Today is Lag B'Omer. Israel Limits Bonfires and Celebrations but Chasidim Find a Way

Today is Lag B'Omer, the the 33rd day of the period of counting days between Passover and Shavuot. In Israel it's traditionally a big day of celebration, with large bonfires throughout the country, and especially on Mount Meron in the north. 

It's the burial site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, known as Rashbi. Hundreds of thousands of Charedi Jews make a pilgrimage each year to sing and dance on the mountain.

This year the Israeli government decided to close roads leading to Meron, to prevent large crowds amid exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in the Galilee and Southern Lebanon.

The checkpoint is one of 11 roadblocks set up around Meron in an effort involving hundreds of police officers to enforce the ban following concerns that some pilgrims would defy it.

The events at Meron are limited this Lag B'Omer to three ceremonial bonfire lighting ceremonies attended by no more than 30 people at any given time. But celebrants are finding ways to observe the day in other locations around Israel.

Last night tens of thousands gathered in Beit Shemesh, a Jerusalem suburb, to celebrate.

Enjoy, and Happy Lag B'Omer!

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Today is Lag B'Omer, a Day of Bonfires and Celebrations

Today is Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the period between Pesach and Shavuot. Around the world, the day is celebrated mainly in Jewish schools with children going on picnics and hikes and playing with toy bows and arrows in the field. In Israel, schools are closed for two days.

In Meron, in northern Israel, about 500,000 chasidim make an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) to sing, dance, and light bonfires.  Rashbi's tomb is the epicenter of the Lag B'Omer celebrations because he was one of the students of Rabbi Akiva who survived a terrible plague that killed thousands of them, and he went on to write the Zohar, the book of Kabbalah.

 

This year the Meron celebration was scaled down because of the deadly crush last year that killed 45 people and was the worst civil disaster in Israeli history. The government has made changes this year to boost safety at the site. Only 16,000 people are being allowed in the tomb compound at a time.

Elsewhere in Israel and around the world, bonfires are blazing. In Jerusalem, a section of the Western Wall plaza was cordoned off and a controlled fire blazed in its midst. Here is a video of the celebration last night at the Kotel.

 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Lag B'Omer is Celebrated in Israel but Coronavirus Dampens the Bonfires and Crowds

Today is Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer that is counted for 49 days from Passover to Shavuot. In Meron, in northern Israel, about 500,000 chasidim make an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) to sing, dance, and light bonfires.  

Rashbi's tomb is the epicenter of the Lag B'Omer celebrations because he was one of the students of Rabbi Akiva who survived a terrible plague that killed thousands of them, and he went on to write the Zohar, the book of Kabbalah.

In most years, thousands of buses make their way from all over Israel to the small town of Meron. This year the coronavirus pandemic has drastically reduced the number of buses, chasidim, and bonfires. 

As reported by JTA,

Traditional bonfires and other events that are held yearly at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Mount Meron will be canceled this year. Instead, the Religious Services minister will allow three separate bonfires, each led by a prominent rabbi, in the area of the tomb to be held by special permit at different times. No more than 50 people will be permitted to participate in each bonfire, and women must be allowed equal participation. 
Last night they lit the bonfires, and though the numbers were limited, the enthusiasm of the groups that were able to dance around them was not diminished. 

Happy Lag B'Omer! Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Today is Lag B'Omer, a Day for Bonfires, Dancing, and Celebrations

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Today is Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the period between Pesach and Shavuot. Around the world, the day is celebrated mainly in Jewish schools with children going on picnics and hikes and playing with toy bows and arrows in the field. In Israel, schools are closed for two days.

In Meron, in northern Israel, about 500,000 chasidim make an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) to sing, dance, and light bonfires.  Rashbi's tomb is the epicenter of the Lag B'Omer celebrations because he was one of the students of Rabbi Akiva who survived a terrible plague that killed thousands of them, and he went on to write the Zohar, the book of Kabbalah.

The bonfires are meant to commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings.

