12:30PM EST: In what can only be described as a bold, but historic ruling, Hagon Chacham Ovadia Yosef Shlita has just signed a Psak Halacha that all festivities in Meron this Lag BaOmer should be pushed off one day.
Sources tell YWN Israel that since Lag BaOmer falls out on Motzei Shabbos / Sunday, there is fear that much Chillul Shabbos will take place. Therefore he has ruled that the “Hadlakah” and other festivities which take place on Lag BaOmer should be held on Sunday night / Monday.
Our sources tell YWN Israel that Rav Metzger and Rav Shlomo Amar, both of Israels Chief Rabbis have signed as well.
It is unknown if everyone will accept this historic Psak Halacha.
Further details will be published when they are available to us.
(Yehuda Drudgestein – YWN)
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21 Responses
of course, sfardim hold it should be on the 34th so you kill two birds with one stone
(I heard this from my father who learned by Rav Moshe)Rav Moshe ruled for his Talmid (one of his Talmidim asked if he could get married on Motzai Shabbos) that he should not get married Motzai Shabbos for the fear that people may desecrate Shabbos to prepare for the wedding.
“It is unknown if everyone will accept this historic Psak Halacha.”
Excuse me?
This is why we have Gedolim.
Why does the article label this psak “historic?” Seems pretty straight forward.
That would apply to any Saturday night affair.
So the Sfardim will push it off to the 34th, while the Ashkenazim and Chasidim on the 33rd?
the gemara says that (no shaychis to lag baomer though)
AMEN, listen to the Chacham.
Those in America are not aware of the preparations that are made by Police, Egged, Security, etc. so that hundreds of thousands of people can get to Meron on time —there will be CHILUL SHABBOS and why? because of a bonefire.
Move the day….za hu.
What gives you the right to qualify his psak?
Live and be well Chacham!
Chacham Yosef is accepted as a Gadol by all Jews, His Psak is in honor of the Shabbos. Maybe some have forgotten that Shabbos is Torah Law while Lag b”omer is clearly not. its day was chosen as a celebration by our Rabbanim/Chachamim and Shabbos desecration is a terrible evarah, while not making a barn fire exactly at on the night of lag b’omer while it may reduce the simcha of the night We as Torah Yidden must protect Shabbos with the same strength that we would protect our lives with.
Those who speak out against Chacham Yosef Psak do not fully appreciate the need to guard Shabbos and the temptations of the day.
May H”B bless our Rabbanim and Chamim for their strength and courage in issuing sometime controversial psak’s
Its why yom hazikaron was pushed to monday as well. The chillul hashem potential is huge. For Sephardim who follow the mechaber, they really shouldn’t be doing anything till lamed daled anyway. The Psak is aimed at ensuring the police and others involved with securing and ensuring the public safety in meron are not mechallel shabbos. Is a haircut or bonfire worth wholesale chillul shabbos?
“That would apply to any Saturday night affair.”
Not sure what you mean by affair, but, if you were concerned that the next motsai shabbos bar mitzvah you were invited to involved chillul shabbos, better look into the caterer/rav hamachshir. I suspect, the story of the wedding probably involved a situation where guests would be mechallel shabbos.
to #2 – gevald ugeshregin,
That’s mentioned in the beginning of Ketubot.
Why this year? Certainly Lag B’Omer has fallen on Motzei Shabbos and and Yom Rishon before.
Last year it was also a Sunday. Thing is, if you don’t hold that the strictures of Sefira end with Lag B’Omer (as my community doesn’t), Monday is a no-no for many people. How can they have music when it isn’t Lag B’Omer? I find it all very strange.
PS…For those of us here in NY for Lag B’Omer, come to the Great Parade in Crown Heights on Sunday, Lag B’Omer! It will be GREAT!
“This is why we have Gedolim.”
And Rav Yosef is one of them. Rav Amar, and Rav Sherlow of the Tzohar organization who first suggested this a week ago, may also qualify. They can certainly be relied upon.
“Why this year?”
Just because thousands of non-frum Jews have been mechalal Shabat in order to benefit we frummies and our bonfires in the past does not mean that we should continue to benefit from their desecration of Shabat.
“Thing is, if you don’t hold that the strictures of Sefira end with Lag B’Omer (as my community doesn’t), Monday is a no-no for many people. How can they have music when it isn’t Lag B’Omer?”
The same way that we moved Yom HaAtzmaut from 5 Iyar to 6 Iyar this year and had celebrations — with music — on 6 Iyar. In any case, violating Shabat in order to preserve a minhag is not something any frum Jew should support!
(FWIW, Rov Soloveitchik z’tz’l was very opposed to reciting Hallel for Yom HaAtzmaut on any day other than 5 Iyar.)
# 3
Whether or not I agree with Chacham on this case is not relevant, but it irks me when people write what you wrote, EVER.
Has it ever entered your mind that there are other gedoilim around? Maybe my poisak says otherwise? Sheesh, this is Judaism not communism.
I am waiting for the same outrage to the baby murders – some people call it abortions – that constantly take place in EY.
In defense of the site
Bonefire? Barn fire?
Charliehall got it right. It’s BONFIRE.