[By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times]
Many people have fond and fun recollections of Lag BaOmer outings back in their youth. Boys played baseball. The LaG BaOmer baseball game was always a mainstay of youth – where the Rebbeim played as well.
And there is some halachic precedent to it, of sorts. The Ramah Shulchan Aruch (OC 493:2) that on LaG BaOmer we engage slightly in Simcha – joy. But commemorating LaG BaOmer is a serious matter. The Mogen Avrohom cites the Kavanos HaArizal that discusses a certain individual who had the habit of reciting Nachem every day. He continued to do so on LaG BaOmer as well. For doing so he was punished. We see, therefore, that one should take the words of the Ramah quite seriously.
A number of reasons are cited by Torah authorities for commemorating Lag BaOmer:
• It commemorates the students of Rabbi Akiva who ceased dying during this day – although the deaths persisted between Pesach and Shavuos. (Shla Psachim 525).
• This day is the Yartzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai who revealed the inner secrets of the Torah (Chayei Adam Moadim 131:11)
• This is 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)
• It also commemorates the Manna which began to fall on this day after the Bnei Yisroel left Egypt (Responsa Chsam Sofer YD #233 “Amnam Yadati”).
In this short essay, we will attempt to discuss each of the four reasons mentioned above.
The Students of Rabbi Akiva
The Talmud (Yevamos 62b) tells us that 12,000 pairs of Rabbi Akiva’s students died on account of the fact that they did not extend honor to one another. Rav Chatzkel Levenstein zatzal asks how it could be that the great students of Rabbi Akiva neglected this most basic of principles?
His answer is most illuminating. Our Rabbis teach us that Kinah, Kavod and Taavah – jealousy, the pursuit of honor, and the pursuit of desires take one out of this world. “If so,” Rabbi Akiva’s students reasoned, “how can we accord each other this spiritual poison?”
Rabbi Levenstein explains that they were unaware that, in fact, honor is only poisonous when one seeks it – but when one extends it to another it is not poisonous at all. When we build the self-esteem of others, it is actually quite healthy. Rav Levenstein explains that this notion is very subtle and nuanced and it could well be that the notion itself was only revealed in the world at that time. Why then were they punished? They were smart enough to have been able to figure out and contemplate this issue by themselves. Having neglected to delve into this psychological insight was their error.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
Rashbi, whose Yartzeit we commemorate on this day, 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. The words of the Mogen Avrohom concerning the man who was punished for not commemorating this day are, therefore, well understood.
The Manna
The Manna represents the spiritual nourishment that G-d granted the Jewish people upon their departure from Egypt. Manna allowed us, the Jewish people, to develop a close bond, a Dveikus, with the Creator – that has defined who we are as a nation. Although the Manna no longer falls, the admonition that the Jewish people have to continue that bond, to continue imitating G-d and attempting to be like Him has never ceased.
The Talmud (Shabbos 133b) tells us Mah Hu Rachum af attah Rachum veChanun – just as He is Merciful, so should you be merciful. Just as He is kind so too must you be kind. Just as He clothes the poor – so should you clothe the poor. Just as He buries the dead, so should you buy the dead.
This is the message of the Manna that still exists to this day, and this is what LaG BaOmer commemorates.
Nonetheless, perhaps due to the deaths of so many of Rabbi Akiva’s students, the Minhag is to celebrate a little bit and not to make it into a full-fledged holiday. The Chsam Sofer points out that our Talmud does not mention it as a holiday at all.
So how do we commemorate this day? 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 these four reasons: Building the self-esteem of others and according others due honor is of utmost importance; vouchsafing the teachings of the Torah is paramount; Jewish continuity and education is key; and the spiritual bond and Dveikus that we have with Hashem should be central to our lives.
What are the halachos getting a haircut and listening to music on the evening of Lag BaOmer?
DEBATE AMONG RISHONIM
It is a debate among the Rishonim whether the heter for getting married and getting a haircut on Lag BaOmer is only after the morning (and day) or on the previous evening as well. Rabbeinu Yerucham, the Tashbatz, and the RiN Sho’iv write that the leninecy is only upon the morning and not previously. They write that the notion found in the laws of mourning of “Miktzas ha’Yom k’julo” does not apply in the previous evening. The Ramban, however, writes that we apply this principle even regarding the laws of mourning during Sfirah.
