May 16th: Emor and Lag B’Omer
THIS WEEK IN THE TORAH
Rabbi David E. Ostrich
Lag B’Omer is a curious kind of holiday—with vague origins, diverse observances, and spiritual insights. Even the name is less than straightforward. “Lag” is the acronym formed from the Hebrew letter-numerals for “30” (Lamed) and “3” (Gimel). It is the thirty-third day after the Omer/Barley Sheaf offering is lifted up to God on the Second Day of Passover.
Omer also refers to the days we count between Passover and Shavuot. For all other holidays, the Torah assigns a date. However, for Shavuot, the Torah tells us to count fifty days.
“From the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offerings…you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete; you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23.15-16)
Many Jews continue this tradition of counting the days to Shavuot and announcing the “day of the Omer” each evening. This coming Thursday, the announcement will be that it is the thirty-third day of the Omer, and Lag B’Omer is celebrated that evening and all-day Friday.
The story of the holiday hearkens back to around 130 CE, the time of the Bar Kochba Rebellion against Rome and the Hadrianic Persecutions that put it down. There are two main origin stories. One involves Rabbi Akiva, the greatest teacher of Torah in that period and his struggles to teach Torah during oppressive times. He persisted despite Roman prohibitions, and though he was eventually executed/martyred, he taught for many years and inspired thousands of students. At one point, when he and his students were hiding out, an epidemic struck. The Midrash says that 24,000 of his students died, but, on Lag B’Omer, the plague ended, and Rabbi Akiva and the surviving students came out of their hiding places and celebrated the survivors’ health. Other stories speak of a military victory or cessation of oppression on that day.
Another origin story involves another hero of the period, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. He too had to hide from the Romans, and he and his son spent many years in a cave, eating berries from a miraculous bush, drinking water from a miraculous spring, and receiving mystical wisdom (Kabbalah). When they eventually came out of the cave, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught the knowledge that he received, and, according to legend, it was eventually written down in the Zohar. When he ultimately died, it was Lag B’Omer, and the custom developed of mystics celebrating the light he brought into the world on his yahrtzeit. Thousands visit his grave on Lag B’Omer in Meron, just outside S’fat, and bonfires and mystical study mark what has turned out to be a festival. (Tragically, this gathering was the site of a deadly stampede several years ago. Overcrowding and inadequate crowd supervision resulted in the death of many pilgrims.)
Ashkenazic Tradition holds that the days between Passover and Shavuot be treated as mourning days—mourning for Rabbi’s Akiva’s students who died from the plague. Among the restrictions, no weddings should be held, and no one should get a haircut. The only exception in the forty-nine days between Passover and Shavuot is Lag B’Omer, and lots of weddings are held on that day. Also, many little Orthodox boys get their first haircuts. By waiting for Lag B’Omer when they are three years old, they emerge with short hair but full payot/sidelocks.
In Sephardi Tradition, the mourning period only last for thirty-three days, and from Lag B’Omer to Shavuot, weddings can be held, and people can get haircuts.
What can we learn from this curious and minor Jewish holiday?
(1) It shows us that religion—both worship and Torah learning—can continue in times of crisis and tragedy. Our religion is not just for happy times, and cleaving to God in times of tzoros/troubles can help us get through. God is with us always.
(2) It shows us that resistance to tyranny is worthwhile. Had not Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and their many students braved the dangers of the Roman oppression, Torah would not have survived, and our precious mission from God would have been derailed. We pray and hope for easy lives, but Torah can also demand courage.
(3) It shows us the variety of Jewish expression. We mentioned above the differences between Ashkenazim and Sephardim in their Halachic rules about weddings and haircuts, but there are more Jewish variations on Lag B’Omer. Some have special mystical observances, while some Halachic authorities object to such parties on a great Sage’s yahrtzeit. The early Zionist chalutzim/pioneers developed their own Lag B’Omer customs, many reflecting their love and devotion to the land. Thousands of Israelis go outside, sit around bonfires, sing Zionist songs, and use the occasion to tell stories, debate Zionist philosophy, and consciously continue the Jewish story.
(4) It shows us how Judaism has built upon itself over the generations. Lag B’Omer is not a Biblical holiday, but it is built on the Biblical observance of the Omer Offering and of the curious way that Shavuot is set. None of the Lag B’Omer stories or observances are in the Torah (or Bible), but they are all built on this Biblical rhythm of the Jewish year and are thus representative of the way our Tradition has been built and crafted. We work on our relationship with God in every generation.
(5) It shows us, in the heroes of the various stories, a wide variety of Jewish role models. There are soldiers, scholars, outdoor types, inside types (caves!), farmers, brides and grooms, students, etc. All are part of our Covenantal Community, and each is celebrated on this very flexible holiday.
A final lesson: the time of the Omer—from Passover to Shavuot—is also a time for considering and reconsidering Jewish wisdom. The Tradition calls for us to study Pirke Avot, the section of the Mishnah with Judaism’s most famous and profound proverbs. We read what the ancient Sages had to say, and we continue the conversations in our own lives and our own ways.
Am Yisrael Chai!