Lag BaOmer
Tuesday, May 09, 2023
י”ח אייר תשפ”ג
WHAT IS LAG BAOMER?
Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the count of the Omer, and the rules of mourning we keep during Sefirah do not apply.
The students of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying on this day. Hence, we cease mourning and listen to music, and cut hair.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai passed away on this day. We celebrate his yahrzeit / “Hillulah” by visiting his famous gravesite in Meron to pray, dance, and light a bonfire in his honor.
Lag BaOmer is celebrated worldwide with song, dance, and bonfires.
Who was Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai?
Rabbi Shimon was one of the premier students of Rabbi Akiva who expounded on the mystical Kabbalistic aspect of the Torah. He had to flee for his life at one point. It happened due to a conversation two folks were having, where one Jew commented that the Roman conquerors were good people because they built roads in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Shimon retorted, “They only do good for their own good; they don’t mean us.” An informer overheard and went to tell the Romans, bringing a price to Rabbi Shimon’s head. The Romans would have loved to kill him. However, Rabbi Shimon had more to do in life and wasn’t out to oblige the Romans by being caught.
He fled town with his son Rabbi Elazer. They found a cave in the hills, their refuge for 13 years. A carob tree grew outside the cave, and a river ran through it. For years Rabbi Shimon and his son sat and learned the Torah, the highest mystical parts of it, there in the cave. Eventually, a messenger came and told them the decree against them was taken away; the Romans had lifted the death warrant. At that welcome news, Rabbi Shimon and his son left the cave and reentered the world population.
While walking around outside for the first time, they saw a farmer plowing his field. The many years Rabbi Shimon and his son had been wrapped up in Torah made it hard for them to understand how people could waste their time on physical needs. They, therefore, looked askance at the world, their gaze accusing. From that look, they set fire to the field. A voice came out from Heavens saying, “Did you come out of the cave to destroy My world – turn around and go back to the cave.”
The two great mystics returned to the cave and learned for another year. After the same heavenly voice told them to leave, they emerged, this time, on an Erev Shabbos when they re-entered civilization. They first saw a man with two sprigs of sweet-smelling flowers. They asked him what it was for – and he said he was taking those sprigs home L’Kavod Shabbos. Ah, that was the key; physicality was there to serve spirituality. Now they could look at the world, with all its inherent physicality, and still find favor in it.
LAG BAOMER CUSTOMS
Hillulah/Hadlakah – Bonfires
To make a bonfire in honor of the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. He taught us the Zohar (Kabbalah) — bringing light to the world through his Torah teachings. So we light up a big fire to symbolize the brightness of the Torah he brought us. Some bring leftover olive oil from the Chanukah lights to burn in the Hadlakah, which also commemorates the great fire that surrounded Rabbi Shimon.
Play with a Bow and Arrow
One reason is that during the times of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, no rainbow was seen (rainbows are the sign that the world deserves a flood, and when there is a very righteous person living in the world, a rainbow is never seen in that person’s merit). Some of our holy commentators teach that the bow symbolizes heartfelt personal prayer.
Hair Cutting in Meron
Some call it a Upsheren (Yiddish). Others call it a Chalaka (Sefardic). But the custom is the same. Little boys’ hair is left to grow from birth until three. And then, snip, snip, the hair comes off. Rabbi Chaim Vital writes that there is an ancient Minhag, a custom, to do a boy’s Upsheren-Chalakah at the Kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron on Lag Ba’Omer. Continuing that custom, many fathers will trek to Meron on Lag Ba’Omer to cut their sons’ hair. Piles and piles of hair, smiling newly maturing young boys, the tradition of flourishing young trees coming of age will be seen this year in Meron and homes of three-year-olds worldwide.
Tzedaka in Honor of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai
There is a time-tested formula of praying for salvation in the merit of the holy Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and donating money to Tzedaka in his honor. Some of the written ancient sources for this custom note that this day is a powerful one to pray for Parnassah, a good livelihood, and a very potent one for childless couples to get their prayers answered. For those who cannot make it to Meron, emissaries are also used to pray and distribute Tzedaka in Israel on this auspicious day.
