Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Interesting Discussions
Why do we light fire?-lag baomer



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother
Orange


 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:18 pm
why? I must have known once but for some reason I dont. and whats the excitement.

going anonymous I am embarrassed to ask this question. I grew up frum. so this is the day that talmidim of r' akiva stopped dying. ok but why the fire?

and people go to rabbi shimon at this point. why? I am so so embarrassed, if you can see me blush. please just remind me educate me.
Back to top

m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:25 pm
Lag B'Omer is the Yartzheit of R' Shimon bar Yochai. Before his death he taught his talmidim a tremendous amount of Toras Hanistar (I.e. Kaballa) and requested that they treat the day as a day of simcha. The fire represents the light of Torah that was revealed on that day. Additionally they say that after R' Shimon died a fire came down and escorted his mitta to Har Meron which is where he was buried, so the fire is a remembrance of that, too.
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:30 pm
http://www.chabad.org/library/.....s.htm

" It is traditional to light bonfires on Lag BaOmer eve. These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings. This was especially true on the day of his passing, Lag BaOmer, when he revealed to his disciples secrets of the Torah whose profundity and intensity the world had yet to experience. The Zohar relates that the house was filled with fire and intense light, to the point that the assembled could not approach or even look at Rabbi Shimon.
By far, the largest Lag BaOmer celebration takes place in and around Rabbi Shimon’s tomb, located in the northern Israeli village of Meron. Hundreds of thousands attend the festivities, and the round-the-clock celebration, singing and dancing are unparalleled."
Back to top

bigsis144




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:33 pm
Purim is for the alcoholics
Pesach is for the OCD people
Lag Ba'Omer is for the pyromaniacs

(hat tip to R' Dovid Orlofsky)
Back to top

sourstix




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:37 pm
no no I hope that was a joke
Back to top

bigsis144




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:39 pm
Yes, definitely a joke! I heard a shiur on Lag Ba'Omer by him many years ago, and unfortunately I remember the joke and not the meat of the d'var Torah.

Last edited by bigsis144 on Wed, May 25 2016, 3:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top

amother
Orange


 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:45 pm
just want to clarify that the talmidim of rabbi akiva stopped dying. and that is the extreme simcha? it looks like the biggest simcha. just wondering why?
Back to top

amother
Orange


 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 3:46 pm
sorry I just realized you did explain.
Back to top

m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 4:37 pm
amother wrote:
just want to clarify that the talmidim of rabbi akiva stopped dying. and that is the extreme simcha? it looks like the biggest simcha. just wondering why?


The fact that the students stopped dying is why the aveilus ends. The simcha has to do with the yartzheit of Rashbi. 2 separate things.
Back to top

goodmorning




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 4:49 pm
m in Israel wrote:
The fact that the students stopped dying is why the aveilus ends. The simcha has to do with the yartzheit of Rashbi. 2 separate things.


It appears (SA and Rema OC 493:2) to be at least partially due to the fact that Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying.

(And there may be other reasons too -- e.g. the Chasam Sofer says that it's the day that the mohn began to fall.)
Back to top

etky




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 5:02 pm
When I was growing up, back in the days before Bar Kochba bashing was trendy, they told us that his bands of warriors used to convey secret messages to each other by lighting fires on hilltops.
It's a theory that did not hold up to modern historical scrutiny, along with other myths concerning the campaign against the Romans that he headed.
Back to top

bigsis144




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 5:05 pm
etky wrote:
When I was growing up, back in the days before Bar Kochba bashing was trendy, they told us that his bands of warriors used to convey secret messages to each other by lighting fires on hilltops.
It's a theory that did not hold up to modern historical scrutiny, along with other myths concerning the campaign against the Romans that he headed.


THE BEACONS ARE LIT! GONDOR CALLS FOR AID!
Back to top

m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 25 2016, 5:40 pm
goodmorning wrote:
It appears (SA and Rema OC 493:2) to be at least partially due to the fact that Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying.

(And there may be other reasons too -- e.g. the Chasam Sofer says that it's the day that the mohn began to fall.)


The SA and Rema connect the fires to R' Akiva's students? I haven't seen the original sources but I always learned that the fires were connected to Rashbi, not R' Akiva.
Back to top

imasoftov




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 26 2016, 2:38 am
What is the source for burning effigies of people?

http://matzav.com/photo-lag-ba.....aden/
Back to top

etky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 26 2016, 2:48 am
imasoftov wrote:
What is the source for burning effigies of people?

http://matzav.com/photo-lag-ba.....aden/


Guy Fawkes night?
Back to top

Health is a Virture




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 26 2016, 3:16 am
if you grew up Litvash then it's not embarrassing that you don't know what the fires are for because hey, who knows? It's a chassidish and sefardi thing. I think that maybe there is also deep kabbalistic stuff surrounding it, but again kabbalistic stuff among Litvish is just for the truly great and chassidim even not great people do "great stuff", and sefardim are just into kabbala. So there is my take on it....
can you tell I am Litvish? :-) I think here in Israel since everyone is doing it, the Litvish kids come along for the ride and the parents have to "drive the car." Many LItvishe men are still learning in kollel and the boys in litvishe yeshivos carry on as usual, but after hours will "hang out" at the bonfires because who wants to miss all the action?
Back to top

5mom




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 26 2016, 3:34 am
If you make a party at night, you need some light.
Back to top

goodmorning




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 26 2016, 8:23 am
m in Israel wrote:
The SA and Rema connect the fires to R' Akiva's students? I haven't seen the original sources but I always learned that the fires were connected to Rashbi, not R' Akiva.


No. If you go back to my original post, you'll see that I was quoting the SA/Rema to connect the simcha of Lag b'Omer to talmidei Rabbi Akiva. The words actually are "marbim bo k'tzas simcha."

Agreed, fires are connected only to RSBY.
Back to top

amother
Orange


 

Post Thu, May 26 2016, 9:00 am
Living in Lakewood and many litvish so many poeople danced with chasidish by the fire! Times have changed many litvish people even toivel like chasidim do not just erev yk' and some even have bleachers and sing like by a tish know what I mean? Yes I grew up chasidish and I couldn't remember why fire
At least ds knew from his rebbe ok he didn't tell me till after you guys did
Back to top
Page 1 of 1 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Interesting Discussions

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Can you recommend a good Kitchen ceiling fan with a light?
by amother
0 Wed, Mar 27 2024, 9:17 pm View last post
Crisp, light, sophisticated perfume 8 Wed, Mar 20 2024, 1:06 am View last post
ISO inspiring but light speeches on YouTube
by amother
0 Mon, Mar 04 2024, 7:52 pm View last post
Im not dysfunctional (light thread)
by amother
28 Mon, Mar 04 2024, 7:16 am View last post
What's a good light switch cover?
by amother
2 Tue, Feb 27 2024, 5:24 pm View last post