Bechukotai - Mourning Customs during Sefira

The Talmud tells us that Rabbi Akiva, who was perhaps our greatest Talmudic sage (see Rabbenu Chanan'el on BB 12b), had twelve thousand pairs of students.  Yet all of these students died in the period beween Pesach and Shavu'ot, all because they didn't treat each other with respect (Yevamot 62b.)

The tragedy that befell these students gives a sad character to these days, and some customs of mourning are observed.  No marriages are performed in this period, nor do we cut the hair or listen to musical performances (SA OC 493.)

It seems ironic that the days of sefirat ha-omer (the counting of the omer), which is a period of spiritual growth and elevation, should be a time of mourning.  Yet there is actually a deep connection between the two aspects of sefira. 

As we have explained in the last two weeks, the sefira period is a period of spiritual advancement.  Our spiritual level as slaves in Egypt was acceptable at Pesach, but it is not suitable for Matan Torah (The giving of the Torah).  The barley sacrifice of the omer is acceptable at Pesach before the wheat ripens, but at Shavu'ot we demand the wheat loaves of shtei ha-lechem.  In other words, this is a time when the spiritual level of one day is not sufficient for the following day.

It is exactly at such a time that we need to be most careful about treating others with respect.  Once we decide that yesterday's level of service to God is no longer acceptable, it is easy to fall into the trap of saying that our neighbor's level of divine service is also lacking.  In order to grow, we must rid ourselves of our complacence; yet very often our forbearance towards our own shortcomings is an aid in forbearance towards others.

The Gemara indicates that the students died until Shavu'ot, and so mourning certainly ceases then.  Likewise, attaining the spiritual level of Matan Torah enables us to overcome the discomfort and pettiness which sometimes accompany a period of personality transformation, even a positive one.  True stature in Torah brings with it a sense of maturity that enables us to remain critical of ourselves without being judgmental towards others.

END OF MOURNING AT LAG BA'OMER

However, mourning does not continue until Shavuot.  It continues only for the number of days until Lag ba'Omer (the 33rd day of the omer).  Let us connect this to the above insight into the mourning of sefira.

Lag ba'Omer is invested with a festive character for two distinct reasons.  One tradition states that Rabi Akiva's students stopped dying on this day; this is based on a reading that states that the students died not from Pesach to Atzeret (Shavuot), but rather until "Pros Atzeret," "the approach of Shavu'ot," namely fifteen days before (Ibn Shauib, cited in Beit Yosef OC 493.)

This teaches that in order to overcome the tendency of being judgmental, it is not necessary to reach the pinnacle of Torah growth.  Once we have reached pros Atzeret, the mere approach to Matan Torah, we can already see the vanity of demeaning others.

A separate tradition indicates that Lag ba'Omer is that day that Rabi Shimon bar Yochai passed away - as well as the day that he revealed many deep secrets of the Torah to his closest disciples, as we learned last week (Etz Chaim.)  So this day was also a day of Matan Torah, giving of Torah.  And even though the receiving of the hidden Torah of the Zohar was not at the level of the revealed Torah as part of the covenant at Sinai, we should recognize the importance of this kabbala - receiving - as well. 

The mourning of the sefira period was brought on by suspicion and animosity, and so it is appropriate to end it on a day when we merited a special revelation of Rabi Shimon's hidden Torah, with its special emphasis on strengthening character and love of all Jews.