This short maamar was said by the Alter Rebbe on Lag Baomer 5562, and written by his son, the Mittler Rebbe. This Lag BaOmer was in the first full year after the second arrest and liberation of the Alter Rebbe in 5561. The method of teaching Chassidus in 5562 was the first full year of the classic Chassidus Chabad teachings that we are familiar with. This is also why the set of Maamorei Admur Hazoken, arranged according to the years, starts with 5562.

In this Lag BaOmer maamar, the Alter Rebbe explains concisely what we are celebrating on Lag BaOmer in the first place. He explains that it’s not just another yahrtzeit of another great Tzadik, but something very different.

Lag BaOmer was actually the first stage of Matan Torah itself, when Hashem gave the Yidden a taste of Penimiyus HaTorah, to serve as the foundation, yesodei haTorah, of everything they would receive on Shavuos at Matan Torah. After Matan Torah, Lag Baomer became a day of mini Matan Torah for giluy Penimiyus HaTorah.

But most people weren’t able to tap into the special power of the day due to its lofty nature.

Hashem arranged Rashbi’s histalkus to happen on this hidden Yom Tov, thereby transforming it into a public Yom Tov celebrating Penimiyus HaTorah accessible to all Jews for all time.

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