Lag B\'Omer

B"H

Shavua Tov – A Good Deed For This Week

5/5/2007 – This is the 32nd Day of the Omer – Parshat Emor (Leviticus 21:1-24:23)

Note: We include the citation for the Weekly Torah portion, which may or may not be linked to this week’s Good Deed. We invite your response, comments and suggestions.

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Implementing Judaism:

Lag B’Omer – 33^rd Day of the Omer

May 6, 2007

Its Roots:

The "Counting of the Omer," runs from Passover to Shavuot. The days of the Omer are linked to a variety of tragic events in our history and are treated as days of mourning. Two events, in particular, marked the 33^rd day of the Omer as different, making the day one of celebration. The first event: a plague that decimated the students of Rabbi Akiba during Roman times ended on the 33^rd day of the Omer (Lag B’Omer). The second event: One of Rabbi Akiba’s most brilliant students, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, the reputed author of the Zohar, was sentenced to death by the Roman authorities. He hid in a cave until the danger had passed, emerging from his hideout on the 33^rd day of the Omer. Both of these events marked this day as a time of redemption, worthy of celebration. In honor of Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai Lag B’Omer has developed as a Scholar’s Holiday with many unique celebrations around the world.

Your Paths To Action:

This unusual holiday can be celebrated in many ways.

1) Many families go on picnics or outings.

2) This has become a day for various sporting events. Specifically there is a tradition of children playing with a bow and arrow. While the reasons are obscure, the strongest connection links this to the Jewish opposition to the Roman occupation during the time of Rabbi Akiba.

3) Some communities hold organized sporting events, Maccabias, on this day.

4) Because this is a day of celebration in the midst of what is otherwise a time of mourning (the Omer) many couples hold weddings on this day.

5) In Israel this is a day for bonfire celebrations.

6) In Meron, the burial site of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, thousands of Jews, gather to celebrate the Yahrzeit, the anniversary of his death. The celebration is wild, including singing, dancing, bon fires, and more. It may be too late to book a trip for this year, but you can see one minute’s worth of last year’s celebration at http://youtube.com/watch?v=FMtVVC5YYps . I recommend watching this video – it is a Jewish celebration unlike any you have seen elsewhere.

Shavua Tov – May you have a good week.