Meron – A ruling by Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef that celebrations of the Lag Ba’omer holiday should be postponed by a day to prevent desecration of the Sabbath has caused an uproar in Haredi (ultra-Orthodox ) circles.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The eve of Lag Ba’omer is traditionally celebrated with bonfires. This year, it falls on Saturday night, and to avoid tempting people to begin their preparations before the Sabbath ends, Yosef ruled that it should be marked a day later.
Both Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar issued similar rulings. But many other ultra-Orthodox rabbis object and are continuing to prepare for the main bonfire-lighting on Mount Meron Saturday night.
Among them is the head of the anti-Zionist Toldot Aharon sect, which rejects the authority of the chief rabbis – including Yosef, a former chief rabbi.
(As was reported here on Vos Iz Neias,) last week, senior religious Zionist rabbis asked Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar to move the Lag Ba’omer school vacation from Sunday, May 22 to Monday, May 23. But the math matriculation exam set for May 23 made that impossible.
We just had this whole fiasco with di tzeitung where 99% of the commentators argued that the frum people have a serious problem if they can’t contrl their thoughts when seeing pictures of women.
Here comes a story where can’t control themselves from being mechalel shabbos to the point that lag boimer needs to be postponed, and it is understandable.
Why is there no bashing of thse Mimrim L’hachis?
Those that push it off by a day are probably not celebrating appropriately anyway, so the Charedi frum jews should be happy that they are not there.
Gathering sticks on Shabbos is an issur me’doraysa. Someone who touches even one stick with the intention of using it for a bonfire is chayav missa. It is the reason that Tzelofchad was executed in the midbar.
i think the ashkenazic and sphardic have valid points and i agree with them, those anti zionists should move to gaza or the west bank and deal with the palastinian and hamas govt.
“To avoid the problem of Sabbath desecration by police, the head of the Boyan Hasidic sect, who traditionally lights the first fire at Mount Meron, said he would not begin until half past midnight.”
Seems like a good idea
What do you think Reb Shimon himself would say?
Would he insist that we celebrate his Yahrzeit on the exact day of Lag BaOmer ?
Or, would he rather be delaying it for the sake of preventing ignorant Jews from being Chalilla MeChallel Shabbos Kodesh?
Let’s hear the opinion of the Chashuve readers of VIN.
What do you think?
to summarize – we only accept daas Torah when we agree with it
great ruling, what does zionist or anti zionist come into the picture here ?
and once again we all to get to show out true ahavas yisroel. and then you all wonder why moshiach can’t come. i think all these wonderful gedolim should take a nice long look back at how life was 30 or 40 years ago when everyone (pretty much) got along. the more right wing we get, the more we fight. very very sad.
OMG!
what in the world does this have to do with zionism?
in fact, the Boyaner rebbe who’s pretty symphathetic to zionism, is the one who’ll light the main fire on motze shabbos
Rav Ovadia has issued this same ruling in the same circumstances since the 70’s. Perhaps the “outraged” are simply too young to remember.
let the chraide people celebrate lag b’omer whenever they want to, this yom tov is for the world not just for a tiny speck of the population..
But many other ultra-Orthodox rabbis object and are continuing to prepare for the main bonfire-lighting on Mount Meron Saturday night.
Among them is the head of the anti-Zionist Toldot Aharon sect, which rejects the authority of the chief rabbis – including Yosef, a former chief rabbi.
Toldos Ahron Rebbe with his Chassidim never go the 1st night they go Lag Beomer at the end of the day.
looking at the postings, I am reminded of the B’raissa at the end of M. Sota–with our Ahavas Yisroel (??) and our wonderful behavior, Hashem had better bring Moshiach on his own.
The idea that the Hadlaka will take place at 12:30 which is roughly 4 hours after the latest Motzoei Shabbos in Israel. Time enough to avoid chillul Shabbos.
The problem is with the non-frum spectators who want to be there early. No solution and no real answer how to prevent them from driving on Shabbos. sigh.
It is mind boggling, the massive chillul shabbos that
will be caused by travelling to Meron even if 2-3
hours after tzeis. Thousands of police, bus drivers
etc. are going to be mechallel shabbos to benefit
frum yidden . Why not organize a protest the same
way as when there is chillul shabbos in parking lots
or El Al etc.
This is just one rav’s opinion and certainly not binding on other rabbonim or anyone other than his own sephardishe followers. I suspect that most chareidim will just ignore him and do their thing on motzi shabbos. The bonfire meshugaas has gotten out of control anyway so maybe they can find another way to celebrate lab ba’omer that would hold chillul shabbos to a minimum.
Last year Lag Baomer was also on Motzoai Shabbos.
It’s not just the fire in Meron. There are bonfires throughout Israel, even in the non chareidi areas. These people prepare in the afternoon for the evening, even if it is Shabbos. So moving the big bonfire celebratiions to Sunday evening prevents all of their chilul Shabbos.
Here’s a better headline:
Kabballa-oriented Chasidim and Sefardim Bicker Over Proper Night to Dance Around Fires
Majority of Torah World Unaffected