By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

So what is the story with bows and arrows on LaG BaOmer?

The Ramah Shulchan Aruch (OC 493:2) that on LaG BaOmer we engage slightly in Simcha – joy, but no mention is made of the bow and arrow!

The reason for this minhag is explained by Rav Tzvi Elimelech Spira (1783-1841) in the Bnei Yissaschar (Maamrei Chodesh Iyar 3:4-5). But let us first get some background: Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, of course, was a tremendous Tzaddik who revealed the inner secrets of the Torah (see Chayei Adam Moadim 131:11).

In his tremendous merit, explains the Bnei Issaschar, the entire world was saved from Puranios – afflictions. Because of this, the world did not have to see a rainbow – a reminder that Hashem would not destroy the world. Because no rainbow was appeared during his lifetime, on the day of his ascension to shamayim we bring out bows and arrows to commemorate him and his great merit.

A second reason is that when the Romans forbade Torah study, Jews would go into the ya’ar and pretend to go hunting with bows and arrows. Instead, they learned Torah.

We should also know that this day of LaG baOmer commemorates the students of Rabbi Akiva who ceased dying during this day – although the deaths persisted between Pesach and Shavuos. (Shla Psachim 525).

This is also the day that Rabbi Akiva granted ordination to his five students – among them Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai – they did not die in the plague that struck Rabbi Akiva’s other students (Pri Chadash OC 493)
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai merited to compose two extraordinary books that form part of the Zohar. They are the Adara Rabbah and the Adarah Zutah. Rav Yoseph Chaim in his Responsa (Rav Pe’alim YD #156) explains why it was that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, above and beyond his masters the Tannaim, merited to write these extraordinary books. He explains that although his teachers and masters were greater than he was, he had the ability of couching these teachings in esoteric terms. Indeed, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was so adept at obscuring the true understanding of these thoughts, that they could even be expounded upon publically – and only those that truly merit understanding it would be able to figure out the true inner meaning and import. According to this, we commemorate the fact that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai not only transmitted these remarkable teachings, but vouchsafed them in such a manner that they not be abused or taught to those who are unworthy.

Jewish Continuity

The ordination that Rabbi Akiva conducted on his five students was a heroic event that changed the course of Jewish history, and that of the world. These students were Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yossi, Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar Ben Shamoa. Under the pressure of the dark forces of Roman tyranny and religious oppression, these valiant scholars, who were privy to the noblest ideals of the Bible, its teachings and oral traditions, knew that no matter what the cost – they must ensure the continuity of these teachings. They were the future educators of us all.

It was a point in time where the forces of evil and darkness were pitted against goodness and light.

The light of Torah ultimately won out and Torah Judaism was to effect and alter the world. We commemorate this remarkable event on this day of LaG BaOmer.

So how do we commemorate this day, other than the bow and arrows? The Bnei Yissasschar states that the custom is to light a number of candles in Shul on this day. We do not fast on this day – even for a Yahrtzeit, except for a fast of a bad dream. We do not recite Tachanun on this day, nor on the Mincha before it. We get married and attend weddings. We join in with singing and dancing, and we listen to music (See Pri Magadim Aishel Avrohom 493:1).

So as we hear the song and dance of the Jewish weddings and the words, “Od Yeshamah, let it still be heard in the cities of Yehudah and in the outskirts of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of happiness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride” let us think of the great merit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai who also vouchsafed the teachings of the Torah and enabled our Torah continuity.

May Hashem bring the Geulah Shleimah speedily in our days. Oh and one last point: Yes, many Admorim also engaged in using bos and arrows on LaG BaOmer.

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