Two significant events occurred on Lag B’Omer (This year beginning at sundown on Wednesday, May 18, 2022), and though separated by many years, they both contribute to its special status. On the thirty third day of the counting of the Omer, Rabbi Akivah’s students stopped dying. Because the epidemic lasted thirty three days, the common custom is to observe thirty three days of mourning in the Omer period, ending on ...
Read MoreRabbi Mordechai Becher’s VLog – Seeing Better Through Tears – Parshat Behar/Bechukotai 5780
Sometimes when we have temporary setbacks in life that cause tears we can see the good in our life with better clarify. View this video directly on Vimeo.
Read MoreWe celebrated Lag B’Omer this week, marking, among other events, the transmission of Kabbalistic teachings by Rav Shimon bar Yochai to his students. The Zohar, written by Rav Shimon and his students is the central text of Kabbalah and is a vast, wide ranging work arranged around the Chumash, Five Books of Moses and the Five Megilot, the five scrolls. The language of the Zohar is a poetic, Aramaic, much ...
Read MoreIn the first century of the Common Era, the Jewish people experienced a major tragedy during the period of counting the Omer. The greatest sage of the generation was Rabbi Akivah, who had taught vast numbers of people. The Talmud relates that 24,000 (!) of Rabbi Akivah’s students, who constituted the primary chain of Torah transmission, died as a result of an epidemic between Passover and Shavuot. The Talmud states ...
Read MoreFor the Jewish people who came out of Egypt, the period between the Exodus and the Revelation at Mt. Sinai was one of continuous spiritual awakening. Their relationship with God grew stronger and closer. Miraculous events occurred daily. For the Jewish people in subsequent generations, this period continues to be one of the greatest of times of the year, in which we prepare ourselves for a renewal of our commitment ...
Read MoreRabbi Mordchai Becher examines the reasons behind various customs of Lag B'Omer. View this video directly on Vimeo.
Read MoreLet's get ready to celebrate one of the happiest days of the year. View this video directly on Vimeo
Read MoreFor the Jewish people who came out of Egypt, the period between the Exodus and the Revelation at Mt. Sinai was one of continuous spiritual awakening. Their relationship with God grew stronger and closer. Miraculous events occurred daily. For the Jewish people in subsequent generations, this period continues to be one of the greatest of times of the year, in which we prepare ourselves for a renewal of our commitment ...
Read MoreRabbi Mordechai Becher speaks about experiencing Lag B'Omer in Meron and what is says about the nature of the Jewish people. View this video directly on VIMEO
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