Lag B’Omer is considered a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, but even a minor holiday is still worth celebrating. A great way to celebrate Lag B’Omer is through veganism, as Lag B’Omer is deeply connected to the Earth and its fruits.

Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the Omer, the 50 days between Passover and Shavuot, and it reminds us of the link between these two important holidays. While Passover celebrates our freedom from slavery, Shavuot celebrates our receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai — both events being relevant for each generation. During Passover, Jews would bring barley to the Temple in Jerusalem; on Shavuot, Jews would bring their first fruits. Between these two holidays, while counting the days, Jews traditionally brought an omer of grain to the Temple. The word lag represents 33, and an omer is a measurement. The goal is not only to count the omer but to make the omer count.

According to a midrash, there were 50 days between the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the receiving of the Torah, between liberation and law, because the Jewish people were not yet spiritually pure. On our modern journeys, in our efforts toward liberation, we can increase our purity by eating purer foods. We can purify our health, our planet, and our spirit with every meal.

Many people who switch to a vegan diet report feeling physically, emotionally, and spiritually better. Lag B’Omer presents a special opportunity to reflect on where we’ve come from as well as to look forward to where we might, and should, be going, as it is a time for self-awareness, self-growth, and community development.

We sincerely hope that Jews will enhance their celebrations of this ancient and beautiful holiday of Lag B’Omer by making it a time to strive even harder to live up to Judaism’s highest moral values and teachings. We certainly don’t need more “things” in our homes, and we don’t necessarily need to make an agricultural pilgrimage; instead, we do need more meaning, purpose, and spirit in our lives. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this. One significant way is by moving towards veganism. Promoting organic agriculture, recycling, renewable fuels, and conservation........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)