בס”ד 21 November 2024 - כ׳ במרחשוון ה׳תשפ״ה‎

Lag Biomer

BonfireThe day of Lag Biomer

Lag Biomer is the hebrew for the 33rd day of the omer. It comes as a separator and turning point during the Sefiras Haomer period, that goes from Pesach until Shavuous. It symbolises a time of change from sadness to happiness. This is because the Omer period is a sad time as this is when the 24,000 talmidim of the great R’ Akiva died. This was because they did not treat each other with the due respect (Gemora Yevomas 62b) or their eyes were pained by the other’s Torah (Koheles Rabba 11:10) or they said Loshon Hora about each other (Me’am Loez Vayeitsei p. 575). However, their deaths stopped on Lag BiOmer, transforming it from sadness to happiness. All the restrictions of aveiles are lifted. Lag Biomer is also seen as when Jews go up to Meron to visit the burial place of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai. This is because on this day he died and with his death the Holy Zohar was revealed. It is also the time when small three year old boys have their upsheirin, first haircut.

Splitting up the Omer

Lag Biomer acts as a middle point that sees a change in the days of the sefira. We count 49 days until Shavuous. Lag Bimoer is the switch from days of sadness to days of happiness. This is seen in the sign of  the split of days as: 49=32+17 which in gematria is לב+טוב. This is because the 32 represents the days before Lag Biomer when we are sad at the death of the 24,000 talmidim of R’ Akiva. However, Lag Biomer is the transition in Sefiras Haomer when the mourning stops and the 17 days of toiv, goodness, start as we prepare and draw close to Shavuous.

Why is there any split during these days? The days of the sefira mark the pathway from Yitziyas Mitzrayim and preparing for Matan Torah. This has two elements to it – the first is leaving Mitzrayim, and this is seen in the first 32 days. We try and purge ourselves from any negative influences of the outside world – סור מרע. Then comes Lag Biomer the day of transition, the first of the last 17 days that positively prepare us for Matan Torah – עשה טוב.

question markLag Biomer Questions:

  1. If the talmidim of R’ Akiva stopped dying on Lag Biomer, that is a reason to stop the mourning and being sad. It is a reason to be glad to be back to normal with no tragedy. Why then are we positively happy as if we got something additional and not simply back to the previous situation?
  2. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai died on Lag Biomer. When a tzaddik days it is a time for mourning (Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 376:4). Why then on the day of his death do we positively celebrate?
  3. Are the death of the talmidim of R’ Akiva and the death of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai (also a talmid of R’ Akiva) connected?
  4. We know that R’ Akiva had 24,000 talmidim and that they all died (Gemora Yevomas 62b). The Pri Chadash (Shulchan Orach, O.C. 493:2) raises the question: why celebrate when the students of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying, if they were all gone? There were no more to die anyhow?
  5. Always on the day of the week when Purim falls that is when Lag Biomer falls (Shulchan Orach, O.C. 428:1). How are these two days connected?
  6. There are various things done on Lab Biomer that stand out as being different. These include: bonfires, bows and arrows, cutting children’s hair for the first time, going to Meron. What lies behind all these minhogim?
  7. Why did the talmidim of R’ Akiva die specifically at this time of year – between Pesach and Shavuous?
  8. What is the reason why the talmidim of R’ Akiva died? Why such a terrible punishment of askara (Gemora Yevomas 62a) listed as the worst of all deaths (Gemora Brochos 8a)?
  9. Lag Biomer falls on the 18th of Iyar. Is there any significance in this date?
  10. The Gemora (Yevomas 62b) says that the reason why the talmidim of R’ Akiva died was because they did not accord each other the right amount of kovoid. What is so terrible about that to warrant the worst death possible, askara?
  11. Which other festival reflects similarities with Lag Biomer?

memorial candlesIdeas for answers:

