Popular Charedi Website in Israel: ‘The Government Forgot One Crucial Ingredient in Meron’

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Police evacuate Jewish worshipers ahead of the Lag B'omer festival, at the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, in Meron, northern Israel on May 17, 2022. Photo by David Cohen/Flash90 *** Local Caption *** îéøåï ÷áø ùîòåï áø éåçàé ì"â áòåîø ôñèéáì îùèøä

ISRAEL (VINnews) — The popular and influential Charedi news outlet, B’Chadrei Charedim, published an editorial Friday, discussing the Meron debacle which took place on Lag B’Omer.

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In a piece entitled “The Handwriting was on the Wall / How the Plans in Meron Collapsed’, the news outlet essentially said that the authorities did not connect with the true meaning of the Meron Festival.

The tone and messaging of the article seemed to place blame on the Israeli government for simply being out of touch with the Charedi community.

In addition, one major theme suggested that although the Meron commission held meetings and designed plans and made major structural changes, the one thing they could not replicate is the “heart and soul” that is integral to the Meron celebration.

Here are excerpts from the editorial:

“All the preparations were made for Lag B’Omer, and we were informed that there was a project director and there was an “outline”. Everything was organized with careful planning, meticulously. Maybe too much.

“But then everything collapsed.

“One tool, one and only, yet so substantial, which the organizers did not take into account and was missing, caused it. Not that they did not want to provide it, but during the planning of the outline and its implementation in the field, they did not take into account at all one essential and dramatic component. This tool is called “heart”.

“It may sound cliché, but it’s the truth and the handwriting was smeared on the wall in black letters. All those who have been engaged in the work of Meron for many years, decided unanimously in advance: there will be chaos and the public will not be allowed to celebrate with the proper respect for the Rashbi.

“The Hilula is not about the tribunes, nor is it the orchestra and lighting systems…nor even the hospitality of one to another.

“If it can be defined in a simpler way: it is not a ceremony according to the “rules of a ceremony”. The celebration of Lag B’Omer in Meron is first and foremost an event that is all “heart”, a warm and burning heart of the tens of thousands of the people of Bais Yisrael.”

“The heart is spontaneous, it is not programmable, it is not an amplification system. It is impossible for the heart to create an “outline” and when you do this to it, the heart seeks to be released, it overflows and then everything erupts.

“It is true that [last year] was a difficult disaster and it is important to learn lessons, but one should know that it is impossible to restrict people and not celebrate. The people in charge of the Hilula preferred to celebrate in a way that they considered safe, while they destroyed the Hilula with all its symbols and customs, along with Matan Kahana and his friends who do not understand anything about Charedi events.

“Lag B’Omer has character and form, and its management must be given over to the tzibbur that desires it. The police are required, in order to manage things like traffic lanes and security, but with a little more will, they could have managed it very differently.

“After a full year of them telling us that the “mainstream Charedim” were with them, that the people protesting against the intrusion were extremists and radicals, who don’t represent the tzibbur–Lag B’Omer arrived and proved that Am Yisrael is connected with Rabi Shimon and they have an innate sense of how to identify who is with Rabi Shimon and who is against him.

“We hope and pray that the state authorities will gain some common sense and together with the [Charedi] communities, will be able to manage Meron with understanding…without checkpoints, without police, but rather with the powerful ‘heart’ that erupted in its longing for Rabi Shimon.


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Meron for everyone
Meron for everyone
1 year ago

Beautifully illustrated.
as a simple American, I loved going to Meron for Lag Beomer, and yes, it was the heart and soul that truly brings out an emotion, which ultimately allows you to connect to something ecstatic.
may we be zoche to be able to going to reb shimon once again

think
think
1 year ago

so the auther of the article’s plan to prevent another disaster is “to manage Meron with understanding…without checkpoints, without police, but rather with the powerful ‘heart’ that erupted in its longing for Rabi Shimon.”
 
great, perhaps, but are
you ready to take responsablity when the ‘heart’ that “erups” causes
death and loss of life Heshem Yerachem.
 
perhaps we can have
Cheredim manage this event and take personal responsibility for when something
goes wrong, and Charedi insurance company insure and pay out millions if chas v’sholom
someone gets injured or dies lets see then if they will still advocate to reply
on “hearts” and “eruptions” bot not gates, barricades and
police
 
remember when the place was locked down a couple of months ago  because insurance companies refused to insure the place and the all the knakers and machers who run the place refused to take “personal responsibility”
 
talk is easy, writing articles, deflecting blame, blaming tsoyinim and police and whatnot is easy, taking responsibility is hard. So untill someone from our camp can stand up and take responsibility and run it better than the police lets just be quite and tank the police for managing it under difficult circumstances

