It’s origins are certainly shrouded in mystery. We know that in reality it was most likely not Rashbi’s birthday as this tradition seems to be based on nothing more than a typo (See Brodt), and the idea of it being the day of the students deaths seems weakly founded (as does that whole story to be frank. Many have suggested and successfully so, that their is more going on in the gemara’s discussion than met most eyes). That’s based on nothing but a Meiri (his only statement to be mentioned by others before his revival a few centuries later if i recall correctly), in the shrouded memory of a tradition from the geonim.
And there’s definitely no need to examine any of the dubious “kabbalistic” explanations.
Like many things, one should find his own meaning from the celebration rather than focusing on the true historical reasons for it’s practice.
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