Lag BaOmer
Lag BaOmer (Hebrew: לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר, LaG Bāʿōmer), also Lag B'Omer or Lag LaOmer, is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar.
| Lag BaOmer | |
|---|---|
A Lag BaOmer bonfire celebration in Israel, symbol of the holiday | |
| Official name | לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר |
| Type | Jewish |
| Significance | 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which begins the 2nd day of Pesach |
| Begins | 18th day of Iyar |
| Date | 18 Iyar |
| 2023 date | Sunset, 8 May – nightfall, 9 May |
| 2024 date | Sunset, 25 May – nightfall, 26 May |
| 2025 date | Sunset, 15 May – nightfall, 16 May |
| 2026 date | Sunset, 4 May – nightfall, 5 May |
| Related to | Pesach, Shavuot, Counting of the Omer |
According to some of the Rishonim, it is the day on which the plague that killed Rabbi Akiva's 24,000 disciples came to an end, and for this reason the mourning period of the Counting of the Omer concludes on Lag BaOmer in many communities.
According to modern kabbalah, this day is the Hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and/or the anniversary of his death. According to a late medieval tradition, Simeon ben Yochai is buried in Meron, and this association has spawned several well-known customs and practices on Lag BaOmer, including the lighting of bonfires and pilgrimages to Meron.
Additionally, in modern-day Israel, the holiday also serves to commemorate the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Romans.