Q. Kvod Harav, couple of questions on Lag Baomer minhagim.
2) What is the reason for the Lag Baomer’s minhag of children playing with bows and arrows, and why don’t we see that anymore today?
A. Some of the reasons given for the bow and arrow tradition are;
1) Bnei Yisaschar, (Iyar: Ch. 4) mentions that the rainbow or keshes (bow) first appeared after the mabul (flood), and symbolizes Hashem’s promise to never again destroy the world by flood. Our Sages teach that the rainbow appears when the world is deserving penalty. However in his generation, the merit of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai protected the world and no rainbow appeared during his lifetime.(A similar teaching is mentioned on Kesubos 77b, in regards to Rabi Yehoshua ben Levi).
2) Others explain that with a bow and arrow, the tension in an arched bow is exploited to propel a missile to great distances, the more one pulls on the cord, the farther the arrow will reach. Similarly, the name of the Yom Tov that Sefira leads to is Shavuos, presumably because the essence of the festivity lays in the preparation and hachonos for the Yom Tov done during the weeks of the Omer. As the pasuk reads, (Shemos 34: 22, D’varim 16: 10) “Veasisa Chag Hashevuos,” the Yom Tov requires making and all that is done during the weeks of sefirah.the more you prepare the higher and better the Kabalas Hatorah will be.
3) Another reason offered for this minhag is that in the days of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai, his students would journey and hide in the forests equipped with their bows and arrows in order to learn Torah, since it was prohibited by Roman decree. If confronted as to what they were doing there they would explain that they were simply hunting.
4) Some mention that the military nature of bows and arrows are intended to recall the revolt against the Romans in 135 C.E. This revolt was led by Rabi Akiva who was the primary teacher of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai.
5) An alternative thought. Rashi explains that Yaakov Avinu refers to a bow as a metaphor for prayer (Bereshis 48:22). This is based on the fact that Esav sought favor with Yitzchak with bow and arrow and was blessed by him with weapons of war (Bereshit 27:3, 27:40), whereas Yaakov’s tool is his voice which he uses in prayer (27:22). There is also a play on words because “bekashti”, “with my bow”, can be read “bakashati”, my prayer.
Nitei Gavriel and other seforim quote that great Rebbes would also hold a bow and arrow and even use it.
As well as we were able to ascertain this minhag it is still popular in many small children schools. However, given today’s tendencies to avoid toys that resemble weapons, or typify war and symbolize hunting, some may avoid them.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that each person should maintain the traditions and minhogim of his family and community.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a.
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