May 7 Jews celebrate Lag Ba Omer

Lag Ba Omer is translated as the 33th day of Omer. Omer is a seven-week period between two major Jewish spring feastsPassover (Exodus from Egypt) and Shavuot (Giving of the Torah). This is the only day in the Omer period, when the ban on marriage, haircut and shaving, wearing new clothesis cancelled. In 2015, the holiday falls on May 7, UAZMI reports.

According to the legend, this day was the end of a terrible epidemic, which took away the lives of many of the 24 thousand students of Rabbi Akiva, one of the prominent Jewish scribes on the verge of I-II centuries.

From XVI century, Lag Ba Omer has been commemorated as the anniversary of repose of one of his students, Rabbi Shimon Bar Johay, the author of the treatise titled Zohar, one of the basic books of Kabbalah.

In addition, this cheerful holidayis dedicatedto the victory gained by the Jews at the beginning of the revolt against the Romans in 132-135 in Eretz Yisrael, which was then called Judea. Therefore, fire, illumination, fun and children's outdoor games are traditional for the celebration.

On thatday many religious families make the first circumcision of boys who have reached the age of three.