Monday, Iyar 17, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 32nd Sefirah / May 8, 2023

B"H

Monday, Iyar 17, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 32nd Sefirah / May 8, 2023

Tonight (Monday night)and Tuesday is Lag B'Omer – the 33^rd day of the counting of the Omer. It is a dayassociated with two episodes which took place with two of the greatest sages and leaders of their generation, Rabbi Akiva, and his student, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. 

Lag B’Omer is related to Rabbi Akiva because a plague which claimed the lives of thousands (24,000) of Rabbi Akiva’s students, miraculously stopped on Lag B’Omer. As a result, this day is celebrated each year with great joy and festivities. It has special significance for children and students, as the miracle was associated with his students.

Weddings are not held during most of the Sefirah days, between Pesach and Shavuot. However, due to the stoppage of the plague on this day, Lag B’Omer is such a joyous day that weddings are performed on this day.

Rabbi Akivalived about 2,000 years ago, at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, when the land of Israel was occupied by the Romans. Rabbi Akiva was one of the "Ten Martyrs." He was brutally murdered by the Romans for teaching Torah.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, or as he is commonly called by the acronym of his name, “Rashbi,” passed away on Lag B’Omer. He and his son, Rabbi Elazar, are buried in Meron, Israel. Hundreds of thousands of Jews visit Rabbi Shimon’s gravesite on Lag B’Omer. Bonfires are lit in Meron and throughout Israel on Lag B’Omer, in honor of Rabbi Shimon. There are festivities, dancing, and parades in Israel and throughout the world in honor of the Yartzeit (day of passing) of Rabbi Shimon.

Last year, unfortunately, 45 people died and 150 were injured in a stampede at the festivities in Miron,

Israel, on Lag B’Omer. May their souls rest in peace in Gan Eden.

Q.Why is the day of Rabbi Shimon’s passing a joyous day? Shouldn’t it be a sad day?

A.On the day of his passing, Rabbi Shimon revealed to his disciples the deepest secrets of the Torah and mystical teachings of Kaballah. On his last day in this world, he accomplished the greatest level of holiness a human can accomplish. Rabbi Shimon instructed his disciples to mark the day of his passing as a day of joy and happiness. May the Merit of Rabbi Shimon’s holiness bring G-d’s blessings to all.

Q.  Why are bonfires lit in honor of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai?

A. The Zohar says that on the day Rabbi Shimon died, a great light of endless joy and holiness filled the day because of the Torah secrets he revealed to his students. A fire surrounded the house, preventing anyone but his closest students from approaching, because the level of holiness was so great.

To commemorate this great spiritual light and holiness of this special day, bonfires are lit on Lag B'Omer.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

Friday, Iyar 14, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 29th Sefirah / May 5, 2023

B"H

Friday, Iyar 14, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 29th Sefirah / May 5, 2023

Today is the 14^th day in the month of Iyar. This day is known as Pesach Sheini - The Second Pesach. In the days of the Holy Temple, Pesach Sheini had practical significance.

When the Jewish people came out of Egypt, G-d commanded them to celebrate Pesach, but there was no mention of a second Pesach. So how did Pesach Sheini begin?

The Torah, in Numbers chapter 9, tells us that one year after the Exodus, while still in the desert, G-d commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the holiday of Pesach - the holiday of their freedom, by offering the Korban Pesach (Pascal sacrifice). However, there were people who were spiritually impure due to coming in contact with a dead body and had to wait seven days until they became clean.  Thus, they couldn’t bring the sacrifice in its proper time.

The men then came to Moshe and said, "Why should we be lacking the mitzvah of the Passover sacrifice?" Moshe brought their case before G-d. 

G-d told Moshe, "Speak to the children of Israel saying, 'If a man of you or of your future generations shall be unclean as a result of [contact with] a dead body or will be on a distant journey and they couldn’t bring the Pesach sacrifice, they shall make the Pesach offering on the fourteenth day of the second month [14^th of Iyar], toward evening; they shall eat it with matzah and maror (bitter herbs)." 

Thus, in the days of the Temple, the 14^th of Iyar became the Second Pesach for those who couldn’t bring it in the first month, as a result of impurity or not being in the vicinity of the Temple. They were given a second chance to perform the mitzvah, one month later on the 14th of Iyar.

Today, with the Temple being destroyed, there are no practical applications for Pesach Sheini, except that we do not say the prayer of supplication and make it a point to eat some matzah on this day, to remember the days of the Temple. However, the lesson of Pesach Sheini also applies today.

Pesach Sheini teaches us that in spiritual matters and mitzvot we should never say, “We missed our chance and it’s too late.”  Pesach Sheini is about having another chance! G-d always gives us another chance and another chance.  But it’s up to us to recognize it and take advantage of it.

Another lesson: G-d waited for the people to come forward and request this second chance. At times, it’s up to us to make that move to show G-d that we truly want that second chance, which He grants us.

The story of Rabbi Akiva is the best example of this.  The Talmud tells us that until the age of 40 Rabbi Akiva was an ignorant shepherd.  Only at the age of 40, with the encouragement of his wife, Rachel, did he get his second chance to study Torah. He studied diligently and forty years later, Rabbi Akiva became the greatest Talmudic sage of his time, leading a Yeshiva with thousands of students! Pesach Sheini teaches us this very encouraging and wonderful lesson – “It’s never too late!

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:48 / Shabbat ends: 8:58