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Lag B’Omer – Together with the “Rashbi” on the way to redemption.

The 18th day of the month of Iyar, Lag B’Omer, exemplifies a number of important events relevant to the Jewish nation, such as the “Rashbi’s” departure from this world into a higher state of existence, and the conclusion to a most unusual plague during which Rabbi Akiva’s students died.
This day, throughout Jewish history has been earmarked as a day for education of the youth, love of a fellow Jew, simply because he/she is Jewish, and Jewish unity.
The “Mittler Rebbe”, the second Lubavitcher Rebbe, held this day in very high esteem. He, along with his entourage, would go out into the field and make a “lechaim” over “mashke” (referred to most often as vodka), and would envision outright miracles, most of which had particular relevance to children. They would wait for and anticipate Lag B’Omer the entire year.

***

The Lubavitcher Rebbe declared that boys and girls all over the world should gather together to form a parade for the sake of Jewish unity and a show of Jewish pride. All of us should firmly decide to bring as many children as possible to a Lag B’Omer parade, and together with them, we should all scream out from the bottom of our hearts, “We want Moshiach now!”

	Introductory remarks are infused with blessing
	A letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, stressing the importance of Lag B’Omer and the reasons why we are so happy on this day
	“The unique reasons why Lag B’Omer is so important and sublime in nature are known and elaborated on.”
	[ For further reference click: לקוטי שיחות כרך י"ב עמוד 228]

	Lag B’Omer – The “Rashbi’s” day of rejoicing.
	This day is the “Yom Hillula”, the day when he left this world into a higher plane of existence of the holy sage, Rab Shimon Bar Yochai. He authored the “Zohar”, and was one of Rabbi Akiva’s students. His tomb is in Miron.
	“The “Rashbi” said that Lag B’Omer, the day when he left this world into a higher plane of existence, is a happy day for him, and therefore it’s a mitzvah to be happy with the “Rashbi” on this day.”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ח כרך ג' עמוד 302]

	The plague thar afflicted Rabbi Akiva’s students stopped.
	Twenty four thousand students perished in this terrible plague because they didn’t honor each other, and on Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day, they stopped dying.
	“Seemingly things aren’t understood. What kind of students stopped dying on Lag B’Omer…?” “How great is the day of Lag B’Omer itself that it brought about a change in their conduct!…” “Why is Lag B’Omer so sublime nature?…The “Rashbi’s” departure into a higher plane of existence occurred years later?”...
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ב כרך ג' עמוד 1429]

	The world was desolate
	The Talmud explains that after the death of Rabbi Akiva’s students, the world was desolate. Being that the case, what does the expression “they stopped dying” mean? Did they stop dying in the middle?
	“The question was asked, “How can you say that some of Rabbi Akiva’s students remained alive?” “…The explanation to the above question is that when you think simply about the way things are…” (One can not say that Rabbi Akiva didn’t have any students all together, and therefore the Talmud says the world was desolate. The reason why the Talmud says the world was desolate was that Rabbi Akiva didn’t have an elite group of students as he once had before).
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ב כרך ג' עמוד 1510]

	Love – As you love yourself, literally
	We learn from Rabbi Akiva’s students that we all have to add and increase our observance of the precept of love of a fellow Jew. About to be presented is an excerpt from a talk the Lubavitcher Rebbe gave during a Lag B’Omer parade.
	“You shouldn’t suffice with avoiding hurting your friend, Heaven forefend. Instead, you should love a fellow Jew as you love yourself, like yourself, literally…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשד"מ כרך ג' עמוד 1759]

	“Rashbi” – Redemption with two myrtle branches
	What does the Lubavitcher Rebbe learn from the story of the “Rashbi” and the two myrtle branches? About to be presented is a most impressive and vital directive for the generation on the threshold of redemption.
	“When the “Rashbi” and his son left the cave, they saw people plowing and seeding the earth. He said, “They are putting aside something of eternal value and are being occupied with something of only temporary significance.” “…From this incident we learn that it’s enough to run with two myrtle leaves…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשי"א חלק שני עמוד 97]

	The relevance of Lag B’Omer with the redemption and the holy Temple not being destroyed
	The day when the “Rashbi” rejoices. One of the Ari Zal’s students was punished because he said “nachem” on Lag B’Omer. * When a person with a high soul is in this world, the holy Temple isn’t destroyed. * Relevance to all generations
	“The esoteric knowledge of the Torah was so evident and shined forth from the “Rashbi”, and therefore, the destruction of the holy Temple wasn’t a reality for him. Being that the case, on his day of rejoicing, the idea of saying “nachem” (which is said on Tisha B”Av) is totally negated, because this day typifies only redemption…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תנש"א כרך ג' עמוד 211]

