Lag Ba'omer

What Really Happened to the Students of Rabbi Akiva?

The Secrets of Lag BaOmer

The minor holiday of Lag BaOmer, coming up next Thursday, is traditionally associated with the Divine Tannaitic Sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) – as well as with the thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva, who "stopped dying" on this day. Both of these are connected to each other...

7. Throwing Clothes into the Bonfire and Praying at the Gravesites of Tzadikim

Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer

Many people had a custom to throw expensive clothing into the bonfire at Meron, explaining that they do so in honor of R. Shimon bar Yoĥai.

6. The Custom of Giving Boys their First Haircut

Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer

Some have a custom to refrain from cutting their sons’ hair until they reach the age of three. When their son reaches that age, they cut his hair and leave his sidelocks.

5. Bonfires on Lag Ba-omer

Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer

For hundreds of years, there has been a custom to light a large bonfire near R. Shimon bar Yoĥai’s grave on Mount Meron, in honor of his hilula.

4. R. Akiva

Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer

Hidden within the hilula celebration of Lag Ba-omer is another memorial: a memorial for the greatest expositor of the Oral Torah, the wondrous Tanna, R. Akiva, one of whose five greatest disciples was R. Shimon bar Yohai.

3. The Personality of R. Shimon bar Yohai

Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer

Before we elaborate on the customs of the hilula, we will briefly discuss the unique character of R. Shimon bar Yoĥai and his mentor, R. Akiva.

2. The Hilula of R. Shimon bar Yohai

Chapter 5: Lag Ba-omer

Many people have a custom to spend Lag Ba-omer on Mount Meron, where R. Shimon bar Yoĥai (Rashbi) and his son, R. Elazar, are buried.