Lag B'Omer and The Hidden Flame Within You

“Thank You Hashem,” followed by Eighth Day’s “Miracle Light” and Eli Zion’s “Sasson V’Simcha” are the three songs my son has me playing on repeat every single day on our ride to school. It's like a little party in the car each morning—and neither of us gets sick of it. It’s our special time together.

There’s no one else I can freely dance and sing in the car with like I can with my son.

But this morning’s drive was especially joyful because today is Lag B’Omer—a deeply spiritual celebration honoring Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a student of Rabbi Akiva, who lit up the universe with his passion for Torah by revealing its hidden light.

He brought this light to the world after a devastating plague killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students. Rabbi Akiva was a giant among sages—and we continue to learn from him to this day.

He could have given up after such a heartbreaking loss, after watching thousands of brilliant students perish.

But he didn’t.

He started again—with only five students.

And Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was one of them.

This moment in history teaches us the power of starting again, of not giving up. It teaches us to respond to our own inner fire with purpose and conviction.

Giving up is easy.

Pushing forward and breaking through barriers is hard.

Yet the result is the birth of a powerful new reality—one that could never have existed without you, and what you uniquely have to give.

Today, and through Shabbat, PRAY.

Pray for EVERYTHING and anything. For you, for loved ones, for the world.

Cry out if you need to.

But no matter how dark things may feel right now, remember to also pray with a spark of gratitude—for your life. For the fact that you exist. For all the blessings you experience daily, often without realizing.

For Torah. For truth. For love.

Praise Hashem, thank Him wholeheartedly--AND--ask for everything your heart longs for.

He's listening.

So don’t hold back.

Your voice matters, your prayers matter, YOU matter.

And the light you carry? The world needs it—now more than ever.