Shalom! I am Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg of Ezra Habonim, Niles Township Jewish Congregation. This video is about Lag Baomer. Lag Baomer is simply means the Thirty Third Day of the Omer. The Omer, and the Torah says that we suppose to count every day by tradition, the second night of the Pessah all the way to Shavuot.
Now, is that court Shavuot in the Torah, it is simply the Fiftieth day, after counting the seven weeks. Now why do we this? Well, the Torah commenced to do it and it is probably to link the message of the Passover, which is freedom with the message of the end of that period, which is that given of the Torah. Of course, there were agricultural meetings during the time of the bible. Now, subsequently today at this period was understood as a Semi-mourning period.
Why? Well, the time of records that during this period, there was a plague that killed 24,000 student of the great age of the second century Rabbi Akiva and the plague mysteriously stopped on the Thirty Third day of the coming of this Omer, which is also called Sierra which is means the counting.
Now, was it really a plague? Well, the Taban it is says there was a plague and they died because of unjust hatred, causeless hatred of one another-Har Sinai. It is also possible that since there was a rebellion going on by the Jews against Rome at the time. Rabbi Akiva was the major supporter of a fellow he thought there was a messiah called Barkakbah. Barkusibous name was change the Barkakbah, it could be the these were actually the soldiers fighting Rome who died.
Any case because of the death the mourning a period was instituted by the Taban subsequently in Jewish history, it explained that another YouTube video on the Omer. It was understood differently by different eras of Judaism, as to why we should mourn. Now Lag Baomer specifically, what is associated it with today and how do we celebrate? In Israel it is a time actually for bone fires and picnics, tens of thousands of Jews, specially the start them go to Mount Aron in the north of Israel and have a big festival of time.
That is the burial site of a great Saint and disciple of Rabbi Akiva, from the second century name Shimon Bar Yochai. He is supposed to be the author of great Jews great mystical text the Zohar, although many scholars think it is was written much later. He was probably the inspiration of it and it is the anniversary of the day of his death.
It is all becomes the great celebration to reflect on his life from the value was life and so many Jews corrugate there. they have parties, there is a custom to of cutting the hair of three-year old Jews boys for the first time, on that day, at that site by the (foreign language) and they also have its special ceremony when they cut the hair for the first time.
Chima Baryukah also has some very interesting story associated with him. Supposedly he and his sons spend 12 years studying just Torah in a cave and during that 12 years they study Torah they finally emerged and Rabbi Chima Baryukah expresses angst about the fact the he saw a Jew working for a living and that is studying Torah. And, a voice from heaven tells him to go back into cave. He obviously did not learned enough.
They castigate him for that view, because obviously people need to work. Another customers associated with lag Baomer are bows and arrows, at school you watched them plays bows and arrows now why? Well, one theory is that when the children were studying “illegal schools,” because the Roman forbade to study of Torah, it would keep bows and arrows handy in case the Roman soldiers came by, they would put away their books, pretend that they were preparing bows and arrows.
Now one of the mystical understanding of this of course is that before a bow can fly and unleash its power, it has to be drawn and close to the heart. And so we need to draw everything close to our heart and to see our spiritual dimensions based in our heart, before to unleash the power to help light the world.
So, these are some of the great traditions of Lag Baomer is the one time in the 49 day period when all Jews will have parties and celebrations. In 2007, it is associated in Chicago with the walk for Israel; and many other festivities. So wish you all happy Lag Baomer celebration of this wonderful time in the Jewish year.
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