[ampaterry]

Today is Lag B-Omer, a day of observance in Judaism. It is a bit complicated, but I will attempt to give an explanation of what this day signifies. First off, “Lag” is not a word, but a number; 33. Hebrew letters are assigned values so they can be used for numbers as well as for words, similar to the way that I could use MIX as the number 1009, utilizing Roman Numerals. It might be even more confusing in that case, because MIX is a perfectly good English word!
So Lag B-Omer actually means the 33rd of Omer. What is Omer?
Leviticus 23:15 (KJV); And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
The Jewish people count these days, from Passover to Shavuot (the day of the giving of the Torah). This is a time of mourning among them, because this is the period during which the Jewish people waited at the base of Mt. Sinai for the return of Moses with the Talmud; a period when they failed to 'keep the faith'. On the second day of Passover, a measure of Barley was cut and brought to the temple as an offering. The name of this unit of measure was “Omer”, and this is the reason they named this period of numbering as Omer. Today is the 33rd day of this numbering.
OK, now WHY do they take note of this day?
Rabbi Akiba was one of the greatest Rabbi's recorded in the Talmud, and he had many students. A plague came to them during the counting of the Omer, and after thousands of them had died, the 33rd day of the Omer was free of further deaths. Some say this day is when Manna was first found in the desert during the Exodus. For whatever reason, today is the only day in the entire counting of the Omer which is free from mourning. Tomorrow, the solemnity returns until the 49 day, the completion of the count.

Let us, each one, pray for the Jewish people today. They are the ROOT from which Christianity has spring. They are the good olive tree, we are just grafted into it! Read Romans chapter 11 -
That is homework. And there just MIGHT be a pop-quiz on it later - -

May God bless each and every one of you -