Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz
A Deeper Look at Fire and Torah
Every year on Lag Ba’omer, there are bonfires and dancing all over my neighborhood, and my son really wants to join the festivities. Is there any meaning behind these fires? And even if there is, should I take him, or would our time be better spent elsewhere?
Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds:
A Custom Rooted in Kabbalistic Tradition
The exact origin of the Lag Ba’omer bonfires is unclear, but the custom seems to have originated centuries ago in kabbalistic circles.
While the primary celebration of Lag Ba’omer is that it marks the end of Rabbi Akiva’s students dying, it is also the yahrtzeit (anniversary of death) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, one of the primary books of kabbalistic teachings. Though not all the teachings in the Zohar are his, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai served as its compiler—much like Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi did for the Mishnah, and Ravina and Rav Ashi for the Talmud.
Fire as a Symbol of Torah’s Power
Since Torah is compared to a fire—“the Fiery Law” (Devarim 33:2) and “My words are like fire” (Yirmiyahu 23:29)—these bonfires symbolize the fiery and sacred teachings of the Zohar that he preserved and transmitted. This was originally practiced only among kabbalists, and in some communities that follow kabbalistic customs, but over time, due to the excitement and enjoyment of the bonfires, it spread throughout the broader Jewish community.
So while you don’t have to deprive your son of having some fun, one or two bonfires are more than enough. Afterwards, shift the focus to something more meaningful: sit down to study Torah with him, and explain that the greatest and most profound fire is the fire of Torah.
Igniting a Heavenly Flame
In our yeshivah, we implemented an additional session of Torah study on Lag Ba’omer, and I tell the students: Why go out and kindle a small fire made of wood, when you can do something much more powerful—ignite a heavenly fire? When we study Torah, it has a profound spiritual impact in the Heavens, which reverberates significantly down here in our world.
In fact, the comparison of Torah to fire is not merely symbolic—it has halachic implications as well. For instance, the Talmud (Berachot 22a) rules that even someone who is impure may learn Torah, because “just as fire cannot become impure, so too words of Torah cannot become impure.”
Additionally, Chazal (Chagigah 27a) teach that the fire of Gehinnom will not affect a Torah scholar, because by absorbing the fiery essence of Torah, his very being is transformed into a spiritual fire—and just as fire cannot burn fire, Gehinnom cannot harm him.
Torah as Light, Warmth, and Purity
Torah shares many other key qualities with fire. It illuminates our world of darkness, revealing what is good and what is harmful, offering insight and guidance in how to live. It purifies and refines a person, by weakening his physical urges, purging even the most deeply embedded stains of sin. Torah also warms the soul, restoring the spirit of the emotionally and spiritually downtrodden.
So we don’t necessarily need to attend bonfires on Lag Ba’omer—but we can certainly sit by the greatest fire of all: the fire of Torah.
In Short
Bonfires on Lag Ba’omer are a kabbalistic tradition honoring Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the compiler of the Zohar, who passed away on that day. Let your son enjoy himself—but make sure to learn some Torah with him afterwards, so that he understands that learning Torah creates the greatest fire.
Have another question to ask a rabbi? You can ask Rabbi Mintz your own question at asktherabbi@oorah.org, or head to oorah.org/asktherabbi/ to watch the latest Q&As or join Ask the Rabbi Live, Tuesdays at 9PM ET.
