Lag ba'Omer | What's Behind the Celebration? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 6, 2026 · 32 MIN

Lag ba'Omer | What's Behind the Celebration?

from KMTT - the Torah Podcast · host Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Lag ba'Omer | What's Behind the Celebration? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The celebration of Lag ba'Omer is as much of a mystery as the prevailing practices in the period that leads up to it. We examine the two popular explanations - the cessation of the death of R. Akiva's students and the "Yahrzeit" of R. Shim'on bar Yochai - and demonstrate that neither explanation is reasonable, period-documented or satisfactory. Looking into the earliest source where the date of 18 Iyar appears, we discover a surprising (possible) explanation which puts Lag ba'Omer into a new light. Source sheet >>

NOW PLAYING

Lag ba'Omer | What's Behind the Celebration?

0:00 32:18

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of KMTT - the Torah Podcast?

This episode is 32 minutes long.

When was this KMTT - the Torah Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on May 6, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Lag ba'Omer | What's Behind the Celebration? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The celebration of Lag ba'Omer is as much of a mystery as the prevailing practices in the period that leads up to it. We examine the two popular explanations - the cessation of...

Can I download this KMTT - the Torah Podcast episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!