Akiva “gave semicha” to his five students on Lag Ba-Omer. Much of our Torah She-be’al Peh is based upon the teachings of these students, including R. Shimon bar Yochai. 

 

Alternatively, R. Chaim Vital (Peri Etz Chayyim, Sha’ar Sefirat Ha-Omer, ch.7) describes Lag Ba-Omer as the “hilula," the anniversary of the death, of R.  Shimon bar  Yochai, the Tanna to whom the Zohar is attributed. Interestingly, a parallel text, also authored by R. Chaim Vital (Sha’ar Ha-Kavannot, Inyan Sefirat Ha-Omer, Derush 12), describes Lag Ba-Omer as “yom simchato” (the day of joy), and not “yom she-meit” (the day he died), possibly relating to his receiving semicha (as above) on Lag Ba-Omer.  The Benei Yissaschar (Ma’amar 3, Lag Ba-Omer 2) insists that R. Shimon bar Yochai was also born on Lag Ba-Omer (see Kaf Ha-Chaim 493:4).  Some (see Arukh Ha-Shulchan 493:7) suggest that R. Shimon bar Yochai “emerged from the cave” (see Shabbat 33-34) on Lag Ba-Omer. 

 

R. Chaim Vital (above) relates how his teacher, the Arizal, would visit the grave of R. Shimon bar Yochai at Meiron, and even cut his son’s hair there, on Lag Ba-Omer.  The modern celebrations at Meiron began in 1833 and to this day attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.  Shai Agnon wrote regarding these festivities:

 

One who has not seen the festivities of Lag Ba-Omer on the grave of R. Shimon bar Yochai in Meiron, has never seen true joy. Jews, in droves, ascend with songs and instruments, and come to this place, from all of the cities of Israel and the lands of Edom and Yishmael and stand there all night and day and learn… and pray and recite psalms…

 

Celebrations spread throughout Northern Africa and to Chassidic communities in Russia and Poland and were often marked by the study of the Zohar. 

 

Not everyone was pleased by the festivities at Meiron.  R. Moshe Sofer (Yoreh De’ah 236), for example, harshly criticizes the celebration.  He suggests that although it may be permitted, and possibly obligatory, to establish a festive day in honor of one’s being saved from a life-threatening situation, treating Lag Ba-Omer as a festival may violate the biblical prohibition of bal tosef! He further suggests that one should commemorate Lag Ba-Omer as the day that the “man” began to fall, but not through festivities. 

 

Despite the Chatam Sofer’s objections, Lag Ba-Omer is observed around the world, often with bonfires accompanied by singing and dancing. The Jewish people celebrate the continuation of the Torah after the death of R. Akiva’s students, and attempt to taste the depth and secrets of the Torah, revealed by R. Shimon bar Yochai. 
--- End quote ---

edu:
My reading between the lines why the Chatam Sofer was not so supportive of Lag BaOmer, while Chassidim and pro-zohar communities of Northern Africa as cited in the quote above were and continue to be strongly in favor of making Lag BaOmer into a big celebration is that this is to some degree a struggle on the role of Zohar and in particular Arizal's version of Zohar in Jewish life.
Baal Hatanya says that one of the points of controversy between the followers of the Vilna Gaon and Chassidut was over the question, do we consider every idea mentioned in the name of the Arizal as Divinely Inspired. Chassidut does, while most but not all, Vilna Gaon followers said no (although they might have felt very highly of specific insights of Arizal).
While it might be true that even before the Arizal there were some visits to Rabbi Shimon's grave in Meron. Rabbi Chaim Vital, chief student of the Arizal vastly intensified the urge to visit Rabbi Shimon's grave, in particular on Lag Baomer, because of the
"hilula" that he associates with that day.
Chatam Sofer was on the opposite end of the spectrum. He felt that most of the Zohar was not from Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai thus cutting down the foundations upon which much of the Arizal and Chassidut are based. See Rabbi Berel Wein's 9 minute english lecture for more details about the Chatam Sofer's views at:

For those with a strong internet filter I repeat the web addres in a different way youtube.com/watch?v=DCeQmzJjGts

Tag-MehirTzedek:

