The Torah’s Hidden Light: Lag B’Omer

Question

Hi Rabbi,

What is the holiday of Lag B’Omer all about and when is it this year? Thanks

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Lag B’Omer starts on Wednesday night, May 18th, and continues until sunset Thursday.

    It is also customary to mark this day with festive practices. The most colorful of these is a grand celebration at Mount Meron in Israel, at the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Why Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai?

    Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was a surviving student of Rabbi Akiva, and arguably the greatest scholar of the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) who ever lived, Rabbi Shimon died on Lag B’Omer, and on that day he revealed many of the deepest ideas of the Kabbalah to his students. They recorded his teachings in a book known as the Zohar, “the Light.” According to Jewish custom, the anniversary of the death of a great Torah scholar should be noted as a means to inspire people with his lessons and teachings.

    For hundreds of years on Lag B’Omer, it has been a widespread practice to visit the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon on Mount Meron in the Galilee region, where many people gather to celebrate the Torah. Traditionally, bonfires have been lit there to symbolize the light of Torah that Rabbi Shimon revealed. The celebrations include dancing, singing and studying Rabbi Shimon’s teachings. Today it is common to see people all over Israel celebrating Lag B’Omer with bonfires, singing and dancing.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team