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Musical NotesMay 2003From the Desk of Marjorie HochbergIn ancient times, the barley harvest occurred at the same time of year as Passover. It was traditional to present a measure of grain, called an omer, to the priests at the Temple in Jerusalem for a special wave offering. By waving the grain in all directions, the priests demonstrated that God is omnipresent, and that the abundance of the harvests is due to God. After the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, this sense of connection to and dependence on God was reshaped into the custom of counting the Omer from the second day of Passover up to the festival of Shavuot, a period of seven weeks. Traditionally, the period of the counting of the Omer is a period of semi-mourning, in which Jews do not cut their hair, get married, or celebrate. Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the Omer, is a respite from that period of mourning. According to some sources, that is because a first -century plaque that killed thousands of the students of Rabbi Akiva ended on that day. On Lag Ba Omer, it is customary to light bonfires, have picnics, and to play with bows and arrows. At Temple Emanu-El, we are celebrating our 4th Annual Lag BaOmer Picnic and Bonfire on Saturday, May at the Ranch of Lisa and George Youngerman. This has proved to be one of the most popular and successful intergenerational celebration on the Jewish calendar. We will dine on fabulous, grilled kosher hot dogs and hamburgers, ignite a huge bonfire, and enjoy lots of games, hayrides and other outdoor pleasures. (I am happy to report that there will be NO bows and arrows.) |
