Tonight is Lag BaOmer. There is a minhag to hold a festive meal in honor of the holy Tanna, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The Maharil writes in a teshuvah that a seudah made in honor of a talmid chacham has the status of a seudat mitzvah, because it is like eating in the radiance of the Shechinah. Therefore, a meal in honor of Rabbi Shimon carries has status of a seudat mitzvah(for certain halachot). It is also a minhag to light bonfires on Lag BaOmer, and the Bnei Yissaschar explains the reason based on the teachings of the Zohar. On the day Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai passed away—Lag BaOmer—he would not allow the sun to set before he finished revealing the deep secrets of the Torah to his students. Hashem had already decreed that Rashbi would pass away on that very day, but the Torah he wished to transmit was too vast to finish in time. Miraculously, he was able to stop the sun until he had completed his teachings. The special light that radiated from the Torah he was teaching outshone even the light of the sun. It was in the merit of this spiritual light—drawn from the hidden light, the Or HaGanuz—that the day was miraculously lengthened. This is the deeper reason why we light bonfires on this holy day. The Siddur of the Yaavetz notes that Lag BaOmer is considered a holiday instituted by the Chachamim. In the Sefirat HaOmer, Lag BaOmer corresponds to Hod shebeHod, which represents the strictest form of judgment. Yet, it is known that if a Sanhedrin unanimously rules someone guilty, he is actually exonerated. So too, on this day, harsh judgments are sweetened, and Hashem showers His chesed upon us. The Chatam Sofer writes in his derashot on the Omer that Lag BaOmer has the power of Yom Kippur within it. Throughout the generations, many people have experienced yeshuot on this day in the merit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Sincere tefillah is always powerful—but on a holy day like this, it is even more so. A man named Yosef shared a story. One night, after finishing his learning in the beit midrash as usual, a man approached him and urged him to come to his car. The man explained that every Monday night, a local bakery gives him all of the day's leftovers, which he distributes to others. He had noticed Yosef's dedication to learning and wanted to offer some baked goods to him. Though the offer seemed unusual, Yosef went along with it. The bakery indeed had many delicious leftovers, and Yosef happily brought them home to his family. He hoped to surprise his children, but to his surprise, they asked him, "Did you bring home any baguettes?" Yosef, amazed, asked how they knew. They told him they had prayed to Hashem for it. Eagerly interrupting one another, the children shared the full story. Yosef's daughter, who was learning photography, had a project in which she wanted to photograph a baby holding a baguette. Normally, Yosef would never buy a baguette just for a photo. So instead, his daughter gathered all her siblings and asked them to pray to Hashem to send them a baguette—without having to buy it. It was a genuine tefillah, full of emunah that Hashem listens to every prayer. A few hours later, their father walked through the door with exactly what they had asked for—and even more. This story is a reminder that tefillah is powerful, even the simplest prayers for the simplest things. Let us tap into the koach of tefillah on this great day of Lag BaOmer. With the help of Hashem, may we all see blessings and yeshuot.