Lag Ba’Omer is the 33rd day of the Omer, a period of counting between Passover and Shavuot. The Omer is a biblical commandment (Leviticus 23:15-16) that instructs counting 49 days from the second night of Passover until the festival of Shavuot, marking the transition from the Exodus to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Traditionally, the Omer is a semi-mourning period, during which weddings and celebrations are restricted.
One of the main reasons for Lag Ba’Omer’s significance is the commemoration of the end of a plague that, according to the Talmud (Yevamot 62b), killed 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva because they did not treat one another with proper respect. Lag Ba’Omer is understood as the day the plague ceased, making it a time of relief and joy.
Additionally, the day is associated with Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, a key figure in Jewish mysticism (Kabalah), who is believed to have revealed deep mystical teachings and passed away on this day. Customs of Lag Ba’Omer include lighting bonfires, outdoor festivities, weddings (which are generally avoided during the Omer), and in some communities, first haircuts for three-year-old boys.
