A Day of Joy
Let us thus discuss the exalted day of Lag BaOmer—bringing the ideas to the practical, in order that we should all feel a connection to the day. The day of Lag BaOmer has many aspects and yesodos. It is a day of connection to tzaddikim, a day of connection to Rashbi and his Torah, among many other lofty inyanim and elements unique to this day. But one of the primary elements of the day is simply the fact that it is a day of great joy; there’s a special avodah of rejoicing in this day.
Finding Your Joy
In the sefarim of the Talmidei Ba’al Shem Tov, we find a number of reasons for joy on Lag BaOmer, and all of them are based in the truth of Torah—but some of these are in the category of sisrei Torah, the hidden Torah, and thus are more difficult for us to connect with and derive joy from them. We must find the meaning that will enable us to connect with the joy of Rashbi, and bring joy into our hearts.
Surely, everything that is written about this day is rooted in Torah and ruach hakodesh—but it is important for us to connect with the Torah that speaks to our hearts, motivating us to experience great joy on this day, and bring our davening on this day to be filled with joy and gratitude.
Because Lag BaOmer is such a great day of joy, the “Modim” that we recite on this day must be on another level altogether—for when our joy is heightened, so too must our thanks and gratitude to the Ribbono shel Olam be much stronger. We must find the elements of the day that will place a spring into our step as we dance and rejoice.
Gifts Bring Happiness
One of the great reasons for happiness and rejoicing on this day, tzaddikim tell us, is that we all received a tremendous gift on this day. And gifts naturally cause a person happiness. Indeed, we see that we’re enjoined to buy gifts for our spouses and children when Yom Tov comes—because when a person receives a gift, they become joyful, which is the commandment of the Yom Tov.
We see this in children especially. When they dreamed for a long time of a certain prize or toy, they become overjoyed when we buy it for them. This isn’t a childish feeling; it is a natural emotion in the soul of every person. When we strive and pine for something, we become joyful when we’re gifted it. The problem is that adults tend to want things that they can’t have... like a million dollars... and therefore have less opportunity to experience this joy.
The Great Torah Light that was Revealed
The Bnei Yisoschor writes (Chodesh Iyar: essay 3) that the day of Lag BaOmer is the hillula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. On this day, he ascended to the Upper Worlds, and he most likely was born on this day as well—since we know that וממלא 'יושב הקב"ה יום', אל מיום צדיקים של שנותיהם the Ribbono shel Olam sits and completes the days of tzaddikim perfectly (that is, they tend to pass away on the same day that they were born, thus their years are complete and exact, to the day).
On this day, says the Bnei Yisoschor, the inherent good light of the Torah begins to shine—since it’s 17 (numerical value of טוב) days before Shavuos and Kabbalas haTorah. This is why this day was chosen to reveal the great neshamah of Rabbi Shimon whose soul revealed the inner light and pathway of Torah.
Also on this day Rabbi Shimon instructed his student, Rabbi Abba, to commit to writing all the hidden Torah that he revealed, so there would remain a remnant of the הגנוז, אור the light hidden within the Torah, on This World until the coming of Mashiach.
The Hidden Light for Every Yid
The Bnei Yisoschor is teaching us here that because such great wellsprings of Torah were opened before Rabbi Shimon on this day, and he revealed this Torah to others, therefore these doors are opened before every single Yid on Lag BaOmer of every year.
And this great light is unique to our time of darkness and galus—since the era of Rabbi Shimon took place after the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, in the very same galus in which we find ourselves today! Rashbi revealed the הגנוז, אור the hidden light, to the galus Yidden. This hidden light means: the connection that every single Yid has to succeeding in Torah, to understand Torah, and to conduct his life according to Torah.
