The Stunning and Creative Floats of Lag BaOmer 5784

Upshern Float

The Upshern float featured all the little kinderlach who got their first haircut on Lag B’Omer.

This is a big milestone in their Jewish education, as they now begin to keep the mitzvos and customs of yarmulka, tzitziz, and leaving Peyos!

On the float, we see a replica of the resting place of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron, where hundreds of children each year celebrate their upshernish on this day of Lag B’Omer.

The first four floats depicted the four holy cities of the land of Israel, Yerushalayim, Tzfas, Chevron, and Teveryah.

Oholei Torah Shiur Daled – Tverya

The name Teveria stands for 2 words: ‘טוב-ראי which is depicted here with Binoculars

Teveryah is the location where the sanhedrin will reconvene when the third Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt, as well as the first place where Eliyahu Hanavi will come to prophesize the coming of Moshiach.

Also shown here, is the resting place of the Rambam, Maimonides, as well as a volume of his work the Mishne Torah.

Also shown is the resting place of the holy Rabainu Meir Baal Haness and a Colel Chabad pushka which is the tzedakah of Rabainu Meir Baal Hanes

And finally we see the lake Kineret which is also the place where Miriam’s well, which followed the Jews in the desert for 40 years, is today.

Bais Rivka – Chevron

Eretz Yisroel is an eternal inheritance to the eternal nation – the Jews – as an eternal covenant. This is true of the entire land of Israel but even more so when it comes to Chevron and Mearas Hamachpeila. Which Avraham Avinu purchased at the time to bury his wife Sara.

Displayed here, on this float built by the girls of Bais Rivkah High School is a depiction of the current settlement and life in chevron. It is ours now, just as it always has been.

Also seen is Beit Hadassah – previously a hospital and the epicenter of the story of Sarah Nachson who reestablished the community in Chevron starting out in this building in the aftermath of the six day war, the Kever of Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel Slonim, the esteemed daughter of the second Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi DovBer, the Avraham Avinu shul and of course, a bustling Chabad house in the heart of Chevron.

Beis Chaya Mushka – Yerushalayim

When the final redemption will come, the Har HaBayis will expand to encompass the entire Yerushalayim. We can see the Beis Hamikdash in its center with the shuls and Batei Medrash and Yeshivas from all over the world attached, and 770 sharing a wall with the Beis Hamikdash itself!

This float displays a shul complex including our Yeshiva and other Crown Heights yeshivas surrounding the Beis Hamikdash, with Yidden traveling to Yerushalayim from all over the world using many different methods of transportation.

Tomchei Temimim Morristown – Tzfas

This float depicts the activities of Colel Chabad, the oldest and longest standing Tzdakah organization in Eretz Yisroel, etablished in 1788. It provides Soup kitchens, medical services, free loan funds, and much more.

The Rebbe mentioned numerous times to donate to Colel Chabad daily, and have their Tzedakah box in your home. On this float, arranged by Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch of Morristown, New Jersey, we see Colel Chabad Tzdakah boxes from 1788 and today, as well as the mobile app through which you can donate daily.

Kvutza
This float has been made by Students learning in 770 from the land of Israel.

It depicts the tefillin campaign initiated by the Rebbe in 1967, immediately preceding the six-day war. The mitzvah of tefillin has a special power to instill fear in the hearts of our enemies.

Here we see people from around the world, and especially soldiers donning tefillin, and their enemies fleeing from before them.

Chovevei Torah

This Float made by the students of Tomchei Tmimim Chovevei Torah displays how Eretz Yisroel is protected through fulfilling the Rebbe’s ten Mitzvah Campaigns.

It depicts Eretz Yisroel with 10 Mitzvah tanks surrounding and protecting it, each tank representing another one of the rebbe’s 10 Mivtzoim.

Bnos Menachem

The Bnos Menachem float depicts the miraculous Gulf War! The world held its breath leading up to the Gulf War as Iraq prepared to attack using deadly scud missiles.

While fear and panic spread throughout Eretz Yisroel, the Rebbe encouraged everyone there to stay put, making it clear that Eretz Yisroel is the safest place, Hashem is carefully watching over Eretz Yisroel constantly.

The float depicts many people flocking to Eretz Yisrael despite the seeming danger. This is because of their confidence in the Rebbe’s promise of safety. The Bais Hamikdash is standing tall, as the rebbe explained everything to be a sign of the imminent redemption. Iraq sent many missiles, but Hashem made many miracles.

We see how Eretz Yisroel is clearly protected by the Hand of Hashem.

Tomchei Temimim Queens

In describing the extraordinary beauty and uniqueness of Eretz Yisroel, the Torah tells us about seven species, which are specifically connected to Eretz Yisroel.

There is a special Mitzvah called Bikurim – to bring the first of these fruits to the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim.

On this float, you will see a children’s playground, displaying the Shivas Haminim as very large fruit – the way they will be when Moshiach comes: A grape fountain, a fig slide with a pomegranate tunnel, wheat monkey bars, and a Ferris wheel displaying the Shivas Haminim.

You will also see Jews in the times of the Geula bringing their Bikurim to the third Beis Hamikdash with tremendous joy. Instead of decorating oxen – as in the times of old, they are decorating trucks as the modern means of transportation.

Second Kvutza

How Yerushalayim will appear when Moshiach comes.

This float was built by another group of Students learning in 770 from the holy land. We see see the parah adumah – the red heifer – being made by Moshiach on Har Hazaisim.

The Beis Hamikdash stands in the center of Yerushalayim and attached to it are all the Shuls from around the world with the closest Shul being 770, bigger and more beautiful than ever.

We also see examples of how when Moshiach comes all factions of the government will be used to spread the word of Hashem: The ‘Ministry of Defense’ sending out Mitzvah Tanks. The ‘Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ sending shluchim out all over the world and The ‘Ministry of Education’ with the many institutions which the Rebbe established for the education of Jewish children, such as the National Committee for the furtherance of Jewish education at the lead.