L ag B’omer that mystical night of towering flames has some unlikely connections to other special days in our calendar.
The Shulchan Aruch notes that Lag B’omer falls on the same day of the week that Purim was celebrated [p’lag]. Clearly there’s a special link between the two days which at first sight seem to have nothing in common. Lag B’omer is also connected to Shavuos — the Kedushas Levi notes that on Lag B’omer the energy of Shavuos can be discerned.
What do these three days have in common? What indeed is the celebration of Lag B’omer — the raging bonfires the dancing? What do these symbolize and what should be our mindset on this special day?
Lights of Torah
The Tur notes that Lag B’omer is the day on which the students of Rabi Akiva ceased to perish. Clearly this is not a reason to celebrate — after all 24000 talmidim had died! The death of Rabi Akiva’s students was not just a physical devastation. With their passing their Torah was also lost and the entire oral transmission was at risk. Kaf Hachayim explains that Lag B’omer marks the day Rabi Akiva ordained his five new students (one of whom was Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai) from whom all the oral tradition is derived. The day marks the resurgence of Torah in that generation ensuring that Torah would never be lost for all eternity.
