Thoughts on Lag Bi’Omer

The question always strikes me this time of year – what exactly are we celebrating on Lag Bi’Omer? (Particularly for those of us who have little to do with esoteric teachings of Kabbalah?) What are all of the parties and bonfires commemorating, and what ideals do they celebrate?

So this year, I decided to sit down and figure it out.

My search brought me to the Rema in Hilchos Sefiras Ha’Omer (או”ח סימן תצג) who says: מסתפריו ביום ל”ג ומרבים בו קצת שמחה, we take haircuts on the 33rd day of the Omer and increase in simcha to some extent. The Mishna Berura there explains that is because this is the day that the talmidim of R’ Akiva stopped dying (at least according to the Rema).

But then, I saw a great question brought down from the Pri Chadash: Why are celebrating that the talmidim of R’ Akiva stopped dying, if the reason that they stopped dying was because were none left?

So the Pri Chadash gives a different answer as to why we celebrate Lag BI’Omer. He brings down the Gemara that says that when R’ Akiva’s talmidim finished dying, the world was desolate of Torah. But on that very same day, R’ Akiva went to search for new talmidim. And from those five new Talmidim came all of the Torah that we have today. It is R’ Akiva’s persistent dedication to spread Torah, and to never, never give up, that carried us throughout the generations; and it is that fierce determination what we celebrate on Lag Bi’Omer.

And the truth is, this absolute dedication to keep the fire of Torah burning was a constant theme in R’ Akiva’s life. From deciding to radically change his life at the age of 40, to leaving his wife for 24 straight years, to living in abject poverty, to refusing to give up when all 24,000 of his talmidim died, and to finally refusing to stop teaching Torah to the public even when faced with certain death at the hands of the Romans, R’ Akiva’s convictions and dedication never wavered.

The same can about R’ Akiva’s talmid, R’ Shimon Bar Yochai, whose yarzeiht is on Lag Bi’Omer. Chased by the Romans, hiding in a cave, he never stopped learning. Even as R’ Akiva was in jail, about to be killed for teaching Torah, Rashbi was begging him to teach him more (Peasachim 112a).

It is the absolute dedication of these giants among men, and many more like them, that kept Torah by Klal Yisroel, and carried us through the ages. And how lucky are we that the Torah we study was transmitted by such giants, and that it is their opinions that we study and practice. A reason for celebration, indeed.

But I think perhaps there is another idea that Lag Bi’Omer celebrates as well. The Mishna Berura (סי’ תרסט ס”ק יא) writes that the Arizal said about himself the reason he was zoche to the exalted level that he attained was because he rejoiced so completely in the simcha shel mitzva.

There are few days in the Jewish Calendar that bring out the simcha shel mitzva of Klal Yisroel quite like Lag Bi’Omer does. In Meron and around the world, one can find Jews of all types singing and dancing, screaming out אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל! How lucky are we that we are a part of the Jewish nation, and how lucky are we that we have such a connection to אביכם שבשמים!

We do not serve Hashem just because we have to; we do it because we love Him, and we do it with all of our hearts and all of our souls! This is what we live for!

And that, I believe, is the message of Lag Bi’Omer.