Lag B’Omer

In the forty-nine days between Pesach and Shavuot, Jews traditionally count the Omer. In ancient time a sheaf of barely amounting to the measure of an 'Omer' was brought as an offering to God on the second day of Pesach. Forty nine days were counted until the time for the wheat harvest. When the Temple was destroyed and sacrifices were no longer offered, the counting of the Omer continued, as it still does. According to the site homercalendar.net, “Counting the Omer is an exercise in the discipline of mindfulness. Counting each of the days of the Omer reminds us that all of our days are numbered, and it is our responsibility to make each day count." The period of counting the Omer is considered a period of semi-mourning and many Jewish do not get haircuts, shave or celebrate weddings during these days.

The exception is on the 33^rd day of the Omer, Lag B'Omer, which is a day of celebration. Many creative and historical reasons are given for why Lag B'Omer is celebrated. One of the reasons given is that during this period, during the time of Rabbi Akiva, 24,000 of his students died from a strange plague. because "they did not show proper respect to one another." On the 33rd day the plague ended and Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying – thus, a celebration.

Ask the average Israeli child what is being celebrated on Lag B'Omer and you might not get an answer, but you will find out that Lag B'Omer is a favorite holiday for children. In the days before Lag B'Omer you'll find kids pushing shopping carts down the streets to collect wood for the bonfires that are held throughout Israel on the evening of the holiday. The smell of smoke fills the air and anyone in an airplane would see thousands of fires dotting the land. Environmentalists often criticize the wide-spread celebration of the holiday for the damage it does to the environment. However, the sense of joy engendered by the national frenzy generated by this night of bonfires and singing is here to stay.