  • The Maharal (Nesiv HaTorah Chapter 12) explains that the decree for the death of the talmidim of R’ Akiva stopped on the 32nd day of the Omer. On Lag Biomer no one died, but the deaths of the talmidim after Lag Biomer were those who were already ill and were previously decreed to die.
  • The Pri Chadash answers that “they stopped dying” represents the hope for the future, that Torah learning from R’ Akiva had not ended with their deaths. Rabbi Akiva went on to have more students. This is what happened with R’ Shimon (Bar Yochai) one of the five new talmidim of R’ Akiva (Yevomas 62b) who went on to reveal the Holy Zohar. This is when the simcha element came back. Perhaps i can add some explanation. Death is where the person can no longer continue doing things in this world. However, if a person has a child or talmid it is considered as an extension of the deceased and is as if they are alive. “Stopped dying” on Lag Biomer means that the Torah of R’ Akiva was no longer considered as not in this world since his talmidim had died. This is because his talmid, R’ Shimon Bar Yochai, revealed the hidden Torah from R’ Akiva and in this sense the danger of “death”, i.e. no continuation of his Torah, was now ensured.
  • The Chasam Sofer (Y.D. 233 and Toras Moshe, Vayikra) says that it was on the 18th of Iyar (Lag BiOmer) that the Mon began to fall. This is based on the idea that the matza that we brought out of Egypt lasted until the 14th of Iyar. Then the people went hungry for three days – 15,16,17 of Iyar, complained, and received the Mon on the 18th. This adds to the celebratory nature of Lag BiOmer.
  • Normally, the yahrtzeit of a tzaddik is a day of fasting, not a day of simcha and joy. However, Rav Shimon Bar Yochai is different. Before he was niftar he called his talmidim and revealed to them the secrets of the Torah. These secrets were written down and are contained in the Zohar. Therefore, we are extra happy and rejoice on the day that these secrets were given to us.
  • Hundreds, if not thousands of people, cut their children’s hair in Meron on Lag Biomer. This was the custom of the Arizal. Some explain that the holiness of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai should be a zechus for the child. Others say that Rav Shimon bar Yochai taught us that hair is part of the yetzer hara when he gave us the Zohar.
  • There are three reasons given for why the talmidim of R’ Akiva died as mentioned above.
  • They died specifically between Pesach and Shavuous since this is a time of din in the world. This is seen in two places: The Mishna in Idiyous (2:10) that according to the opinion of R’ Yochanon Ben Nuri that the reshoyim are judged in Gehinom between Pesach and Shavuous. Also, there is din on the produce as seen in the need to bring the Korban Omer by Pesach (see Gemora Rosh Hashana 16a).
  • After losing the 24,000 talmidim, R’ Akiva went and learnt with five new talmidim (Yevomas 62b). He started teaching them on Lag Biomer and this is why there is so much happiness (Chida, Toiv Ayin 18:87).
  • The reason why the talmidim of R’ Akiva by not giving each other enough kovoid was so punishable is all due to understanding who R’ Akiva was. R’ Akiva was the pillar of kovoid – when he died kovoid was botel from the world (Sota 49a). Kovoid was seen in his Torah where he learnt from each crown of the letters  of the Torah piles of halochos (Rashi ibid and see Gemora Menochos 29b) showing that nothing in the Torah is superfluous. This point of kovoid was his essence and was what his talmidim should have emulated. Failure meant severe punishment. Perhaps this is why one of his five new talmidim, R’ Elozer Ben Shamua says in Pirkei Avos (4:12) that the kovoid of your friend should be like fear of your Rebbe, like the fear of Heaven. R’ Akiva’s new talmidim excelled and continued his essence of kovoid. This is seen in another of the five talmidim, R’ Shimon Bar Yochai who says (Gittin 67a) that he gathered together and clarified all the teachings of R’ Akiva. This is the sadness and happiness all revolving around kovoid and talmidim of R’ Akiva.
  • See Bn’ei Yisoschor who says explains that Chanuka and Lag Biomer share many similarities. Both have the idea of light – candles on chanuka and bonfires on Lag Biomer. There is the idea of bows and arrows by both – chanuka falls in the month of kislev that has the mazal of Keshes, the bow while on Lag Biomer we play with the bow symbolizing how the rainbow was not needed to be shown during R’ Shimon Bar Yochai’s lifetime. But i think the underlying comparison is that both are the revelation of Torah SheBaal Peh. (See notes on chauka for a full understanding.)
  • With regards to the widespread minhag of going to Meron, it is worth noting that this custom has opposition. See further Chasam Sofer Yore Deah Teshuva 233.
  • The Orach Hashulchan (O.C. 493:7) brings that the simcha of Loag Biomer is because on this day R’ Shimon Bar Yochai and his son R’ Elozer were allowed to leave the cave and hiding. (See story in detail in the Gemora Shabbos 33b.)
  • The Biur HaGra (O.C. 493:2) brings the source for rejoicing on Lag Biomer when the talmidim of R’ Akiva stopped dying is comparable to the simcha of Tu BiAv when after forty years in the desert the people when the people dug their own graves and all woke up. The decree of them dying had stopped.

Gematrias:

  • ל”ג בעמ”ר=345=מש”ה
  • י”ח אייר=239=ארך חי – מהר”ל נתיב התורה פרק י”ב