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Traditions and Customs of Lag B'omer by Anya Sh
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Traditions and Customs of Lag B'omer |
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Judaism,Spiritual
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Lag B'Omer is the thirty-third day of the Omer- the period of time that falls between the festivals of Pesach and Shavuot. The Omer is considered a time of mourning; weddings and parties are not held, music is not listened to and haircuts are forbidden. Lag B'Omer is different in the way that it is a festive day in the middle of these days of mourning. Here are a number of traditions and customs that are carried out on Lag B'Omer: - There is a tradition to light bonfires on the eve of Lag B'Omer. The bonfires are in commemoration of the intense light that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai brought to the world via his teachings. Lag B'Omer was the day of his passing and it was on this day that he revealed secrets of the Torah to his disciples, secrets that the world had not known up until then. According to the Zohar, when he relayed these secrets, the house was filled with fire and intense light, so much so that those present couldn’t approach or look at Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The largest Lag B'Omer celebration takes place in around Rabbi Shimon's tomb in Meron, northern Israel where thousands come to celebrate, sing and dance throughout the night and day.
- There is a custom for children to go out to the fields and play with imitation bows and arrows. This practice is in commemoration of the Midrashic tradition that a rainbow was never seen during Rabbi Shimon's lifetime. Rainbows only started appearing after the flood in the time of Noah when G-d promised that he would never destroy the world again. When the world is deserving of a punishment G-d sends a rainbow instead and during Rabbi Shimon's lifetime, his merit protected the world and the rainbow was superfluous.
- The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged arranging children's parades on Lag B'Omer to celebrate Jewish unity which is a major Lag B'Omer theme.
- Some have the custom to eat carobs on Lag B'Omer in commemoration of a miracle that happened to Rabbi Shimon. For thirteen years he had to hide with his son in a cave in northern Israel so as to escape the Roman regime who was searching for them. A carob tree miraculously grew by the cave and so the two received nourishment throughout their time in the cave from the carob tree.
- All mourning practices that are practiced during the Omer are suspended on Lag B'Omer, meaning that haircuts, weddings and music are permitted.
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