[Avodah] Bow and Arrow on Lag B’Omer

[Professor L. Levine]

>From  http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=50532


A 4-year-old son of a Shliach in Florida was hit in his eye by an arrow on Lag BaOmer. Please pray for Baruch Shmuel ben Chana.


I do hope he has a refuah shleima.


This got me to wondering why a bow and arrow are associated with Lag B"Omer.


>From https://goo.gl/kumYeX


One custom often mentioned in connection with Lag BaOmer, though it is less common than formerly, is for the young students to play with bows and arrows. It is remarkable that the day devoted to the memory of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, who was so absorbed in Torah learning that he didn’t even take time for prayers, is marked by having the youngsters take a break from their Torah studies. It is also surprising that they should pass the time with such a martial activity, seemingly out of character with the day devoted to the man of peace.

Rav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, one of the early Hasidic Rebbes, explained that the custom is based on the Midrash which states that all the days of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, the rainbow didn’t appear in the sky. (Ketubot 77b the same is said there of Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi.) Rashi explains that the rainbow is the sign of the covenant that the world will not be destroyed, and if there is a perfect tzaddik in the world there is no need of such a sign. (Cited by B’nei Yissachar on Lag BaOmer.)


See the above URL for more.  YL
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