Lag BaOmer and the Hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
On the thirty-third day of the Omer, the quiet weeks between Pesach and Shavuos burst into song. Bonfires light up the night, children carry bows and arrows, and hundreds of thousands stream to Meron. All of it celebrates one tzaddik: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, whose hilula falls on this day, 18 Iyar.
Who Was Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, known as Rashbi, was one of the greatest Tannaim, the sages of the Mishnah. He was a leading talmid of Rabbi Akiva and is quoted hundreds of times in the Mishnah and Gemara simply as Rabbi Shimon.
The Gemara (Shabbos 33b) tells how he spoke against the Roman rulers and was sentenced to death. He fled with his son, Rabbi Elazar, and the two hid in a cave for thirteen years. Hashem made a carob tree and a spring of water appear for them, and they spent those years buried in Torah. The teachings revealed through Rashbi and his circle form the Zohar, the foundation of Kabbalah, and he is called Botzina Kaddisha, the holy lamp.
When they first came out of the cave, the Gemara relates, father and son were so lifted above the world that they could not bear to see people busy with ordinary work, and a Heavenly voice sent them back for another twelve months. When they came out again, they saw an old man hurrying before Shabbos with two bundles of hadassim (myrtle branches), one for zachor and one for shamor. Seeing how dear the mitzvos are to every Jew, their hearts were calmed.
Why 18 Iyar Is Celebrated
The days of the Omer are a time of mourning. The Gemara (Yevamos 62b) teaches that twenty-four thousand talmidim of Rabbi Akiva passed away between Pesach and Shavuos because they did not show proper respect for one another. Jewish tradition holds that the deaths stopped on Lag BaOmer, and so the mourning customs are lifted on this day.
Lag BaOmer is also the day of Rashbi's passing. Tradition relates that before he left the world, he asked that the day be kept with joy rather than sorrow. The Arizal taught that rejoicing on this day is a mitzvah, and that is why it is called a hilula, a wedding celebration, for on this day Rashbi's soul joined its Source in complete union.
The Idra Zuta: Rashbi's Final Day
The Zohar records Rashbi's last day in a section called the Idra Zuta, the small gathering. He gathered his closest talmidim and revealed secrets of the Torah he had never shared before, saying that now was the time to make them known.
The Zohar relates that a fire surrounded the house all day, so that no one could come near, and that the light of the day did not set until he had finished his teaching. When his soul departed, a heavenly voice called on all to gather for the hilula of Rabbi Shimon.
In many communities the Idra Zuta is learned on Lag BaOmer, on the night of the hilula or during the day. Even those who do not understand its depths read it as a way of standing in the room with Rashbi and his talmidim on that day of light.
The Arizal and Meron
Rashbi is buried in Meron, in the hills of the Galil near Tzfas, beside his son Rabbi Elazar. Jews have gathered at his kever on Lag BaOmer for more than five hundred years, with fires and joy.
The Arizal gave the custom its lasting shape. Rav Chaim Vital records that the Arizal went up to Meron with his family on Lag BaOmer, stayed there for several days in celebration, and gave his young son his first haircut beside the kever. Ever since, Meron has been the center of the day for Jews from every community. The song Bar Yochai, written by the kabbalist Rabbi Shimon Lavi, is sung there and in Jewish homes and shuls throughout the night.
Today the hilula in Meron is organized with set entry times and safety arrangements, especially since the tragedy of Lag BaOmer 5781, when forty-five people lost their lives. Anyone going should follow the current instructions of the organizers and the authorities.
Why Bonfires on Lag BaOmer
The fires recall the fire that surrounded Rashbi on his last day and the light of the Zohar, whose very name means radiance. On the day a tzaddik passes away, his life's work shines out; Rashbi revealed the hidden light of the Torah, so his day is marked with flame.
In Meron the first fire is lit by a Rebbe or great rav, often with the help of oil donated by the crowd, and in Eretz Yisroel and beyond, families, schools and shuls build their own fires. The fires are a custom of joy, not an obligation, and they should be lit only where it is safe and permitted.
Upsherin, Bows and Arrows and Carobs
Many families wait until a boy turns three to give him his first haircut, the upsherin, leaving him peyos. Following the Arizal, many hold the upsherin on Lag BaOmer, especially in Meron, and everyone present snips a little of the child's hair amid singing and tzedakah.
Children traditionally play with bows and arrows. The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 35:2) teaches that no rainbow was seen in the days of Rashbi, because his merit alone protected the world, and the rainbow is a sign of Hashem's promise not to destroy it. The bow recalls that great zechus. Another explanation is told that his talmidim carried bows into the fields, as if they were hunting, so they could learn with him in secret.
Many also eat carobs on Lag BaOmer, recalling the carob tree that fed Rashbi and his son in the cave.
The Joy of the Hilula Wherever You Are
Tachanun is not said on Lag BaOmer, and in many communities weddings and haircuts, set aside during the Omer, may take place again from this day. Customs on the details differ, so follow your community and your rav.
Many communities hold outings and gatherings for children, since Rashbi's merit protected the young. The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged Lag BaOmer parades in which thousands of Jewish children march together and hear words of Torah, and similar events now take place in cities around the world.
You do not need to be in Meron to share in the hilula. Light a candle in Rashbi's honor, learn a few lines of the Zohar or the Idra Zuta, sing Bar Yochai with your family, and give tzedakah in his merit. Above all, take his lesson to heart: he taught that true love for a fellow Jew and unbroken devotion to Torah can bring light into even the darkest time.
Questions and answers
Why is Lag BaOmer celebrated?
Lag BaOmer, the thirty-third day of the Omer, falls on 18 Iyar. It is the hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who, tradition relates, asked that the day of his passing be kept with joy because on that day he revealed the deepest secrets of the Torah. Tradition also holds that the deaths of Rabbi Akiva's talmidim stopped on this day, so the Omer mourning is lifted.
Why do people light bonfires on Lag BaOmer?
The bonfires honor Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who revealed the hidden light of the Torah in the Zohar, whose name means radiance. The Zohar relates that on his last day a fire surrounded his house while he taught. The flames recall that light. They are a custom of joy, not a halachic obligation, and should be lit only where safe and permitted.
Why do so many people go to Meron on Lag BaOmer?
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar are buried in Meron, near Tzfas. Jews have gathered at the kever on his hilula for centuries, and the Arizal himself celebrated there with his family. People come to daven, dance, light fires and hold upsherins. Today entry is organized for safety, so check the current arrangements before going.
Why do children play with bows and arrows on Lag BaOmer?
The Midrash teaches that no rainbow appeared during the lifetime of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, because his merit protected the world. Since the rainbow is a sign of Hashem's promise not to destroy the world, the bow recalls his great zechus. Another explanation is that his talmidim carried bows as if going hunting so they could learn with him in secret.
What is the Idra Zuta?
The Idra Zuta, the small gathering, is the section of the Zohar describing Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's last day. Surrounded by his talmidim, he revealed profound secrets of the Torah, and the Zohar relates that his soul departed in the middle of his teaching. Many have the custom to learn or read the Idra Zuta on Lag BaOmer in his honor.
Why is upsherin done on Lag BaOmer?
Many have the custom to give a boy his first haircut at age three. Rav Chaim Vital records that the Arizal brought his young son to Meron on Lag BaOmer and cut his hair there, and many families follow this practice. A child who turns three during the Omer often waits until Lag BaOmer for his upsherin. Customs vary, so ask your rav.