[Avodah] More on The Strange History of Lag B'Omer

[Yitzchok Levine]

After listening to Prof. Shnayer Leiman's talk titled The Strange 
History of Lag B'Omer, I can only wonder what the basis is for the 
"celebrations" that are held on Lag B'Omer night in many places. 
According to him, there is no basis for such behavior. In addition, 
he says that the proper celebration of Lag B'Omer, if there is to be 
any, is fasting. This seems to imply that what goes on in Meron is 
"inappropriate," at best.

The practice of making bonfires and then singing and dancing around 
them on Lag B'Omer night has even spread to Flatbush! (For the 
record, I could never understand how such celebrations can take place 
in light of the fact that according to all but two of the customs 
regarding Sefirah, aveilus is applicable on Lag B'Omer night. See 
http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2008/05/mourning-during-omer-2.shtml )

Can anyone justify what we see going on in our times regarding the 
"celebration" of Lag B'Omer? Is Dr. Leiman wrong in what he says 
about this day?

Since some had trouble accessing this talk from it original site, I 
have created a web page from which one can either listen to the talk 
or download it and save it. Please see

http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/history/lag_bomer_leiman.html

Yitzchok Levine
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