Rabbi Braun: Continue Lag BaOmer Events to Honor Meron Victims

By COLlive reporter

Lag BaOmer, after all.

Rabbi Yosef Braun, member of the Crown Heights Beis Din, instructed the Lag BaOmer celebrations continued as planned despite the tragedy in Mount Meron where people were killed and injured on Thursday night.

44 people were reportedly crushed to death at the overcrowded bonfire festival honoring the yartzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi). 100 people were either moderately to severely injured in what they described as a stampede, according to Reuters.

“We are horrified about what happened in Meron on this special day,” Rabbi Braun said in a voice note following the horrific event which has shocked the Jewish community in Israel and around the world. “It is beyond words,” he said.

Lag BaOmer is celebrated with bonfires, public celebrations and parades celebrating Jewish tradition with dedicated songs, dancing and even specific foods such as colored eggs. Following the tragedy, some have called to cancel those events.

Rabbi Braun reminded the public that when a terror attack was carried out in Chevron some 40 years ago, the Rebbe quoted a teaching from our sages that a funeral is held back to follow for a wedding to proceed.

“The simcha of Rashbi has to override all tragedies,” Rabbi Braun said. “Indeed, we have days of mourning before and after Lag BaOmer over the students of Rabbi Akiva who passed away.”

He said that pure Jewish joy “is known to sweeten judgment and negativity” and wished that “our simcha will help bring a speedy recovery to all those who were injured and hasten the coming of Moshiach when we will be united with those who passed away.”

As of Thursday night, major Lag BaOmer events continued to be held. One of them was the Hatzalah-Thon in support of Hatzalah medical services around the world which included a special tribute to the Meron victims.

Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Israel called on organizers of Lag BaOmer parades to dedicate the gatherings to the victims and recite Tehillim in merit of the injured.

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