Jump To Menu

Happy Lag B’Omer!

Wait…

What’s Lag B’Omer?

Lag B’Omer is a minor Jewish holiday that gets a lot of attention from Orthodox communities.

The time of counting the Omer, the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot, is a somber time. Marriages are postponed, as are haircuts. It’s considered to be a time of mourning. But, on the 33rd day of counting, all mourning is suspended. Weddings are held en masse and hair salons are packed.

The history of the holiday is that it commemorates the end of a terrible plague that killed 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva. It’s also celebrated as the death date of the great holy mystic, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who is credited by some with the authorship of the Zohar (this claim is highly contested by scholars), the foundational tome of the Kabbalah. Along with his teacher, the great sage Rabbi Akiva, their message to the people was to live a Torah centered life and to love one another. Rabbi Shimon told his disciples that the day of his death should be a celebration.

And I love a good celebration!

In Israel, Lag B’Omer is a big deal, celebrated with bonfires, barbeques, picnics, and general merry-making. It’s traditional for kids to play with bows and arrows. Tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews join the pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron to pray and to celebrate.

Why bonfires? The fires represent the light of Torah wisdom.

Why bows and arrows? It’s said that there were no rainbows in the sky during the life of Rabbi Shimon, as there was no need to be reminded of the promise to Noah when so holy a teacher was in the world.

I seriously admonish you to be careful of where you build a bonfire. Unless you know what you’re doing, a bonfire can quickly get out of hand and a celebration becomes a tragedy. Personally, I’m going to stick to building my fires in backyard firepits and BBQ grills.

Did You Know?

According to the activist group, Vegan-Friendly, there are approximately 300,000 vegans in Israel, the highest per capita vegan population anywhere in the world. A survey found that 8 percent of Israelis are vegetarian and nearly 5% are vegan. Tel Aviv has over 400 vegetarian restaurants and calls itself the plant-based capital of the world.

The Omer is about our journey from slavery in Egypt to the revelation of Torah at Mount Sinai. It’s also a celebration of the spring harvests. As we honor the gifts of the earth, Lag B’Omer is a great time for a vegetarian BBQ. Or use real meat. I don’t judge.