THE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON SFIRAH
Most readers are already familiar with the two minhagim in regard to Sfirah that are cited in the Ramah in Shulchan Aruch (Orech Chaim 493:3 but see the whole siman). Some are of the view that the mourning starts from Rosh Chodesh Iyar and continues until just before Shavuos. Others started the mourning from the second day of Pesach and end it on Lag BaOmer.
VIEW OF SHULCHAN ARUCH
The simple reading of the Shulchan Aruch (OC 493) is that one may only take a haircut on the morning of the 34th day. However, the reading of the Shulchan Aruch according to the Mahari Assad is that for a wedding – the Mechaber would permit from the night of the 33rd of the Omer.
ASHKENAZIM
It is a debate among the Poskim as to whether Ashkenazim can get married on the night of Lag BaOmer or only in the daytime. It is the opinion of the Ramah, the Levush, the Vilna Gaon and the Machatzis haSheker to permit it only upon morning of the 33rd – after sunrise. That would translate to tomorrow morning and not tonight.
The Leket Yosher, however, and others hold that it is permitted from the evening. The Mor U’Ketziah and the Mahari Assad write that even the Ramah permits it at night-time!
Some (Eliyhu Rabbah) are of the opinion that the entire debate hinges upon the debate in regard to the recitation of Tachanun at the previous Mincha. In other words, according to those who hold that Tachanun is not recited from Mincha of the day of the 32nd (today), it would be permitted to hold both a wedding and have a haircut on the night of the 33rd. However, both the Machatzis Hashekel and the Mahari Assad write that these two issues are separate and not dependant upon each other.
VIEW OF THE MISHNA BRURAH
The Mishna Brurah cites both opinions and, in regard to marriage, cites the view of the Eliayu Rabbah that “Nonetheless, in regard to weddings, I have not seen those who are lenient – except on the day of Lag BaOmer itself and not on the previous evening.” The Mishna Brurah, however, is lenient when Lag baomer falls on a Friday – to allow the marriage on the Thursday night of Lag BaOmer.
VIEW OF DAYAN WEISS ZT”L
Dayan Weiss (Minchas Yitzchok IV #84) was of the opinion that the wedding should only take place on Lag BaOmer day itself and not continue into the night of the 34th.
VIEW OF RAV MOSHE ZATZAL
Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, however, argued against the Mshna Brurah’s position and allowed for weddings on the night of Lag BaOmer even if it did not fall out on a Thursday night. He writes that one can rely upon the lenient view – especially for one who has not yet fulfilled the Mitzvah of Pru uRvu. I believe that while this view has been widespread in America, in Eretz Yisroel the view of the Mishna Brurah is still the predominant view.
CONCLUSIONS
So what do we do with all this? While each person should ask his own Rav or Posaik, it is the generally accepted view to wait until the actual day of Lag BaOmer for the haircut and unless one is at the wedding itself, to listen to music only at daytime. If there are other reasons to be lenient – a Rav should be consulted. Baseball can be played, however, lechol hadayos.
May Hashem bring the Geulah Shleimah speedily in our days!
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One Response
Please don’t attack me, I’m just passing along a text I got and it’s food for thought.
Questions & answers for Lag Baomer
1) Where is Kever Rashbi located ?
According to R. Menachem Hachevroni (14th century) in Kfar Chananya
(15 km. south of Meron)
2) When was Rashbi niftar ?
According to the Chida there is no Mokor that he was niftar on Lag Baomer
3) Who wrote the Zohar ?
According to the Yavetz it was R. Moishe d’Leon
4) What day did the Talmidei R. Akiva stop dying?
According to vast majority of Poskim, they did not stop dying on Lag Baomer.
5) How many Talmidim of R. Akiva died between Pesach &Shavuos ?
The Gemoro (Yevamos 62) says 12,000 pairs of Talmidim.
The Medrash says, it was only 300 Talmidim.
6) What did they die from?
The Gemoro says they all died with a desease called Askera.
According to Harav Hagaon Y. Henkin zt”l the Gemoro uses a code
for getting killed by the Romans.
7) How can you bring nachas to Rashbi (guaranteed) ?
The Shoel Umeishiv ( 5 – 39) writes ” if you distribute the money to
Aniyei Eretz Yisroel instead of spending it to go to his Kever etc.,
he guarantees Rashbi will have much more Nachas Ruach.