tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post8853916491047880694..comments2024-03-05T21:22:43.426-05:00Comments on parshablog: Lag BaOmer: Why Celebrate That There Were Not Any Students Left?joshwaxmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516171362038454070noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-21778848378174992532008-05-23T10:43:00.000-04:002008-05-23T10:43:00.000-04:00I once gave a shiur on this very question. I sugg...I once gave a shiur on this very question. I suggested that the celebration was R' Akiva's excitement at the opportunity to start over. When the last student died, R' Akiva did not mark it as a sad day, refusing to be depressed by the tragedy that occurred. Instead, he focused on the opportunity that lay ahead. This fits in nicely with the version of the midrash that tells how R' Akiva told his new students not to be like the old students and respect each other, after which they went and filled the world with Torah. The celebration of Lag BaOmer is a lesson on how to deal with tragedy and suffering. That's my pshat in any case.<BR/><BR/>Awesome blog, by the way. I check for updates constantly. Very thoughtful stuff. Thanks for writing.Chanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15785116781179439474noreply@blogger.com