Following the second night of Passover We start counting the Omer On the second day of Pesach ,(Nissan 16th) May 7th until Erev Shavoo-ot on (Sivan 5) May 25th, 2004.
This year we celebrate on May 16, 2006
The Hebrew date as always Iyar 18, 5766
We count for Seven Weeks, or, 49 days.
We celebrate LAG BAOMER on the 33rd day of counting of the Omer, Thus the name.
"LAG" in Hebrew numerical equivlency is 33.
Farmers use to bring an omer of barley to the Temple each day as a thanksgiving offering to G-D, It is also a time of mourning for 12,000 of Rabbi Akiva were killed by the Romans.
On the 33rd of counting the Omer (Lag B'Omer)is the only day we respite from the mourning, We can Wed., get hair cuts The Ortoduks give their boys the first hair cut on Lag-Ba'Omer.
We also remember Simon Bar-Yochai who escaped from the Romansa by hiding in caves for 13 years, living on water from the spring, and eating the fruit from a nearby Charob tree.
Rabbi Bar Yochais students use to visit him by dressing up as hunters, carring bows and arrows in case the Romans asked they would say: "We are Hunting for food.
Today, to remember how Rabbi Bar-Yochais times. How his students use to visit him, while pretending to picknick and Hunt. We celebrate the holiday by having picnics, bonefires and playing with bows and Arrows.
We find that many Ortodox Jews from abroad,as well as Ortodox people and Israelies, Adults and children flock to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the city of Meron. There is dancing, singing, bonfires are lit.In many familys you will find that they wait until their son is three before cutting his hair, and on the Lag B'omer of his third year, they cut the boy's hair for the first time.
