-The reason for the minhag for children to play with a bow and arrow on Lag Ba’omer is because chazal say (Yerushalmi Berachos 9:1) that during the life of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai there was no rainbow ever seen. A rainbow and a bow are both called a “keshes”. Many great Rebbes practiced this minhag. {B’gematria – Hakeshes = Rabban Shimon bar Yochai}. (Sefer Gal Peninim citing R’ Menachem M’Riminov and The Bnei Yissaschar)
-Many have the minhag to throw valuable clothing dipped in olive oil into the fire lit in the zchus of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai, and it said that the Or Hachaim Hakodosh practiced this minhag. Some poskim however (e.g. The Ba’al Shoel Umashiv) decried the minhag as being Bal Tashchis, while others defend it. Sefer Gal Peninim.
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