Jewish Holidays

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

When the Holy Temple was destroyed, the loss was of a whole way of life.

As one man with one heart, that is how we received the Torah and how we face our enemies.

There is something special when it comes to customs. Sometimes their effect is stronger than that of mitzvot.

Why don't we ask forgiveness for our personal sins on Rosh Hashana if it is the Day of Judgment?