--- Quote from: edu on April 30, 2013, 02:07:09 AM ---In the Talmud Brachot 35b a dispute is recorded between Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Rabbi Yishmael holds that you should act according to the natural way, such as harvesting your field in the time of harvest, while in your free time you should learn Torah.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai objects and claims that being too involved in those activities for a livelihood will detract from Torah learning. Rather, learn and we will receive a blessing of others engaging in activities of livelihood on our behalf, such as in the situation described in Yishayahu/Isaiah 61:5.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was so involved in learning Torah that he would not even stop to pray Shmoneh Esrei, in order to avoid stopping his learning.
I do not think that he of all people would be happy of the 2 days of loss of Torah study that was caused this year on his behalf.
Perhaps one could contend that for the important mitzva of honoring a Torah scholar and also to educate the public not to respect those equivalent of the Romans (which is why he had to hide in a cave), Rabbi Shimon might not be against the 2 day break from Torah study this year done to honor him. I believe this is probably not true, because it says in the Talmud tractate Shabbat 119b (Soncino Translation)The Poskim also bring it as halacha that School children may not be made to neglect [their studies] even for the building of the Temple.
As far as the issue of pushing off the Lag BaOmer festivities by one day and thereby causing school children to lose Torah study for the benefit of minimizing Sabbath desecration, it seems at first glance that we should apply the principle brought by the Mishna Brura that we do not do a smaller sin to prevent someone from committing a bigger sin.
But perhaps, you might want to answer back, that due to the honor given Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, etc. maybe we shouldn't call this a black and white sin.
Or maybe you will find some other reason not to apply the principle of the Mishna Brura that we don't do a small sin to prevent someone from committing a bigger one.

--- End quote ---


 Rashbi then retracted and changed his position and he himself demonstrated and proclaimed that working is a great thing.

edu:
I don't believe Rashbi retracted.
He just reached the point of tolerating it.
Soncino translation to Shabbat page 33

--- Quote ---Then Elijah {Eliyahu} came and stood at the entrance to the cave and exclaimed, Who will inform the son of Yohai {Yochai} that the emperor is dead and his  decree annulled?
So they emerged. Seeing a man ploughing and sowing, they exclaimed, ‘They forsake life eternal and engage in life temporal!’ Whatever they cast their eyes upon was immediately burnt up. Thereupon a Heavenly Echo came forth and cried out, ‘Have ye emerged to destroy My world: Return to your cave!’ So they returned and dwelt there twelve months, saying, ‘The punishment of the wicked in Gehenna is [limited to] twelve months.’ A Heavenly Echo then came forth and said, ‘Go forth from your cave!’ Thus.’; they issued: wherever R. Eleazar wounded,
R. Simeon {Shimon} healed. Said he to him, ‘My son! You and I are sufficient for the
world.’ On the eve of the Sabbath before sunset they saw an old man holding two bundles of
myrtle and running at twilight. What are these for?’ they asked him. ‘They are in honour of the
Sabbath,’ he replied.‘But one should suffice you’?-One is for ‘Remember-’ and one for
‘Observe.’
 Said he to his son, ‘See how precious are the commandments to Israel.’
--- End quote ---

edu:
ביאור הלכה סימן קנו

סופה בטלה וגוררת עון - כתבו הספרים שזהו נאמר לכלל העולם שאין כולם יכולים לזכות לעלות למדרגה רמה זו להיות עסקם רק בתורה לבדה אבל אנשים יחידים יוכל להמצא בכל עת באופן זה [וזהו שאמרו בברכות ל"ו ע"ב הרבה עשו כרשב"י ולא עלתה בידן ר"ל דוקא הרבה] והקב"ה בודאי ימציא להם פרנסתם וכעין זה כתב הרמב"ם פי"ג מהלכות שמיטין ויובלות ולא שבט לוי בלבד וכו' עי"ש ובפרט אם כבר נמצאו אנשים שרוצים להספיק לו צרכיו כדי שיעסוק בתורה בודאי לא שייך זה ויששכר וזבלון יוכיח:
The Chafetz Chaim author of Biur Halacha is saying the majority aren't capable of reaching the level of Torah alone without work. But there are specific individuals that G-d looks after them to provide them with livelihood at all times and do go by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's ideal.

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