Last week the Toldos Aharon Rebbe announced that he will not attend the Meron Hilulah on Lag B’Omer, and his Chassidus will not be holding a Hadlakah.
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This appears to be a stunning development and a powerful statement. Although his letter did not provide a reason, the Rebbe’s decision appears to be intended to prevent another tragedy and protect lives. (There has been speculation that the petirah of the Rebbe’s wife was a factor as well.)
The Toldos Aharon hadlakah is usually the largest attraction in Meron, and was the site of last year’s horrific tragedy, the deadliest civilian disaster in Israel’s history. Now the question is, will other Rebbes cancel their hadlakas as well, or make significant changes?
No criminal charges have been filed against anyone involved in the Meron disaster, and it appears that no safety officials have been fired or suspended.
Another point to consider is this: This coming Lag B’Omer will be the first yahrtzeit of the forty five men and boys who were tragically niftar last year. This would seem to be an opportunity for the masses of Klal Yisrael to commemorate the occasion in a way that will be a great zechus for their nashamos.
Perhaps a coordinated effort can be made, for people to pledge to learn Mishnayos or Gemara, or say Tehillim, on Lag B’Omer? Imagine the zechus for those who were niftar, and their families, if thousands of people learned in the honor of these precious neshamos who were tragically taken from their families?
Of course, the Rabbanim will ultimately determine how best to celebrate Lag B’omer, this year and in the future. It would seem that this year in particular, creates a profound opportunity, and perhaps a fundamental lesson in hashkafa.
Based on this you can tell its bain hazmanim and the oilem has more time now
GO TO MERON ,do something usefull with your time
I think it better to hold smaller and more personal lightings in local places, rather to turn the yartziet of Rashbi into a mardi gras carnival with NO or little spiritual content…..
הללו עובדי עבודה זרה והללו עובדי עבודה זרה
Stop the Meron insanity!!
The best way to commemorate their memory is to ensure nothing like this happens again. Cancel all Hadlakos besides one, no food booths or ‘yeshu’os’ stands, only prayer and dancing.
nieve author – the rebbe lost his wife this year and chose to cancel , along with a deal to let the “committee” have more time to make a plan . an interesting point is that for this year it seems hashem pulled both pilgrimage sites miron & uman , what that means i dont know just an observation
It’s an easy way out to say “Learn Torah” and while Torah learning is important there are also times of the year where it’s appropriate to express ones Yiddishkeit in a different manner. Of course it needs to be done safely whether in Meron or at smaller places. But telling people to just learn instead shows a lack of understanding about Yiddishkeit.
What’s next? On Purim eat a kazayis and a cup of wine then go learn?
On Simchas Torah spend 15 minutes doing 7 Hakafos then go learn?
Imagine the zchusim if Hakafos are from 8-8:15pm and from 8:15-11pm everyone learns.
“Perhaps a coordinated effort can be made, for people to pledge to learn Mishnayos or Gemara, or say Tehillim, on Lag B’Omer?”
Who wrote that? Some kalte Litvak writer?
How can Khasidim be yoitzeh Lag B’Oimer without a big hadlookeh???
They should cancel Reb chaim never went even as a bachur
I hope no one else cancels.
The whole Meron situation is the highlight of the zman. One incident and everyone’s going crazy.