[Avodah] What is the reason behind the minhag to light bonfires on Lag B?omer?

[Danny Schoemann]

> From: "Prof. L. Levine" <llevine at stevens.edu>
> To: avodah <avodah at aishdas.org>

> >From today's OU Kosher Halacha Yomis

> <snip> In a letter written in 1489, Rav Ovadya Mi?Bartenura reports seeing a
> multitude of torches lit on Lag B?omer at the grave of Rebbi Shimon bar
> Yochai in honor of his yahrtzeit.

Funny you should post this; in 2009 you informed us of the (little
known) fact that the Bartenura actually reported seeing this in
JERUSALEM at SIMON HATZADIK and it was the 28th of Iyar.

Somewhere along the line somebody edited his story to Lag B'Omer in Meiron.

>Yitzchok Levine wrote on 2009:
>
> > From contemporary documents we learn the Muslims (and a few Jews)
> > cut the hair of children as well as lit a bonfires on the yohrtzeit
> > (28 of Iyyar) of non other than the aforementioned Shmu'el haNavi.
>

Interestingly enough, this week's Hebrew Mishpacha magazine reports
that around 1915 (until the 6-day war IIRC) it was the Arabs who
organized the yearly Meiron celebration even controlling the dancing
and (mostly Hebrew) songs. The highlight of the night was the arrival
of VIP Arabs who danced the Kadjake dance in honour of Ribbi Shimon.

And how can we end off without the Tosefta in Shabbas (Ch. 7:1 -
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Tosefta_Shabbat.7.1 ) that mentions that
one who dances to a flame is committing AZ. The Minchath Yitzchak
comments on the page "as the Goyim do on known days; they make a
bonfire and dance around it".

- Danny, Jerusalem, Lag B'Omer 5780