![]() ![]() Even if you’re not an outdoorsy type of person, trust me when I say it’s lots of fun.įortunately, you can celebrate Lag b’Omer even if you’re not in Israel. In the early evening on the holiday, many people light fires and cook all sorts of campfire foods, like hot dogs, baked potatoes and marshmallows roasted on a stick. They celebrate his life by partying up a storm.Īmong less observant Jews in Israel, Lag b’Omer is generally an excuse for friends and family to get together and have a bonfire. In Israel, hundreds of thousands of Hasidic Jews make pilgrimages to his tomb in Meron on this date. A famed mystic, Shimon Bar Yochai allegedly died on Lag b’Omer. Legend has it that he spent years hiding in a cave, sustained only by a well of water and a carob tree. This disciple, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, fled from the Roman rulers in Jerusalem. The holiday is also connected to a disciple of Rabbi Akiva - whom, it’s worth mentioning, was a supporter of Bar Kochba, who led a ferocious but unsuccessful revolt against Roman rule in 132 BCE. Of course, in true Jewish tradition, there are other backstories to Lag b’Omer as well. However, on the 33rd day of the Omer - yes, Lag b’Omer - God brought the plague to an end. Today we remember these students and their punishment during this time. Why? We’re told that Rabbi Akiva’s students weren’t treating each other with respect. Because Lag B’Omer suspends that restriction, it is a traditional time for young children to get their first haircuts.According to the Talmud, the central text of rabbinic Judaism, many years ago during the Omer, God caused a plague that killed thousands of the students of the great Rabbi Akiva. Yes, a haircut! The Counting of the Omer is treated as a semi-mourning period, and observant Jews refrain from haircutting during such a time. March around the block or just around the house and yard. Your family can organize a parade of its own. Some communities stage parades for Lag B’Omer. Relay races are another fun holiday activity. Israeli children typically play with bows and (suction-cup-tipped) arrows on Lag Ba’Omer, imitating students of Rabbis Akiva and Shimon who fooled the Romans by pretending they were hunting. ![]() Don't forget to make some delicious s'mores! Pull Out the Bows & Arrows Lag B’Omer falls in mid-to- late spring, making it a great time to break out the camping gear - or at least light a fire in a fire pit. Interested in celebrating Lag B'Omer this year? Try one of these fun activities: Build a Campfire In addition, many Jewish couples schedule weddings and parties on Lag B'Omer. In Israel and beyond, for example, many families light bonfires to brighten up cities and countryside alike. Want a deep dive into the history of Lag B'omer? Visit MyJewishLearning CELEBRATING THE 33 rd DAYĪ number of traditions and customs have developed around the holiday of Lag B’Omer. Some associate Lag B’Omer with stories about Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a student of Rabbi Akiva and writer of an important Jewish text. Other sources say Lag B’Omer celebrates a victory for the armies of the Jewish leader Bar Kochba. The Talmud says Lag B’Omer celebrates the halt of a plague that took the lives of thousands of students of the great teacher Rabbi Akiva. Jewish sources offer a range of opinions as to the origins of this joy. Lag B’Omer is traditionally celebrated with great joy. “Lag” is an abbreviated combination of two Hebrew letters that, according to Hebrew numerology, add up to the number 33. On the 33rd day of counting, we celebrate the holiday of Lag B’Omer. This is called S’firat Ha’Omer (“The Counting of the Omer”). In Jewish tradition, we count the 49 days between the second night of Passover and the beginning of Shavuot.
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