For the last few years on Lag B'omer we've been posting videos of the bonfires and dancing in Israel on Mount Meron. This year we're taking a break from the bonfire videos (you can see them here and here) and posting a new video from Ari Lesser, the American Orthodox Jewish rapper, singer, songwriter, and spoken word artist.

In the video, Lesser tells the whole Lag B'omer story in his unique rapping style, getting the message across in an unusual but effective way.

Lesser grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. After graduation from the University of Oregon, he worked as a musician in Los Angeles, where he became known in the "hippie jam band" scene. While working on his first album there, his financer, a Rastafarian selling Medical Marijuana, gave him a copy of Psalms. Lesser found that he related to King David as a songwriter and started rhyming the psalms. 

This ultimately led him to a deeper interest in Torah and his Jewish roots, and he became a baal teshuva. He visited Israel on a Taglit-Birthright trip that he ended up extending to ten months, during which he studied at Yeshiva Temimei Darech in Safed and Mayanot in Jerusalem.

Happy Lag B'omer. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B’Omer is one of those little-known Jewish holidays, the kind that passes unnoticed among most American Jews. Perhaps they would be more interested if they knew it involved barbecue — and a couple of really good stories. Widely celebrated in Israel, it’s known as a family-focused celebration filled with grilled meats and carob cakes and bows and arrows.Read more: http://forward.com/food/371566/what-the-heck-is-lag-bomer-hint-it-involves-barbecue/

Lag B'Omer in Israel: Bonfires, Singing, and Dancing to Celebrate 33rd Day of the Omer

Today is Lag B'Omer, the thirty-third day of the countdown of 49 days from Pesach to Shavuot, a day that is celebrated in Israel as it is nowhere else. And in Israel, the celebrations in the northern town of Meron are the most elaborate of all.

It's traditional to light bonfires at the start of this holiday that, in Israel, means one or two days off from school and a welcome break from the joy-restricted days of counting the omer starting on Passover.

Why bonfires? These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings. This was especially true on the day of his passing, Lag B'Omer, when he revealed to his disciples secrets of the Torah whose profundity and intensity the world had yet to experience.

The Zohar relates that the house was filled with fire and intense light, to the point that the assembled could not approach or even look at Rabbi Shimon. The biggest bonfires and celebrations take place in and around Rabbi Shimon’s tomb, located in Meron. Hundreds of thousands attend the festivities every year, and the round-the-clock celebration, singing and dancing are unparalleled.

In previous years we posted video clips from the great celebrations in Meron. Today we're sharing a video that was taken just last night during the bonfire lighting, singing, and dancing at the Western Wall (Kotel) plaza in Jerusalem.

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

How Many Rabbis Does it Take to Start a Bonfire on Lag B'Omer?

The answer? Lots and lots of rabbis and their chasidim, and lots of lighters and bottles of oil. 

That's what happened last night in Meron, the town in northern Israel where hundreds of thousands gather each year on Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the countdown of 49 days from Pesach to Shavuot.

It's traditional to light bonfires at the start of this holiday that, in Israel, means one or two days off from school and a welcome break from the joy-restricted days of counting the omer starting on Passover.

Why bonfires? These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings. This was especially true on the day of his passing, Lag B'Omer, when he revealed to his disciples secrets of the Torah whose profundity and intensity the world had yet to experience.

The Zohar relates that the house was filled with fire and intense light, to the point that the assembled could not approach or even look at Rabbi Shimon. The biggest bonfires and celebrations take place in and around Rabbi Shimon’s tomb, located in Meron. Hundreds of thousands attend the festivities every year, and the round-the-clock celebration, singing and dancing are unparalleled.

Last night, lighting the bonfire proved exceptionally difficult, as shown in the video that was streamed live by the Arutz Sheva TV station. First, the torch wouldn't light when the lighters were applied. When finally a weak flame was produced, the shtreimel-wearing rabbi tried to use it to light the main bonfire. But at first nothing happened. It took successive attempts with the lighter, application of rags and finally, numerous bottles of oil to bring the fire to a respectable level.

