The Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs met on Sunday and discussed how Lag B’Omer hadlakos will be conducted this year during the coronavirus era.
The ministry instituted a protocol for hadlakos to take place on Lag B’Bomer according to Health Ministry regulations. Only the preliminary details were decided on at the meeting. Closer to Lag B’Omer, clear instructions will be issued to the public regarding the details of the hadlakos.
“It’s important for us to continue the tradition of hundreds of years of hadlakos being carried out at the tzion of the Rashbi in Meron,” said Minister of Religious Services Yitzchak Vaknin.”
“The hadlakos will be carried out in four areas – Boyan, Gandi, Mearas Hillel and Toldos Aharon. The Rav or Admor and ten additional participants will participate in each hadlaka and each hadlaka will last for about an hour. An effort will be made to set the time of hadlaka to the time that it’s usually carried out every year.”
“The amount of participants will be limited and entrance and access to Har Meron will be allowed only to those who hold a license,” Vaknin continued. “No tents will be allowed to be set up this year by Meron and those who light the bonfires will act in accordance with the rules set by the National Mercaz for the Mekomot Kedoshim. The Mercaz will video the hadlakos and they will be broadcast live to those who won’t be able to join in person.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
There is no authentic Jewish source for this pagan custom!!
The Hatam Sofer even wrote a tshuva against this.
It is about time people realized that these customs associated with lag baomer are a distorted perversion of authentic Judaism, barely resembling the original.
These people have invented a whole collection of fairy tales and customs based on superstition that are contrary to authentic Judaism.
On a lighter vein Regarding the bonfire:
When I was a little boy my bubby used to warn me the when you play with fire you wet at night.
Didn’t these pyromaniacs ever have a bubby to warn them?