Explore why Lag B'Omer is the only day in the Jewish calendar that openly celebrates a single Torah personality, and how this connects to the deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students, the shift from din (judgment) to rachamim (mercy) in Sefirat HaOmer, and the spiritual “rebirth” of Torah through Rabbi Shimon and the five surviving students. We delve into the Arizal, the Zohar, and the mystery of whether Lag B'Omer marks Rabbi Shimon’s joy, his passing, or both — and why this fiery day continues to illuminate the Jewish People until today.

Rabbi Shimon Bar YochaiSefirat HaOmer