The video below was recorded from the live stream and runs almost three hours. We recommend fast forwarding to the 1 hour and 33 minutes starting point of the lighting ceremony, which lasts about ten minutes.

Enjoy your Lag B'Omer, whatever you do. We'll be visiting a botanical garden and starting our barbecue season, but we're not planning to enlist any Chassidic helpers, with or without lighters and bottles of oil.

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Lag B'Omer - 49 Facts for 49 Days of the Omer

Today is Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the period between Pesach and Shavuot. Around the world, the day is celebrated mainly in Jewish schools with children going on picnics and hikes and playing with toy bows and arrows in the field. In Israel, schools are closed for two days.

At a recent Learning Retreat, Moishe House members collaborated with the G-dcast team of creative film developers to produce a short film, 49 Facts for 49 Days of the Omer. It's a fun film filled with facts (both serious and off-beat) and fast action that captures the spirit of the counting period.

Moishe House is a pluralistic international organization that provides meaningful Jewish experiences to young adults in their 20s. Their innovative model trains, supports and sponsors young Jewish leaders as they create vibrant home-based communities for themselves and their peers.

There are 53 houses worldwide to engage more than 60,000 attendees a year. From Shabbat dinners and Learning Retreats to book clubs and sporting events, residents find ways to connect their peers with community, wherever they are. 

 G-dcast is a non-profit production company dedicated to raising worldwide Jewish literacy using the tools and storytelling style that speak to today’s youth.  

Enjoy the results of their collaboration!

On Lag BaOmer, A Chassidic Rebbe Plays With Fire

Tonight marks the start of the festival of Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the period between Pesach and Shavuot. Around the world, the day is celebrated mainly in Jewish schools with children going on picnics and hikes and playing with toy bows and arrows in the field.

In Meron, in northern Israel, about 500,000 chasidim make an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) to sing, dance, and light bonfires.  Rashbi's tomb is the epicenter of the Lag B'Omer celebrations because he was one of the students of Rabbi Akiva who survived a terrible plague that killed thousands of them, and he went on to write the Zohar, the book of Kabbalah.

The bonfires are meant to commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings.  In this video from 2011, thousands of chassidim mill about while their rebbe, slowly and methodically, places flammable material on a central core, pours what seems to be an endless supply of oil on it, and finally sets it on fire. Once the fire is lit, the rebbe, now dressed in his finest caftan, goes into a wild jumping dance, looking as if he is jumping rope with an invisible rope. 

That's the signal for all of his chassidim to join in the jumping and singing a refrain that consists mainly of the name of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Lag B'Omer Celebrated Worldwide With Bonfires and Bows and Arrows

This past Sunday, Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the period between Pesach and Shavuot, was celebrated around the world.

On Lag B'Omer, it's a custom for children to go out into the fields and play with toy bows and arrows. This commemorates the midrashic tradition that no rainbow was seen during Rabbi Shimon's lifetime. Rainbows first appeared after Noah's flood, when God promised to never again devastate the world. When the world is deserving of punishment, God sends a rainbow instead. Rabbi Shimon's merit protected the world, rendering the rainbow superfluous.

So why bows and arrows?  The Hebrew word keshet can mean both a rainbow and an archery bow.   It's easier to buy a bow and arrow than create a rainbow so that's probably why the bows and arrows are used, and not only by children.

In Golders Green, London, the followers of the Rademishler Rebbe, who call him the Admor -- Adoneinu, Moreinu, v'Rabbeinu (our master, teacher, and rabbi) gave him a quick tutorial in shooting a toy bow and arrow and let out a cheer when he let the arrow fly.

In Meron, in northern Israel, about 500,000 chasidim made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) to sing, dance, and light bonfires.  Rashbi's tomb is the epicenter of the Lag B'Omer celebrations because he was one of the students of Rabbi Akiva who survived a terrible plague that killed thousands of them, and he went on to write the Zohar, the book of Kabbalah.

The bonfires are meant to commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings.  Here are glimpses of some of the celebrations in Meron.