What's with the burning of clothes at Meron on Lag b'Omer?

From Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz by R Dr. Dovid Katz.

• Published: Mon, 04 May 2026 20:17:05 GMT
• Duration: 00:28:16
• Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/38c2aa0/podcast/play/119478749/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-4%2Fdf4a297c-f529-b788-92a1-8a0ec6ec527b.mp3
• Page: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rabbi-dovid-katz/episodes/Whats-with-the-burning-of-clothes-at-Meron-on-Lag-bOmer-e3isn0t
• TorahApp: https://torahapp.org/share/p/3P_r-katz-history/e/3710b93c-1014-4221-88b3-6128c806c230

Throwing clothes onto a coffin was an (incorrect but emotionally understandable) practice in Talmudic days expressing an excess of grief. With Rashbi (described as ascending to Heaven in a Pillar of Fire), the tossing of clothes morphed into burning them to celebrate his unique petirah.