	Getting a haircut in Miron
	The Jewish custom is to make a “chalake”, a celebration for boys who reach the age of three and get a haircut for the first time – in Miron at the “Rashbi’s” tomb. About to be presented is a letter the Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote on the subject. Additional letters can be found in vol. 9, page 58.
	“The Ari Zal went there and gave his son a haircut, followed by a joyful feast”
	[ For further reference click: אגרות קודש כרך י"א עמוד 60]

	Safed, Miron, and 770
	A group of visitors from Safed came to “Beit Chayeinu” (770) in 1990. In a special talk addressing these visitors, the Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke about the advantage of Safed as it is in proximity and evident to those in Miron, in addition to how things that are done on Lag B’Omer have more validity when…
	“…This matter is emphasized now when a group of Jews came from Safed…and are found…just before Lag B’Omer…and on Lag B’Omer itself in the “4 amot” (immediate vicinity) of the previous Rebbe…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תש"נ כרך ג' עמוד 176]

	Children and miracles. Here we raise Chassidishe children.
	Lag B’Omer is a meritorious day for anything associated with bringing more children into the world. The “Mittler Rebbe”, second Lubavitcher Rebbe, would quite often bless those women, who were up until then unable to conceive, with children. They should merit to raise them to be…
	“They would see many miracles wrought for women, who were up until then unable to conceive, and upon receiving his blessing conceived and gave birth to boys who became Chassidim.”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תש"י חלק ראשון עמוד 60]

	The Lag B’Omer parade
	When the Rebbe first became Rebbe, he started the idea of having a parade on Lag B’Omer for boys and girls, with, and creating an air of unity.
	“The ultimate reason why the G-dly soul descended into this world, is to progress from a status where the soul was regarded as “standing”, to a status where the soul is regarded as “going.” This idea becomes evident, simply speaking, during the parade.”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ח כרך ג' עמוד 269]

	The significance of the parade.
	Why make a parade? Why children? Why do city officials come to the parade? Why all the music?
	“The most significant aspect of the parade is that a person takes pride in his faith and values.” “…The primary participants in the parade are children, who represent progress and growth.”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תש"נ כרך ג' עמוד 204]

	An auspicious time to do for G-d
	The roots of the parade we have on Lag B’Omer stem from an ancient custom when parents would take their children to a field and speak about the “Rashbi” whose Torah learning would be exclusive to nothing else.
	“A most puzzling question is, “How can children leave their Torah teachers and go into the fields on Lag B’Omer, on the “Rashbi’s” day of rejoicing, a person who emphasized learning Torah to the exclusion of all else?”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ז כרך ג' עמוד 269]

	Put in your maximum for the parade
	One should put in the most effort into bringing as many children as possible to the parade.
	“This gives inner vitality and warmth to Jewish children in all matters of Torah and its commandments, to the point where the impression will always remain in the child’s memory.”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תש"נ כרך ג' עמוד 149]

	More than 10,000 childen should be brought to the parade.
	It’s not enough to just get by when organizing the parade. For a complete understanding of the talk, refer to the talk, as indicated below, all the way until page 1425.
	“One of the most important concepts on Lag B’Omer is placing special emphasis on Jewish children…Even though he exerted himself as much as possible and already has brought 10,000 children to the parade…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ג כרך ג' עמוד 1423]

	They cause pleasure to G-d and to Rabbi Akiva
	The Lubavitcher Rebbe speaks to Jewish children! A talk delivered on Lag B’Omer in the middle of the parade.
	“Through this, they cause pleasure to G-d, the One who commanded us to perform the precept of “Loving a fellow Jew as you love yourself”, as well as to Rabbi Akiva, who revealed to all that this commandment is a great principle in the Torah…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ג כרך ג' עמוד 1434]

	It would be appropriate to rely on the “Rashbi”, speedily in our days, literally!
	We would like to wish all the shluchim (emissaries) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe much success wherever they are, in their venture to make a Lag B’Omer parade with happiness and joy. It would be appropriate to rely on the “Rashbi” in a time of need, even in a time when we are about to be redeemed from this bitter exile, and the Divine Presence is with us. “Long live our Master, our Teacher and Mentor, the King Moshiach, forever and ever!”
	“When we find ourselves in hard times, in the time of exile, we can rely on the “Rashbi”, for certainly he will annul anything that’s not good…”
	[ For further reference click: התוועדויות שנת תשמ"ו כרך ג' עמוד 357]