Meron, Israel – Lag Ba’omer bonfire fans should be careful not to cause monetary or environmental damage in their enthusiasm to celebrate, cautioned the two Israeli chief rabbis in an announcement.
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“When God created Adam he took him and showed him all the trees in Gan Eden,” quoted rabbis Shlomo Amar and Yona Metzger from ancient homiletic literature (Kohelet Raba). “God said to him, ‘Look at all my creations, how magnificent they are. All that I have created is for you. Be sure not to destroy my world, because if you do there is no one who can repair it.”
On Thursday night, Jews across the world will celebrate Lag Ba’omer. The day is the anniversary of the death of Torah sage Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yohai, and according to Jewish custom, large bonfires are lit in memory of Bar-Yohai, who, according to the Zohar, was bathed in intense light the day he died.
The festive day is usually celebrated with outings, bonfires, weddings and visits to Bar-Yohai’s burial site in Meron (near Safed), where more than 100,000 people are expected.
However, preparations for Lag Ba’omer, such as the gathering of wood and other combustibles, often involve the stealing of private property by overly enthusiastic children. In addition, the large amount of smoke emitted by the fires is detrimental to the environment.
In addition, just before and during Lag Ba’omer, Magen David Adom receives double the regular number of calls from children and teenagers who have been accidentally burned or hurt preparing bonfires.
The chief rabbis urged the Jews of Israel to be careful with their bonfires to prevent unnecessary damage. They also called for the public to be scrupulous in protecting private property.
Minhag Ashkenaz is not to go to Meron on lag baomer, no hillula, not to do upsherin, and not to light bonfires.
I call on all Ashkenazic Jews to follow these minhogim, and that way we will avoid many problems, whether it to be damage, sakana and chillul Hashem, or others.
We should ask ourselves if R. Shimon ben Yochai would approve of the circus that is meron on lag baomer, that goes on under his holy name.
TO ASHKENAZIC YID
JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE HEARD THAT CERTAIN THINGS GO ON IN MERON ON LAG BAOMER DOESNT MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD CALL IT A CIRCUS WHICH THEN LABELS PEOPLE WHO DO GO TO GOING TO A CIRCUS. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO GO FOR LISHMA REASONS.
I THINK YOU SHOULD DO SOME INNER SOUL SEARCHING AND WORK ON YOUR NEGATIVE AND CLOSE MINDED ATTITUDE AND DAVEN THAT R’SHIMON BAR YOCHAI IS MOCHEL YOU FOR TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO GO TO MERON AND FOR BEING SOSER HIM AND CALLING MERON A CIRCUS.
AND DONT YOU KNOW THE MISHNA OF “EIZEHU CHACHAM HAROEH ES HANOLAD” DONT YOU THINK THAT BEFORE R’SHIMON BAR YOCHAI SAID TO COME HE KNEW WHAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE AND YET HE STILL SAID THATTHE ZECHUS IS SO GREAT AND THAT WE SHOULD GO
R. Ovadiah Yosef said strongly not to go, R. Yaakov Moshe Hillel is strongly against it, certain Chassidim don’t go either, as well as minhag Ashkenaz being against it, as the Chasam Sofer questioned it as well.
So you see that very big people are against it.
Learn some gemara and you will see that most of the time we don’t pasken like Rav Shimon ben Yochai, as the Maharshal points out.