Lag B'Omer and the Wonders of Fire

The custom of lighting bonfires on Lag B'Omer goes back many generations. It honors the memory of the great sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who passed away on this date in the Hebrew month of Iyar. Every year, thousands of people gather at his resting place in Meron to sing, dance, and light a big fire in his honor.

As we get closer to this meaningful day, here are five things you might not know about fire:

1. Fire Isn’t a Solid, Liquid, or Gas
Unlike things like water, which can be solid (ice), liquid, or gas (steam), fire is not a "thing" like that. Fire is actually a chemical reaction called combustion. It happens when something burns in oxygen and gives off heat and light. The light comes from tiny particles called photons, and the heat spreads as thermal energy.

2. Fire Changes Color Depending on Heat and Material
Fire isn’t always the same color. The color tells us how hot the fire is and what’s burning. Cooler fires are red or orange, while hotter ones are white or blue. For example, a gas stove flame is blue because of how efficiently it burns. Wood, on the other hand, gives off a yellow or orange flame because of the natural materials inside it.

3. Fire Doesn’t Always Have Flames
Some fires don’t have a visible flame but are still burning. A good example is glowing charcoal or embers in a fire pit. This type of fire burns slowly and gives off heat without much light. You’ll often see this in grills or wood stoves, where there’s plenty of heat, but not a lot of flame.

4. Fire Can Move Downward Too
We usually think of fire rising up, but it can also move down in certain situations. This happens when the heat pulls the flame downward, or in places like space, where gravity doesn’t work the same way. In space, fire behaves in surprising ways, it can float in round shapes and move in directions we don’t expect.

5. Fire Helps Nature Grow
Fire isn’t just destructive, it can also be helpful. In nature, fires can clean out old plants, return nutrients to the soil, and make space for new growth. Many plants actually need fire to grow well. But natural fires are only helpful when they happen at the right times and in the right way.

Fire is powerful, beautiful, and full of mystery especially when we light it with purpose and meaning on Lag B'Omer.