לג בעומר | Lag ba-'omer | Thirty-Third Day of the Omer (1912)

Artist: Abraham Zvi Idelsohn (1882-1938)

Lyrics: From Ha-Zamir

Tune: Ben-Yehuda

The text of this song was published in the second volume of Ha-Zamir (Odessa, 1903: pp. 33-34). It was written by S.L. Gordon, for the celebration of lag ba-'omer [thirty-third day of the Omer].

The thirty-third day of the Omer period, between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot, is celebrated in Israel in particular with the lighting of bonfires, parties, and outings. It is a day-long respite from the three-week period of national mourning that is marked at this time. According to some scholars, the Jewish people achieved a number of victories on this day in history, including that of Bar-Kokhva against the Romans (136-132 CE).

The Zionist leaders made this holiday into a children's celebration and emphasized the historical stories of heroism over the religious meanings of the day. The song presents children going to the woods with their bows and arrows, praising nature and feeling free.

The lyrics received several melodies. Idelsohn (Ben-Yehuda) composed a melody in a major key.