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[imayid2]

I am sure some will tell you it is this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane

https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/halacha-hashkafa/why-we-celebrate-lag-bomer-part-i/2023/04/26/

It must be noted that the idea of lighting bonfires is not of Jewish origin. Bonfires were known in Christian Europe as a way to honor Christian saints as far back as the tenth century. They don’t appear as a Jewish practice until the 16th century. The word bonfire derives from the words “fire of bones.” The term became to be used for any large fires used in celebrations, although it is originally associated with various Christian saints, particularly John and Peter. Most Christian scholars say that the practice of celebrating saints with bonfires is traced to pagan, pre-Christian sources which were later adapted by Christianity. Indeed, the Celtics made bonfires to honor some of their deities and spirits. From: http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=8751. Nevertheless, it may just be that lighting bonfires in honor of the dead may have indeed have a Jewish Scriptural source, see: Divrei Hayamim 2 16:14. See also: http://parsha.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-burning-pyre-to-rabbi-shimon-bar.html.

Growing up in Lakewood I don't think I ever saw a lag baomer fire. Now it seems like it's a must for every school and neighborhood.

[EliJelly]

https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/halacha-hashkafa/why-we-celebrate-lag-bomer-part-i/2023/04/26/
Growing up in Lakewood I don't think I ever saw a lag baomer fire. Now it seems like it's a must for every school and neighborhood.

Not just Lakewood, there were almost no fires anywhere in חוץ לארץ. Stolin made a fire, and maybe one or two more, that was it. Nowadays everything goes, if they do it in Meron, let's do it here too, hey it's nice and fun. nu nu.
With that being said, going there again with Christian and pagan origins is so tiresome and nauseating. 

[imayid2]

With that being said, going there again with Christian and pagan origins is so tiresome and nauseating. 

Need to wonder if when the Tosefta was published listening various דרכי אמורי including dancing around fires it elicited similar eye rolling 

[EliJelly]

Need to wonder if when the Tosefta was published listening various דרכי אמורי including dancing around fires it elicited similar eye rolling 

The Tosefta was obviously listing certain דרכי אמורי that we shouldn't follow, not the other way around, looking for Jewish customs if there are similar practices anywhere in the world throughout history and by default assuming it to be the root for our traditions, like we so often see by ones who are majorly influenced by goyish culture today and are quick to assume the same about our forefathers too.

[imayid2]

The Tosefta was obviously listing certain דרכי אמורי that we shouldn't follow, not the other way around, looking for Jewish customs if there are similar practices anywhere in the world throughout history and by default assuming it to be the root for our traditions, like we so often see by ones who are majorly influenced by goyish culture today and are quick to assume the same about our forefathers too.

There is a different school of thought which you aren’t accounting for. While assuming that the dancing around the fire didn’t originate in the fashion of the various עע״ז, nonetheless it’s too similar to it condone as something worthwhile. Better to stay away.

Many Gedolim railed against the various “minhagim” associated with lag, as you are well aware.

[EliJelly]

There is a different school of thought which you aren’t accounting for. While assuming that the dancing around the fire didn’t originate in the fashion of the various עע״ז, nonetheless it’s too similar to it condone as something worthwhile. Better to stay away.

Many Gedolim railed against the various “minhagim” associated with lag, as you are well aware.

I somewhat agreed to your sentiment in my post but hinting to A"Z as a possible root for this was an overkill. The חתם סופר who was unhappy with the new yom tov or the שואל ומשיב who was against the minhag of burning valuable stuff did not mention a thing about the etzem הדלקות as possibly being חוקת הגוי דרכי אמורי or anything of the sort.

[imayid2]

I somewhat agreed to your sentiment in my post but hinting to A"Z as a possible root was an overkill. The חתם סופר who was unhappy with the new yom tov or the שואל ומשיב who was against the minhag of burning valuable stuff did not mention a thing about the etzem fire possibly being חוקת הגוי דרכי אמורי or anything of the sort.

Because they weren’t dancing around bonfires yet

[EliJelly]

Because they weren’t dancing around bonfires yet

In Meron they did.

[imayid2]

In Meron they did.

No, they lit fires in the area for illumination and kavod purposes. This dancing around the bonfire business came later.

[imayid2]

Fascinating historical overview:
ל"ג בעומר במירון סקירה היסטורית

[EliJelly]

No, they lit fires in the area for illumination and kavod purposes. This dancing around the bonfire business came later.

They had fires and they had dancing. Was it "around" the fire? IDK. Even today dancing around the fire is not necessarily בכוונה, rather for practical reasons or it's more interesting that way. The fire I took my kids to today actually had the dancing circle on the side of the fire.

[imayid2]

They had fires and they had dancing.

They had fires for illumination. Not as some mystical עבודה that it has metamorphosed into which is more similar to problematic practices.

[mevinyavin]

The fire I took my kids to today actually had the dancing circle on the side of the fire.

+1

[Torah Jew]

No, they lit fires in the area for illumination and kavod purposes. This dancing around the bonfire business came later.

How much later? This dates it to at least 1843 and indicates that it was the custom.

[imayid2]

How much later? This dates it to at least 1843 and indicates that it was the custom.

The maamer I attached above traces it to roughly that time period. That was definitely not the dagesh at that point in time though, and no inference can be made from that that the Gedolim lambasting the main activity at that point - burning clothing, “approved” of it.

[DaasTora]

The fire I took my kids to today

A friend asked me today where I took my kids last night. I told him they were sleeping, my father didn’t take me as a child to any fire (there wasn’t really where to) so I don’t take my kids. Regarding the minhag, there’s this comment circulating “if you want to have a fire because it’s nice, go ahead and enjoy. But why the closed eyes and hisorerus on something our parents didn’t do?!”

[aygart]

A friend asked me today where I took my kids last night. I told him they were sleeping, my father didn’t take me as a child to any fire (there wasn’t really where to) so I don’t take my kids. Regarding the minhag, there’s this comment circulating “if you want to have a fire because it’s nice, go ahead and enjoy. But why the closed eyes and hisorerus on something our parents didn’t do?!”

Once you are there why not get the hisorerus too?

[EliJelly]

A friend asked me today where I took my kids last night. I told him they were sleeping, my father didn’t take me as a child to any fire (there wasn’t really where to) so I don’t take my kids. Regarding the minhag, there’s this comment circulating “if you want to have a fire because it’s nice, go ahead and enjoy. But why the closed eyes and hisorerus on something our parents didn’t do?!”

I can have all my ideologies I want but non of this matters when there are fires at every second corner nowadays and I'm not going to deprive my children of attending and enjoying because of it, since there's nothing inherently wrong with it at all.

Once you are there why not get the hisorerus too?

Also true. As long it's not anyone else there working to make you emotional, then it becomes cringeworthy.

[DaasTora]

Once you are there why not get the hisorerus too?

Hisorerus of what?
P.s. I don’t really want to get stuck in an argument what hisorerus is all about. Real vs illusionary etc.

I can have all my ideologies I want but non of this matters when there are fires at every second corner nowadays and I'm not going to deprive my children of attending and enjoying because of it, since there's nothing inherently wrong with it at all.

Agree. It just happened to be Motzs”h and the kids were tired so it actually worked out without them feeling deprived.

[jye]

I can have all my ideologies I want but non of this matters when there are fires at every second corner nowadays and I'm not going to deprive my children of attending and enjoying because of it, since there's nothing inherently wrong with it at all.

https://rebgershonribner.com/lag-baomer-celebrations-are-yeshivaliet-being-swept-in-by-the-chasidim