Itongadol.- Visiting youth join with 500,000 Jews from a variety of backgrounds, travel to Meron, a mountain village a few miles west of Safed.
In Jewish Law, Lag Ba\’Omer, the 33rd day after Pesach, is a cessation of the semi-mourning restrictions between Passover and Shavuot, when marriages, hair-cutting and live music all become permitted.
It is on this day that nearly 500,000 Jews from a variety of backgrounds, travel to Meron, a mountain village a few miles west of Safed.
One of the most influential scholars in Jewish history, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, is buried on the top of Mount Meron. His wisdom is found in the Mishnah, Gemorrah and Midrashim, and the Zohar (foundational text of Kabbalah) revolves around his revelations to his inner circle of disciples.
During the hours before his passing, on Lag Ba\’Omer, he disclosed the "most sublime" secrets of Torah, in order to ensure that the day would always be an occasion for great joy, untouched by sadness because of the Omer period and mourning for him. The annual pilgrimage to his grave-site in Meron pays homage to his contributions in the field of Jewish thought and celebrates his influential and awe-inspiring life.
I am here with a small group of people from my gap year program \’Aardvark Israel\’, as well as a mix of Jews from around the world who are all here for the same reason; to visit the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and celebrate his life in Meron.