Lag BaOmer: The Day When Din Transforms into Rachamim
Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the Omer count, is widely considered a joyful day due to historical events: the end of the plague that struck Rabbi Akiva’s students, the beginning of his renewed teaching to five new disciples, or the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
But according to a deep Kabbalistic perspective — particularly that of the Shelah HaKadosh, the Vilna Gaon (Gra), and Rav Hutner — the day is not special because of what happened on it; those events happened because the day is, in itself, inherently special.
The Implosion of Din: Lag BaOmer as a Turning Point
In Kabbalistic thought, the first 32 days of the Omer are dominated by the trait of din — severity, judgment, and strictness. The 33rd day marks a spiritual threshold: din reaches its peak, and having nowhere else to go, it implodes.
It’s like a Jewish court of 23 judges unanimously declaring a defendant guilty: according to Halakhah, if all judges vote to convict, the defendant is acquitted. The deeper message is that judgment without even a trace of compassion is not true justice.
Thus, Lag BaOmer is the moment when absolute severity dissolves, and rachamim — mercy — emerges. It is an inner transformation, a breaking point that releases hidden light.
Meron or Study: The Connection Remains
There is a saying: “If you study the Zohar, it’s as if you went to Rashbi’s grave. And if you go to Meron, it’s as if you studied his teachings.”
The connection to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai does not depend on physical location, but on the depth of the encounter.
Anyone who connects with him through study, prayer, or even simply recognizing the spiritual light of the day, participates in his ongoing revelation.
A Call for Prayer and Transformation
The speaker ends with a heartfelt plea: pray for Yona ben Shaina Rivka, a 15-year-old yeshiva student who was hit by a car.
This too is part of Lag BaOmer’s spirit: not only mysticism and hidden wisdom, but also ahavat Yisrael, concrete action, and real compassion.
A day to transform judgment into mercy — in our lives and in the world.
The above is a summary of the original teaching video available on the YouTube channel.