Lag BaOmer

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Lag BaOmer Facts

• Lag B'Omer is celebrated as the day that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai died. Simeon bar Yochai, also known as Rashbi, was a famous 1st-century sage in ancient Israel. As one of the most eminent disciples of Rabbi Akiva, he was active after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The day he died is celebrated as an anniversary or Hillulah. common custom is to light a bonfire on the eve of Lag B'Omer and to celebrate with music and dance.
• The Omer period, is considered a period of mourning for the pupils of Rabbi Akiva. According to tradition, they died because they did not show each other enough respect. During the Omer no weddings are held and it is customary not to have haircuts, nor to buy new clothes or shoes.
• The book of the Kabbalah, known as the Zohar, suggests that the counting of the Omer is to compensate for the 49 degrees of impurity of the Children of Israel in Egypt. On every day of the Omer, the counting repents for the impurity of the Jewish ancestors and brings this generation to a greater spiritual level.
• A blessing for the Omer is said every day and the day is counted, who sanctified us and commanded us to count the Omer and then the counting day from one to forty nine is recited in weeks and days. For example Today is the thirtieth day, which constitutes four weeks and two days of the Omer.

Lag B'Omer Top Events and Things to Do

• Attend a Lag B'Omer Bonfire party which are popular at many Jewish communities.
• It is customary for some Orthodox Jewish boys to have their first haircut after their third birthday on Lag B'Omer. Others also have haircuts, having refrained from so doing in the previous 32 days of the Omer.
• Attend a Jewish Wedding. Lag B'Omer is a day on which many Jewish weddings are performed as the previous month had no such events.
• Attend a Lag B'omer parade which is performed at many Local Chabad organizations. Some popular Lag B'omer parades such as one in New York are broadcast over the internet.