First Cuts

Boys and men celebrate Lag b'Omer with
a visit to the barbershop.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

AppleTree Editor

A

fter weeks (or even
years) without a visit to
the barbershop, it was
nothing less than a cut-
ting-edge experience.
Late last month on the holiday of
Lag b'Omer, Jewish boys around
the world — including many in
metro Detroit — got their first
haircut.
Older boys and men traditionally
wait as well — from Pesach until
Lag b'Omer — to get their hair
cut.
"Lag" is actually an acronym
formed by the two Hebrew letters
that make up the numeral 33. This
number marks the 33rd day of
Sefirat HaOmer, "the counting of
the omer." What does that have to
do with getting a haircut?
First, a little history.
In Parshat Emor (Leviticus,
Chapter 23) God designates the
festivals of the Jewish year, includ-
ing Pesach. Rabbinical interpreta-

Lion of verse 23:9 holds that on the
second day of Pesach, Jewish farm-
ers of Israel were to bring to the
Temple in Jerusalem an offering of
an omer of barley flour (about 2.2
liters), along with gifts of meat,
flour and wine.
Once this was performed, the
people could use the new grain of
the spring harvest. In verse 23:15,
God commands that the Jews begin
counting, starting with the omer
offering and continuing for 49
days. On the 50th day, they were to
mark Shavuot.
After the Temple was destroyed,
the Jewish people could no longer
bring sacrifices. Yet they continued
to perform the counting command-
ment.
Lag b'Omer has rather mysteri-
ous origins. In fact, Jews are of very
different opinions as to exactly why
the holiday is observed.
Some say it celebrates the end of
the plague that killed Rabbi Akiva's
students.
Kabbalists observe the day
because of Rabbi Shimon bar

itton

Clever Jewish palindromes catch
you coming and going.

Despite the celebra-
Yohai, traditionally regard-
Tzvi Brodman,
tions, this time is asso-
ed the author of the Zohar, 5, of Southfield,
ciated with a number of
the main book of
with barber
painful events in Jewish
Kabbalah. Lag b'Omer
Jenoe Roth, at
history. During the first
marks various important
the Lincoln
33 days of the Omer,
moments in his life: the
Barber Shop in
24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's
rabbi's yahrtzeit (the day he Oak Park.
students died in a
died), the time he was
plague because, the
ordained by Rabbi Akiva,
Talmud says, they did
and the date when he came
not treat each other
out from a cave where he
with
respect.
had been hiding from the Romans.
Consequently, Torah-observant
Lag b'Omer is enhanced by the
Jews still refrain from having
many weddings that take place,
weddings and other celebrations
and by parents giving their 3-
during this period and do not get
year-old sons their first haircuts
their hair cut — until Lag
(another kabbalistic tradition)
b'Omer.
along with hosting a party to cel-
ebrate the event.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

AppleTree Editor
PHILLIP APPLEBAUM
Special to the Jewish News

Q: I love palindromes, and I'm always
looking for those with Jewish names or
Jewish subjects, but the only one I can
think of is "Madam, I'm Adam." Are there
any other Jewish palindromes?
A: No doubt, witty people have come up
with all kinds of palindromes that incorpo-
rate Jewish themes and-or Jewish names.
Tell Me Why offers these:
• Are we not drawn onwards, we Jews,
drawn onward to new era?
• Did Hannah say as Hannah did?
• Evade me, Dave

• Harass selfless Sarah
• Naomi, did I moan?
• Poor Dan is in a droop
• So may Obadiah aid a boy, Amos
• Viva le to de Tel Aviv
And, in light of current events, consider:
• Ha! Robed Selim smiles, Deborah

Q: I just heard about a day called Yom
HaMeyuchas. I thought I knew all the
Jewish holidays. Is this something new?
A: It's neither new nor a holiday. Yom
HaMeyuchas means "Day of Nobility."
Cited in rabbinic sources, the day occurs on
the second day of the Jewish month of
Sivan and commemorates God's declaration
of the Jewish people as unique.
This is based on events described in the

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