Mourning Restrictions during the Omer

 

by Rabbi Benjy Simons

This week my wife asked me what I wanted for dinner tonight. 

I responded, well, last night we had… 

As we find ourselves during the period of Pesach to Shavuos commonly known as Sefiras HaOmer, and as this Parsha mentions the Mitzvah of counting the Omer, I thought it would be prudent to understand the historical context of why there are certain restrictions during this time and how we curtail our joy throughout this period. 

The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (120:6, 10) writes that during the first 33 days of Sefira the disciples of Rabbi Akiva passed away. We thus observe a partial state of mourning, whereby we avoid marriages, haircuts and customarily avoid listening to music. As many of the students of Rabbi Akiva passed away, their Jewish brethren were busy with burying their colleagues and thus it is also written to not do any work from sunset until one counts the Omer (Tur). 

The Talmud (Yevamos 62b) provides the backdrop as to why this occurred, namely that the 12,000 pairs of students lacked an element of respect between each other. Despite Rabbi Akiva’s efforts to match up his students and the importance of loving one’s fellow (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4), there was discord and resentment found among his students. According to the Gemara they died of diphtheria, which affects the respiratory system and connected to the spreading of Lashon Hora (Shabbos 33a). 

Another suggestion often cited by Rav Sherira Gaon is that Rabbi Akiva’s students passed away during the Bar Kochba revolt, but this was censored from the Gemara to avoid the political ramifications. This would connect with the above mentioned Gemara in that there were 12,000 pairs of students, as each soldier had a partner who was learning in his merit, but they were unable to get along as each felt that they were contributing more to the cause which led their annihilation. It was perhaps this malicious speech, which the Talmud Yerushalmi (Peah 1:1) identifies as the cause of diphtheria and the casualties of warfare. At a deeper level is it known that Rabbi Akiva supported wholeheartedly the cause of Bar Kochba (Eichah Rabbah 2:4) and that he would be the Moshiach and hence the tragedy of this time represents a Messianic hope that was unfortunately lost. 

May we therefore merit through our observances at this time to usher in the Messianic redemptions, where there will be a flourishing of Torah study and death will be swallowed away forever (Isaiah 25:8).

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