HONOR REB SHIMON
and
SUPPORT TORAH LEARNING IN ERETZ YISROEL
This year, you, too, can have a special emissary pray for you and your family in Meron on Lag BaOmer!
LAG BAOMER IN BELZ
The Big Night
As the night of Lag BaOmer falls, thousands of Chassidim (followers) come to be with the Rebbe for this special day. When the Rebbe enters the huge shul, known as the Heichal, he lights special candles in memory of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Lighting Up the Night
In the courtyard of the Great Belz Shul, a large bonfire lights up the skyline of Yerushalayim. Thousands of Chassidim join in song and dance as the Rebbe joins on the balcony of his home, which overlooks the courtyard of the Shul.
Uplifted Dancing
The bonfire infuses a ‘chassidic bren’ in the crowd – lifting the spirits physically and spiritually. Feet get lifted, souls uplifted, while the singing carries those present to higher realms. The Rebbe can be seen from his balcony immersed in prayer and song.
Shooting a Bow and Arrow
It’s a minhag by the Belzer Rebbes to shoot a bow and arrow on Lag BaOmer, for during the days of Reb Shimon Bar Yochai, a rainbow wasn’t seen.
Going to Meron
Many chassidim travel to Meron On the day of Lag BaOmer, to pray to merit yeshuos and refuahs.
Upsherin – Haircuts
Although in Belz it’s customary to cut a three-year old boy’s hair on Erev Shabbos or Yom tov, on Lag Ba’Omer, whichever day it falls on, you make an upsheren. Ten of boys turning three years old come to the Rebbe’s house, where the Rebbe will start their Upsheren and cut the first lock of hair.
Lag BaOmer Tish
During the afternoon, after returning from the long trip to Meron, thousands of Chassidim gather in the Tish Hall to join the Lag BaOmer Tish – a special seudah (meal) lead by the Belzer Rebbe Shlita in honor of the Hilula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Memorable songs about Reb Shimon are sung, and the Rebbe speaks about the day’s greatness.
DIVREI TORAH
33rd Day of the Omer
The Shem M’Shmuel says that Lag Ba’Omer is two thirds through the sefira days. (Lag–lamed gimmel equals 33 days.) He explains, just as the morning light begins to illuminate at the beginning of the third (mishmar) part of the night, the same is with the holy light of Shavuos which begins to illuminate on Lag Ba’Omer.
Lighting a Fire
This custom is also in honor of the holy “light” of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai which was revealed on this day, and on this day he also ascended to the Heavens.
It is also in honor of the holy Zohar which shines from one end of the world to the other, acting as a beacon of light in our dark and bitter galus, and will continue to do so until the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days!
The Tzion of Reb Shimon
A Yid once came to the holy Ridziner zt’’l, and the tzaddik asked him, “What do you see on Lag BaOmer at the tzion (gravesite) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai? The yid replied: “Inside at the tzion, you feel the holiness of Yom Kippur, and outside you feel the simcha of Simchas Torah!” The holy Ridziner responded satsifeid, “If so, you see good things!”
Refuahs and Yeshuas
The holy Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch zt’’l said: “מלך רופא נאמן ורחמן” – is the roshei teivos מרון to allude, that in the merits of the tzaddik that is laying in Meron, Hashem sends a refuah – healing for all the sick.
Reb Moshe of Razvadov zt’’l used to say: “Not one day is as good as the day of Lag BaOmer. He used to call the day “יום קבלת תפילות” – the day that all prayers are accepted!
Haircutting
This minhag is known from the times of the Arizal. Rebbe Chaim Vital, the distinguished talmid of the Arizal, records in Sha’ar Hakavonos the following testimony of Rebbe Yonuson Sagish: “In the first year before I went to study with my holy Rebbe the Arizal, he, accompanied by all his household, went to Meron and there he shaved his son’s head according to the minhag, which was then accompanied by feasting and rejoicing. I wrote this down in order to clarify that there is a definite source to this minhag!”
This minhag applies even more so to those who were childless and were blessed with sons, after fervently davening at the cave of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai. They would bring their children to Meron to make Peyos.
HONOR REB SHIMON AND SUPPORT TORAH LEARNING IN ERETZ YISROEL
This year, you, too, can have a special emissary pray for you and your family in Meron on Lag BaOmer!
