As is the case every year when Lag B’Omer falls on motzei Shabbos, Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita is calling to delay the lighting of the main bonfire in Meron to prevent Chilul Shabbos. Rav Yosef calls for delaying the lighting of the main torch, which symbolizes the beginning of the day’s events, for hours after Shabbos.
Last week, YWN-ISRAEL reported that the Boyaner Rebbe Shlita, who lights the main bonfire, announced this would not take place until close to midnight to avoid chilul Shabbos. The Rebbe Shlita also called on police and visitors alike to refrain from engaging in any activity related to Lag B’Omer until motzei Shabbos.
Rav Yosef praised the rebbe’s announcement, that he was delaying the lighting for hours to prevent chilul Shabbos, instructing all others to follow the example. Rav Yosef stressed there is no justification for chilul Shabbos surrounding Lag B’Omer events, calling on all persons planning to participate to act accordingly.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
6 Responses
It can be delayed for a few hours but no more.
Lag b’Omer is a HOLY DAY, with HOLY SINGING, HOLY CHALAKESS, HOLY PRAYERS on the hillulah of Rashbi and celebrated by his kever. Lag b’Omer is not a secular day like the 2 homemade irrelevant Zionists chagaos that can be avoided altogether or should be postponed to Tisha b’Av lechatchilah when Klal Yisroel is mourning anyhow which can include the spiritual churban the Zionists made in Israel.
Lag b’Omer festivities is on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 18th of Iyar, whether it’s convenient for you or not and cannot be postponed and neither can there be any musical activities before and for many after Lag b’Omer until sheloshes yeme hagboleh.
Given all the angst about possible chilul Shabbos, why don’t they defer this minhag until Sunday night?? With so many thousands of people involved in the logistical, transportation and security preparations its virtually impossible to avoid some instances of people beginning work before sundown no matter how carefully they try to avoid it.
Arye-
I’m very impressed by your vigorous defense of the holiness of lag b’omer and your insistence that the festivities take place as quickly as possible.
But you seem to be (willfully it seems) ignoring the reason to delay. Which is the much greater holiness of Shabbos.
No one is suggesting to “delay” lag b’omer (chas v’sholom, heaven forbid,etc…)
But are you suggesting that any amount of holy lag b’omer festivities is worth the tiniest bit of chilul shabbos?
Lag b’Omer is a HOLY DAY, with HOLY SINGING, HOLY CHALAKESS, HOLY PRAYERS on the hillulah of Rashbi and celebrated by his kever. All correct. Shemiras Shabbos is a d’oraisa. No contest. The Boyaner Rebbe’s concession is great but as Shabbos only goes out in Yerushalayim, where most of his Hasidim live, at 8:08 [first zman] he should delay his bonfire until at least 2am. How are the police and security forces as well as the medical standby staff supposed to get there any earlier? Better still would be for him to announce that he will be davening shacharis at vassikin and lighting immediately thereafter.
Dear Adocs,
Thank you Thank you for such an important comment.
Aryeh
The Jewish population in the U.S. is declining due to assimilation, but is increasing in Israel thanks to the Zionists. Thanks to the secular Zionists that is defending the borders and allowing millions of Jews to live in Israel. We shouldn’t be content with the old yishuv mentality, because it couldn’t have grown much without a violent Arab response.
Secondly, what does this article have to due with the Zionists?