May 2019, Parshat Behar

Dear Friends,

This week we celebrated Lag Baomer. In the life cycle of a Jewish child I can attest that Lag Baomer is one of the highlights in the Jewish calendar. As a child, coming to a bonfire with a BBQ, s’mores as well as dancing and music was one of the best nights of the year! Av, Lev and Yahli enjoyed the bonfire we attended on Wednesday night and loved the dancing, music and festivities. This Friday night at the Ark we will be celebrating Lag Baomer with a BBQ Kiddush and festive decorations!

As a parent I want to ensure that the fantastic experiences of my childhood are replicated for my children and that they too will reflect fondly on their Jewish identity and experiences in the same warm manner that I do.

While Lag Baomer is a highlight of the Omer period and is full of fun and festivities, it is the exception to the current period we are in, which represents a 7-week solemn period in the Jewish calendar leading up to the holiday of Shavout. During this time, other than Lag BaOmer, there are no weddings celebrated, live music cannot be listened to, haircuts are forbidden and festivities are halted.

There are a number of different reasons provided for this mourning period. In Sefer HaMinhag it notes that 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students died during the Omer period, hence the mourning customs were implemented. While some say that Rabbi Akiva’s students died because “they did not respect each other” a further explanation is that during the Omer period there was a failed uprising against the Romans that killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students.

This week’s Parsha, Behar, also describes another set of laws relating to the system for providing the land of Israel a rest once every 7 years from harvesting, (Shmittah) and the rules of the 50th year, Yovel (Jubilee). These Divine laws are still observed by many agricultural communities in Israel.

Interestingly, there is a famous Midrash in Talmud Bavli regarding Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) and Rabbi Akiva:

When Moshe went up to the Heavens at Mt. Sinai, he found G-d sitting and fastening crownlets to the letters of the Torah. He asked: Master of the universe, this is what is delaying you giving the Torah? G-d responded: There will be a man who will live many generations from now whose name is Akiva son of Joseph, and he will derive heaps of laws from every jot and tittle on top of the letter in my Torah . Moshe said: Master of the universe, show him to me! G-d replied: Turn around.

This is where things get interesting, Moses goes back to the future.

Moshe went and sat behind the eighth row of students in Rabbi Akiva’s Beit Midrash. He did not understand the Torah that was being discussed. Moshe felt faint. But when the discussion reached a certain point, Rabbi Akiva’s students asked: ‘Rabbi, what is the source of the authority of these teachings?’

abbi Akiva replied: Halacha L’Moshe miSinai- This is law given to Moshe at Sinai.’ Moshe’s mind settled. At that moment Moshe returned to G-d.

One interesting aspect from the Midrash is Moses feeling faint, as he did not fully understand the Torah lesson that he has witnessed even though it was based on the Torah he had given.

While in each generation the Torah evolves to encompass new issues and its meanings are adapted to apply to modern circumstances, its ultimate messages and laws are timeless. As we enter the final few weeks of the Omer we can take this time to reflect on the importance of the transmission of Jewish law and customs to our children, which are based and sourced from Mount Sinai.

While the biblical laws of Shmittah and Yovel are ancient but are still observed in the land of Israel, the more recent customs relating to Lag BaOmer are still just as relevant and applicable in our daily lives. Infusing the Torah’s timeless message and applicability to our lives and our children’s lives helps to provide us with the great meaning and blessing.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Gabi