LAG B’OMER EMOR 5785

Lag B’Omer, a Celebration of Eden Alexander

Yesterday was Lag B’Omer, the 33^rd day of the counting of the Omer between Passover and Shavuot. Why is that significant? In the days of the 2^nd Temple—about 2,000 years ago—Lag B’Omer marked the end of a deadly plague that killed all 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students. Can you imagine any teacher having 24,000 students? Why did they die?

The Shulchan Aruch (493:1) tells us: Mipnei shelo nahagu kavod zeh l’zeh (Because they did not show proper respect, one for another). What in the world does that mean? These were students of the greatest Torah scholar, and the students themselves were great Torah scholars! All 24,000 didn’t show respect to each other? What did they do … shoot spitballs at each other in class? Call each other names? 

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, z”l, explains: You know what it means that they didn’t show respect to each other? It means that they didn’t show respect to each other’s opinions as students of Torah. In learning Torah there are always disagreements, there are always differences of opinion. But that doesn’t mean that one should belittle the other’s opinions.

Wow! What a statement. Not respecting other’s opinions is a great sin. In that case, there are a lot of sinners in our world.

Next week will be Memorial Day weekend, where we remember those who sacrificed their lives in defense of our freedoms—chief among them is the freedom of speech. We may not like what someone has to say, but we will defend his right—even to the death as many have—to say it. However, freedom of speech in our world is under attack.  

In the Muslim world, freedom of speech is a great way to lose your head—literally! And it’s not that much better in our “cancel culture” society. What about in the Jewish world?

While it’s forbidden—as we see at the end of today’s parsha—to curse or blasphemy Gd, it’s clear from the Torah that freedom of speech is otherwise a very Jewish thing. Can we imagine Abraham or Moses not feeling that they had a right to challenge Gd as they did on more than one occasion? What if the prophets had not been free to speak? They said some things that were very unpopular at the time, and some paid dearly for it. Where would civilization be today if Isaiah or Jeremiah had not felt free to make their opinions known?

The whole Talmud is a testimony to the Sages freely expressing themselves—adapting Torah to changing circumstances. It’s the reason why we’re still here and our enemies are now museum exhibits. What would have happened if the rabbis felt restrained to face the challenges confronting them—exile, oppression, persecution—and not spoken up to make adjustments? I’ll tell you what would have happened … we would have disappeared!

Throughout America today, pro-Israel speakers are summarily boycotted from universities. And on the rare occasion when one does get an invitation, the anti-Israel, pro-Hamas organizations turn out in mass to disrupt and make sure he/she isn’t heard. It seems that freedom of speech in America today is in jeopardy.

Nicholas Kristoff, an admitted liberal and columnist for the New York Times, had a post on his Facebook page in which he denounced liberals who try to bar conservative speakers at their universities and to ban conservatives on faculties. Kudos to him.

This week’s Torah portion enumerates the Jewish year’s festivals: Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Within each of their themes, is the recurring idea of freedom. In each holiday’s kiddush (except the fast of  Yom Kippur), for example, we say: Zeycher l’tziat Mitzrayim (That each holiday is a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt). Therefore, each holiday is a remembrance of our freedom!

The counting of the Omer itself is a journey we relive every year from the liberation on Passover to the revelation at Sinai on Shavuot … from slavery to becoming Gd’s people with the receiving of the Torah—the ultimate expression of freedom. Lag B’Omer—in the midst of the counting—represents this transition from bondage to freedom.

It was in this sacred time this week that we celebrated the safe return of American/Israeli Edan Alexander—one of the 58 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, the last American hostage released, thanks to the untiring efforts of our Administration. After 19 months of captivity, his homecoming was not only a personal redemption for him and his family, but a national one—a living expression for the Jewish people of hope fulfilled, of prayers answered.

How did Rabbi Akiva respond when his academy suffered his generation’s “October 7^th” with the loss of all his 24,000 students? The tragedy was devastating. All the years of training the greatest minds of the next generation were now lost. If there was anyone in his world who could have felt sorry for himself and given up, it was Akiva. And yet, he picked himself up and started again with just 5 new students. My friends, don’t we all, at times, have questions about our lives—hardships, tragedy, illness that we can’t comprehend? Akiva was devastated, but he moved forward nevertheless … and so must we all after tragedy occurs.

Let me give you an amazing example. Do you know what’s happening to the Oct. 7 vanquished communities near Gaza—like Nir Oz, Kfar Aza, Holit, Sufa and Nir Am. I couldn’t believe it when I learned this week that not only are the residents of these destroyed Jewish communities returning to their destroyed homes, but 2,000 people from all over Israel are on a waiting list to join them! A waiting list? Yes! As soon as an extra home will be built in these destroyed communities, there will be a lottery for whom will be the next one to move in. After tragedy—even a Holocaust or an Oct 7^th—we Jews move forward with faith and action!

Lag B’Omer in the Jewish calendar is a turning point—a pause in the mourning period between Passover and Shavuot, a spark of light in a stretch of grief. It reminds us that even in the longest night, dawn is just ahead. Eden Alexander’s return this week is a modern Lag B’Omer—a flash of light piercing through 19 months of anguish. It affirms the Torah’s message that life is holy, that every soul is precious, and that we must never stop pursuing freedom for the remaining hostages and all captives.

Edan’s return is a reminder that our people do not ever give up on their children, that every life matters, and that holiness is not just found in the Temple of old, but in the joy of streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Eilat celebrating the return of one of their own and in the unity of the Jewish people rejoicing.

My friends, this week, let us carry the light of Edan’s return with us. Let us gain strength from those volunteers who are waiting to join our brethren in those near Gaza communities … and may it ignite a deeper unity, a deeper faith, and a deeper commitment to a world where all captives are freed, and every soul knows peace. Amen!