Nonshover
Nonshover
1 year ago

What a silly commentary. Last year the government allowed you to use your hearts to your to your heart’s content and those warm-hearted folks trampled 45 Jews to death. How about some hakaras hatov to the government for a change. They’re fighting our enemies 24/7 so you can do whatever you please. It would go a long way toward fostering an
amiable and respectful relationship. I would love just once to hear “Thank you”.

reb yid
reb yid
1 year ago

those who have a heart don’t want 45 more deaths. Those who don’t give a hoot try to crash the place and cause more deaths.

frumee
frumee
1 year ago

uhuh, without the crackdown you will have deaths again, thsi was never meant to gather 100k ppl in one day. that is not heart its stupdity.

Sam
Sam
1 year ago

Too much focus on the heart. How about some thought to the lungs?

NoMan
NoMan
1 year ago

The author made his position very clear:
The Charedi tzibbur should be allowed to behave as they please and the police and authorities should shoulder the responsibility for any resulting disaster.

Sue B
Sue B
1 year ago

Such a failed attempt at whitewashing the perpetrators who ruined everything , and of course blaming the government. This is a lie wrapped in disingenuous verbiage. Next.

Richie
Richie
1 year ago

The שלחן ערוך at the very end of חושן משפט says that those who ignore safety מלקין מכת מרדות.

Your article is a joke written by irresponsible self-centered people who make out that this is very important.

Where are all the pictures of the Gedolim and the Rebbes?

The באר הגולה says on this שלחן ערוך:

“אין לך זלזול ואפקריתא יותר מזה”

We don’t learn the דרך התורה from ignorant journalists, ב”ה we have a שלחן ערוך.

גוט שבת

Voice of reason
Voice of reason
1 year ago

Unfortunately the ones that really missed it and very possible could have sent signals to the secular government is non other than the so called chareidi sites, that are writing op-ed, that tried pushing the narrative that are number 1 hater in the country (mk) wanted only the good for us, and a few extremist are fighting it for no good reason. They should have written this op-ed three months ago, now it’s news written All over
.

Liepa
Liepa
1 year ago

A question for B’Chadrei Charedim, if C”V there was a repeat of last year’s tragedy C”V, would he blame the ‘HEART’ or the police. Just wondering !!!

Yoda
Yoda
1 year ago

We know from the Wisdom of Solomon (and the Tanya) that we don’t listen to our heart; rather, the brain. The Tanya explains how the Brain, with Knowledge of G-d and his Torah, is used to arouse the emotions, in a way that doesn’t contradict Jewish Law. Heart-felt spontaneity was also present at the Woodstock festival: The chaos there led to legislation, ensuring that only ticket-holders are allowed to enter rock festivals, that served as a model for the Zionist Entity.

Mig
Mig
1 year ago

Amein!

Judith
Judith
1 year ago

The author needs to be deprogrammed

Plaplerei
Plaplerei
1 year ago

Just ONE line about radicals who don’t represent the tzibbur ? They’re the ones who caused the debacle . A blowhard column insulting our intelligence.

Yossi
Yossi
1 year ago

Sure. Yiddishkeit and Torah are all about giving way to the “heart” with no regard for rules and order. Tell that to Nadav and Avihu a’h

No error here!
No error here!
1 year ago

Great article! Very true! The zionistic government is fighting against the ultra orthodox. In their “hearts”, they do not respect the religious. They respect their flag, their pride and themselves. They are all about kochi veotzem yadi, and they refuse to accept there is a Higher power!

Stubborn facts
Stubborn facts
1 year ago

The greatest Chasidic Rebbes do NOT go to Meron on Lag Baomer. Look at the Rebbes of the large groups, Ger, Belz, Vizhnitz, Sanz, Satmar…

The ones who go to Meron are mostly smaller sects.

In general, I think the following saying is quite apt. The smaller the Rebbe, the greater his Lag Baomer bonfire. וואס קלענער דעם רעבעלע וואס גרעסער זיין הדלקה.

ANON21
ANON21
1 year ago

Really stupid article. The real and only solution is all these rebbes tell their people to stay home. It’s not a safe situation. It can never be. And if the police get involved it’s even more dangerous. As we all saw this year. Everyone stay home. It’s not worth it.