We are now in the days of Sefirat HaOmer.
We are not yet actually commemorating the deaths of the students of Rabbi Akiva because it is still the holidays, but once the holidays are over, there are no weddings or music etc. depending on your customs. For some time over these 49 days, we all mourn the deaths of the students of Rabbi Akiva.
They died, as we know, because they didn’t respect each other properly. On that, the Kaf HaChaim says, All that we do is in order to remind ourselves to stay away from hatred, jealousy, desire, arrogance and honor. And to acquire the traits of love, humility and peace.
In other words, it’s not enough to merely refrain from shaving, haircuts, music and weddings. The point is to actually remember what caused the students of Rabbi Akiva to pass on, which was the lack of respect that they had toward each other.
The Kaf HaChaim continues, “Therefore, the Arizal writes, ‘How careful people that learn together have to be, with the concept of loving each other.’”
This Arizal isn’t found in the laws of Sefirat HaOmer, it’s found in Birchot Hashachar. We discussed it at the beginning of this series, when we spoke about the concept of saying that you accept upon yourself the Mitzvah of Ve’Ahavta LeRe’echa Kamocha/ to love your friends in the morning prayers. When discussing this concept, the Arizal writes that each person should have in mind to love each of the Jewish people, like his soul. In this way, his prayers will go up better, but it applies especially to the people that he learns with.
This is true for all year, but the Kaf HaChaim brings it down during Sefirat HaOmer, because as we prepare to receive the Torah, we have to have to proper middot.
In his words, “Every one of his friends has to be like his own limb.” This refers to people that are together in a certain shul or group. “Especially if he knows something about his friend, if his friend is in sorrow, they all have to be partners in his pain. Whether it’s regarding an illness, a problem with his children… they should pray for him.”
That is what we should be doing during these days of Sefirat HaOmer, “Every prayer you have.” And, as Chaim Vital writes about the Arizal, “My master warned me a lot to get along with my group.”
This is extremely important. All year you should have this in mind in Birchot Hashachar when you say, “I accept upon myself the Mitzvah of V’Ahavta LeRe’echa Kamocha…”
But the Kaf HaChaim says that it’s especially important at this time of year, when we are mourning the passing of the students of Rabbi Akiva, people who were learning together and weren’t careful.
The point of our mourning isn’t just to mourn, but to actually strengthen ourselves in this area.
Have a wonderful day and a Hag Sameach.