Toward a Meaningful Lag B’Omer

B”H iiToward a Meaningful lag B’oMer A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Lag B’Omer Making Lag B’Omer Relevant EXCLUSIVE FOR SHLUCHIM By Simon Jacobson Author of Toward A Meaningful Life , A Spiritual Guide to Counting the Omer and 60 Days: A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays g g What is Lag B’Omer? Page 2 g Passing of Rashbi Page 2 g R’ Akiva’s Students Ceased Dying Page 4 g Lag B’Omer Laws & Customs Page 5 g The Rebbe’s Lag B’Omer Directives Page 7 g Special Role of Children Page 7 g Inner Meaning and Personal Relevance of Lag B’Omer Page 9 g Lessons from Rashbi’s Life and Teachings Page 14 222222222222 AnnIveRSARy Of i w h a T i s i R’ ShIMOn BAR yOChAI’S l a g B ’ o M e r ? PASSInG R’ Shimon Bar yochai, known by the acronym of his name, Rashbi, passed away on Lag B’Omer, the 18th of Iyar, in the year 160 Ce. 2222 Before his passing, the Rashbi requested that ag B’Omer – literally translated this day be celebrated as a festive holiday. as the “33rd in the Omer” – is a Lfestive day of rejoicing that In the words of the Rashbi: It is my wish that all shall be one on this coincides with the 33rd day in the day of my passing and that all shall counting of the Omer. Customarily, it celebrate in this world on the day of my is celebrated with public events, such passing – Zohar III 291a; see also Zohar I 218a as outings in parks, bonfires, concerts and parades; special focus is placed on On the day of Lag B’Omer…it is a gathering children together in joy and mitzvah to rejoice the joy of Rashbi harmony. – Mishnat Chassidim, Iyar 1:6; see sources in foot - 2222 notes Likkutei Sichot vol. 7 p. 343 w h y d o w e c e l e B r a T e hillula l a g B ’ o M e r ? In the Zohar (III 287b. 291a) , the Rashbi calls the day of his ascending on high his “day of 1 Lag B’Omer is the anniversary of R’ hillula .” hillula literally means a “marriage Shimon Bar yochai’s passing. Before celebration”. It is derived from the word, ascending on high, R’ Shimon requested hallel, which means to “praise”, and at that his yartzeit be a day of celebration. weddings it is customary to bless and praise the bride. By referring to it as the “day of my During the weeks of the Omer (between 2 hillula ,” the Rashbi saw Lag B’Omer not as a the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot), the day of dying – a sad day – but as a day of “ students of R’ Akiva perished for disre - marriage,” of unity, which is the ultimate specting one another. Consequently, the celebration of life – marrying two opposites, time of the Omer is designated as a man and woman, body and soul, heaven and mourning period. On Lag B’Omer the stu - earth, inner torah and outer torah – and this dents ceased dying and Lag B’Omer came is what Rashbi’s life was all about. to be known as a day for celebrating life. PAGE 2 222222222222 Hints for Lag B’Omer BefORe hIS PASSInG – LIGhT Torah with his chavraya at the in the Torah: הגלהזהגו‘עד • - On Lag B’Omer Rashbi time... and in him was radiat גלעד(ויצאלא,מח) reached the peak and pinna - ing a reflection of the light of“ “ha’gal hazeh..ad cle of all his levels… and this is Moshiach” (Siddur im dach, Shaar gilad” (vayetzei 31:48) – the significance of his learning ha’Lag B’Omer) Siddur im dach 304c גלעיניואביטהנפלאות • מתורתך(תהלים ק יט ,יח) – “ Gal aynei v’abitah g BIOGRAPhy g neflaois m’torescho” (Tehillim 119:18) – Chayav Odom L ’vo rech 5638 ch. 25 RABBI ShIMOn BAR yOChAI (Sichas Lag B’Omer 5710) (Rashbi) – 80 -160 Ce ashbi is a Mishnaic Tanah and the author of the classic * Kabbalistic work, the holy Zohar (Book of Splendor ), R first published in 1558. Transcribed by his student STORy R' Abba, the Zohar lays out the foundations and core Rashbi upset that R’ Avrohom halevi, principles of mysticism and contains, often in cryptic form, student of the Arizal, the cosmic secrets. An extraordinary scholar and miracle was sad on his “day of rejoicing” worker, Rabbi Shimon was renowned for his mastery of R’ Avraham halevi both the revealed and the hidden dimensions of Torah. related, that in the aforementioned year [the first year], he too h I G h L I G h T S • Due to persecution against went [with the Arizal to Meron on Lag B’Omer]. Jews led by the Roman It was R’ Avaraham • 80Ce: Born in Israel shortly emperor hadrian, halevi’s custom to recite after the destruction of the R’ Shimon is sentenced to nachem every day when Second Temple (67Ce). saying the Tishkon death for defying the prayer. And he recited it • As a young boy studies in government. forced to flee, on [Lag B’Omer] in Meron as well. When he the great academy of the he hides in a cave for thirteen years together finished the prayer, the scholars of yavneh, founded Arizal told him that he by Rabbi yochanan ben with his son, R’ elazar, saw the Rashbi awake, standing on his burial Zakkai. where they study Torah day and nig ht. A carob tree and spot, and told him: tell this person, Avaraham • his principal teacher is a spring of fresh water halevi, why does he Rabbi Akiva, whose academy miraculously spring up at recite nachem [a conso - is in B’nei Brak. Rabbi Akiva the entrance to the desert lation prayer] on the day of our rejoicing? calls him “my son.” cave and they are sustained (Shar hakavanot, Sefirat Cont’d ha’Omer, Drush 12) 222222222222 PAGE 3 222222222222 Rashbi’s Published Writings until the emperor dies and B’Omer, thousands of Jews ZOhAR the decree is annulled. make a pilgrimage to his Book of Splendor, grave where they pray and perhaps the most • establishes an academy in celebrate. There is also a important Kabbalistic work, the town of Tekoa. The first published in 1558 tradition to light bonfires. greatest Torah scholars At R’ Shimon’s request, Lag gather there, including SIfRI; B’Omer is a day of great Rabbi yehudah hanassi MeChILTA Of RAShBI celebration and an who compiled the Mishnah. Midrashic teachings, opportune time for circa 2nd century Ce • 160Ce: Passes away on 18th miracles. of Iyar in Meron, a village Rashbi is also near Tzfat, Israel. On Lag g distinguished by the fact that he is mentioned in every Talmudic tractate. R’ AKIvA’S STuDenTS Connection of Rashbi’s passing to CeASeD DyInG R’ Akiva’s students The Rashbi was one of the five students of R’ Akiva had 12,000 pairs of students Rabbi Akiva who survived and “reestablished [24,000 total], from Givat to Antipatris, and the Torah” after the plague that killed they all died in one period for not showing 24,000 of them for “not respecting each respect to one another. The world was deso - other” (yevomot 62b) . By doing this they “pre - late (because Torah was forgotten – Rashi) served the world’s existence” (Mishnas Chassidim until R’ Akiva came to our teachers in the Mesechta nissan Iyar ch. 1:6). Rashbi stands out south and taught them – R’ Meir, R’ yehuda, amongst the five students as the one who R’ yosi, R’ Shimon, and R’ elazar Ben Shamua fused the “hidden”, “inner” Torah with the – and it was they who erected the Torah in “revealed” and “outer” Torah – which renews that time. We learned that they all died from the world’s existence through connecting it Pesach to Atzeret (Shavuot) (Talmud, yevamot to its inner energy source (Sichas Lag B’Omer 62b. See Meiri there in the name of the Geonim). On Lag 5711) B’Omer they stopped dying. * Reasons for the plague killing 24,000 student of Rabbi Akiva for “not respecting *) It is customary not to marry between Pesach and one another:” Atzeret [Shavuot] until Lag B’Omer, because in that time the students of R’ Akiva passed away…we do not cut our how is it possible that such great students of hair until Lag B’Omer because they say that they stopped dying then (Tur Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 493:1-2). such a great master should stoop to not re - And we add a little joy, and we do not say Tachnun (Rama specting each other? especially considering ibid. Shulchan Aruch harav, Orach Chayim 493:5) 222222222222 PAGE 4 222222222222 that Rabbi Akiva taught that “love your When Torah is studied by students who fellow like yourself” is a “great fundamental respect and love each other, they are in it in Torah”! It was not despite but because of together and their personal iniquities are their greatness that one could not tolerate somewhat compensated for by their unity the other’s position. People who are not that and synergy. When this unity is lacking, G-d powerful and intense in their positions can forbid, as it was by the 24,000 students of find it easier to compromise and co-exist Rabbi Akiva, their lack of brotherhood mag - with their colleagues. But brilliant students nified the focus on their personal iniquities, who are extremely passionate about their making them vulnerable to judgment (Sichas interpretations and opinions in Torah – they Lag B’Omer 5713) .

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