Page 33 - Jewish News_May-June-2020

COMMENTARY May/June 2020 33

Lag BaOmer – We are counting!

Torateinu (the time of the giving of the Never before in my lifetime have can only hope that, like our ances-
Torah). Freedom and responsibility are I attached any personal meaning to tors of old, we too can learn to show
From inextricably bound. Freedom without this explanation of the origins of Lag greater respect to our neighbors, our
responsibility leads to self-indulgence
BaOmer. This year, of course, is differ-
fellow Americans, our fellow Jews, our
the and anarchy. Responsibility without ent. We have come to know the terrible fellow human beings. We must learn
price of the pandemic. Whether this
lessons from this modern-day plague
freedom is a type of imprisonment.
Bimah day two, day three (rather than “count is punishment from God or the result that has shaken the foundations of our
And so we “count up,” day one,
world. We cannot afford to let this mo-
of human wrongdoing or just the “roll
down”), gathering up the days like of the evolutionary dice,” we all know ment pass without becoming better
precious gems to place in our treasure that the cost is terribly high. and wiser and stronger. As the Psalm-
Rabbi Ben Shull chest of life. We count days to remind We can only hope that on this ist said long ago, “Teach us to number
Jewish Congregation of Venice us that we must use our time well, to Lag BaOmer, we too can lift the pro- our days, that we too may get a heart of
hibitions and move from mourning to
grow in wisdom and grow in kindness.
wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).
ounting days and counting We count days to make our lives count. gladness, from darkness to light. We
lives. As I write this column on Understandably, this time of sober
rd How
Cthe last day of March, we are assessment is a time when, tradition-
counting the days of the coronavirus ally, we refrain from rejoicing and self- The Jewish Federation offers
pandemic and counting the lives lost to indulgence. assistance for all ages in
its horrid disease. As you read this col- There is a special day during this Sarasota and Manatee Counties:
umn, you will know a much different time of counting, Lag BaOmer, the 33 Camp Grants, Travel Opportunities,
count. I can only hope that by the be- day of counting (this year beginning on Education Scholarships, Religious
ginning of May, we will have reached the eve of Monday, May 11), when we We Help. School Assistance and Financial
the beginning of the end of this dark relax the prohibitions of the Omer pe- Aid to At-Risk Populations. We also
and difficult time. riod. Weddings are held and the mood support programs: PJ Library,
Counting is an important part of is light. Why do we have this reprieve? Senior Services and Jewish
the season we have entered – Sefirat According to an ancient tradition, on Healing, including a
Ha’Omer, the counting of the days be- the 33 day of the Omer, a plague that Community Chaplain.
rd
tween the second day of Passover and afflicted the students of the great Rabbi
the upcoming holiday of Shavuot (a Akiva lifted and life triumphed over
two-day festival which begins on the death. This plague, according to the
eve of Thursday, May 28). This count- Talmud, had taken the lives of 24,000 Learn more at
ing, a tradition with biblical/agricultur- of his followers. The plague was God’s jfedsrq.org
al origins, ties together the holiday of way of punishing Akiva’s students for
freedom, Passover, with the holiday of the disrespect they showed for one an-
responsibility, Shavuot, z’man matan other.

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