Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

16 Iyar 5761 - May 9, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

HOME
& FAMILY

IN-DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home and Family
NOSTALGIA
A Trip to Meiron -- in the Year 1888
by Yisca Shimony

In was in the year 5648 (1888) that R' Menachem Mendel Rabin, a newly arrived immigrant who had come with his family from Poland and lived in Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh, decided to participate in the Lag B'Omer celebration in Meiron at the site of the tomb of the great tana R' Shimon Bar Yochai, and witness the kindling celebration. A group of people had formed and they left Yerushalayim on Sunday, the fourth of Iyar, mounted upon horses. Unlike the others, the newly arrived immigrant had never before rode a horse, and for him, it was a fearful experience to "climb up and reach heaven", and even worse was his fear of falling down, flat on the ground, into "the pit of hell."

All the members of the group tried again and again to help and encourage. Soon their Arab guide, the horsemaster, as they called him, called out, "Be quick! It's getting late!" This order forced R' Menachem Mendel to overcome his fright. He clambered up the horse's back and before long, became a real pro at mounting, dismounting and riding.

But this was only the beginning. The rest of the trip proved to be much more difficult...

Right from the start, the horsemaster took charge and kept prompting them on and on, northward, allowing them no respite. They were not even permitted to rest or eat, or to pray at the Tomb of Gad Hanovi. Twilight came and the darkness of night enveloped them. They slept on the bare ground, under trees or on stones, and used their overgarments for covering.

The next day they approached Shechem and their guide took leave to spend some time with friends and kin, "kindly" allowing them time to go and pray at the tombs of the holy Elozor, son of Aharon Hakohen. As they were not acquainted with the way, they asked a local Arab lad for directions. He willingly agreed to show them the way, after they promised to pay him, and agily, like a rabbit, scampered over rocks and boulders. R' Menachem Mendel found it difficult to follow suit, but eventually caught up with the rest.

Soon they were again on their way north, and reached the holy tomb of Pinchos Hakohen. A crowd of Arabs awaited them there and demanded payment for allowing them to enter and light candles. They consulted and told the group that they would be paid later, after they had finished praying. As soon as the prayers had ended, the entrance was blocked and the Arabs firmly stood their ground, demanding a huge sum.

The travelers succeeded in outwitting their captors. They screamed, shoved, and forced their way out to freedom. They rushed to the waiting horses and mounted them in a twinkling. This time, even R' Menachem Mendel was running like a rabbit...

They reached the tomb of Yosef Hatzaddik in Shechem and again, their horsemaster abandoned them to seek the company of acquaintances. He was gone for a long time.

On Tuesday, the third day of their trip, they reached the area of Jenin, an area whose inhabitants were known to be particularly hostile towards Jews. Here, again, their Arab guide had clansmen to visit. He was gone so long that the group decided to continue on their own, but they lost their way. They asked an old Arab for directions to Tverya. His eyes blazed and he screamed at them, "This is not the right way. Go up to the top of the mountain and from there you'll be able to see your way clearly."

It was dangerous to accept guidance by a hostile Arab, who can lead you to an ambush, take away your possessions, and even leave you without your horse. With typical levantine logic, he will claim he is actually doing you a "favor" by freeing you of the worry and fear of being robbed later on. However, being lost, the group had no choice and with much trepidation, followed his instructions.

At the top of the mountain they found their original guide, who was furious at them for not having waited. They bedded for the night and just past midnight, he woke them up and led them on. After some time, he admitted that they were lost and, tired and angry, they retraced their steps to the top of the mountain. Dawn had broken and they beheld the beautiful view of the Yizrael Valley spread before them and felt appeased. Their anger dissipated with the morning mist.

They reached Tverya on Thursday, in the midst of a sharav, a heat wave accompanied by dry winds. They climbed up to the tomb of R' Akiva, but had to proceed with bent backs to avoid the brunt of the harsh wind.

Their guide took leave for a few days and the group remained in Tverya. On the following Thursday, they rushed to Tzefas to spend the Shabbos. They visited the ancient cemetery where so many of the great Kabbalists are buried. They visited the famous shuls and spent an altogether wonderful, uplifting Shabbos in the holy city.

Lag B'Omer finally arrived. In that year, the day commemorating the yahrzeit of R' Shimon Bar Yochai fell on motzoei Shabbos. As soon as Shabbos ended, the group from Yerusholayim joined the crowd going to Meiron to participate in the traditional kindling of the bonfire in honor of R' Shimon.

On the rooftop of the tomb, preparations for the bonfire were in full force. A large crowd gathered around a huge basin, full of fuel, directly on top of the tomb. Precisely at midnight, somone dipped an expensive silk kerchief, donated especially in honor of this event, in the fuel. Everyone stood aside as the edge of the kerchief was lit and the person honored with the kindling carefully threw the burning scarf into the basin. With a tremendous roar, the fire caught on. The roar was soon joined by other sounds. All the spectators cheered and began singing at the tops of their voices and joined hands to dance enthusiastically in a crowded circle.

The chanting of the famous song, well known then, too, of "Bar Yochai, nimshachta ashreicha..." reverberated rhythmically all night long, accompanied by enthusiastic dancing that went on and on endlessly. People seemed never to tire and the circle around the fire kept growing all the time.

Bonfires were also kindled at the nearby tombs of the tanoim Hillel and Shammai, and here, too, the singing and dancing was fervent and continuous without a lull, all night long. No one felt tired, no one slept, nor was there any place to sleep. Only the little three-year-olds who were awaiting their first haircuts, dozed off under trees, covered by the coats their fathers had removed in the heat of the fire and the dancing.

They were awakened early the next morning, right after shacharis, and the chalaka ritual took place amidst much dancing and singing. Rich foods and delicacies made their appearance, along with drinks of all kinds, alcoholic and otherwise.

The rejoicing continued throughout the following day and the following Sunday night, singing and dancing, until, completely exhausted, they fell to the ground and slept on the hard earth.

By Monday, the site quieted down as everyone left the tomb, bearing exciting and joyful memories. R' Menachem Mendel and his group headed home for Yerushoalayim to celebrate the aliya leregel of Shavuos.

The excursion to Meiron, over a hundred years ago, had taken an entire month...

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.