Each and every person – man, woman and child – should make certain to do all they can, to the best of their abilities, to advance these goals.
As well as acting personally, we should also persuade others to participate. This should be accomplished, for a start, by providing personal examples, i.e., by displaying our own enthusiastic and joyful participation.
Publicize These Directives
We should make certain to publicize all of the above directives in each city and in every location, and particularly throughout our Holy Land.
Joyful Preparation
We should carry out all of the said activities with joy, as befits the theme of Lag B’omer – Rashbi’s Day of Rejoicing.
The necessary preparations during the days preceding Lag B’omer should be performed with joy as well – for when one is aware that a joyous day is approaching, he naturally becomes happier.
Spare No Effort – Rashbi Helps
Even where these activities appear to involve particularly harsh difficulties (dochek), you should know that we are dealing with a highly “irregular” and significant issue that is associated with Rashbi. And, as our Sages state, “One can rely upon Rabbi Shimon [bar Yochai] under pressing circumstances (b’shas hadachak)!”
So despite the difficulties involved, we should nevertheless “force” great effort into realizing the Lag B’omer activities.
Parade Slogan: Jewish Unity
We should arrange the children’s parades under the slogan:
Yachad Kol Yaldei Yisrael, “All Jewish children stand united!”
And, in the spirit of the verse: Hinei mah tov u’mah na’im, sheves achim gam yachad, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, when brothers dwell together!”
One Nation
The Parade bears the slogans of:
- Yachad shivtei yisrael – “The tribes of Israel, together as one”;
- Yachad kal yaldei yisrael – “Jewish children stand united”;
- Sheves achim gam yachad – “Brothers, dwelling together as one.”
(Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim 5750; Hisvaaduyos p. 148)
Short Address with Familiar Topics
We will now conclude [this address], so that we can energetically prepare for the actual parade. After all, we cannot keep the children waiting too long... [It is with good reason that] they do not attend Cheder or Yeshivah on Lag B’omer, and we should therefore be brief in our address to them.
The address itself is based on topics taken from the teachings of both the Written and Oral Torah that the children usually study in Cheder... [This is] especially [appropriate] since we are dealing with children who have chochmah, binah and da’as (wisdom, knowledge and understanding). Just from the matters that have already been said – the twelve passages of Torah verse and sayings of our Sages that were just now recited, for a start – they already have plenty to think about and with which to add in holy matters. (Lag B’omer 5750; Hisvaaduyos p. 199)
