Lag Ba-Omer
Description
Lag BaOmer is one of the minor holidays in Judaism. It is observed on the 33rd day of the Omer, the period between Pesach and Shavuot. It is the only day during the Omer when Jewish weddings are permitted. Generally, the Omer is a period of light mourning when weddings and other celebrations are prohibited, and Jews refrain from cutting their hair as a sign of grief. It is believed that during the Omer, thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students died from a plague due to their lack of respect for one another. According to tradition, the plague ceased on the 33rd day of the Omer, making Lag BaOmer a joyful day when mourning is interrupted.
In Israel, Lag BaOmer is celebrated with bonfires, songs, dances, and feasts. Children play with bows and arrows, as the bow resembles the rainbow, which God sent as a sign of hope after the Great Flood. In Hebrew, both “bow” and “rainbow” are called “keshet.”
