Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Today is Lag Ba'Omer. Today is the definitive day of rejoicing during the counting of the Omer. Originally, the entire seven week period was meant to be a time of joy anticipating the journey from Egypt to Sinai, and counting each intervening day with spiritual excitement.

Sadly over the years, historical tragedies entered this season of the year: The genocide surrounding the Bar Kochba revolt, the deaths of thousands and thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva, the medieval Crusades, pogroms, and massacres, the designated date of Yom Ha'Shoah. All of these and more took place during the seven week period known as Sefirat Ha'Omer.

The one definitive day of joy that has always stood out has been Lag Ba'Omer. On this day, the deaths of Rabbi Akiva's students came to an end. On this day, one celebrated the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Mount Meron in Northern Israel. On this day, one celebrated his Kabbalistic influences, which have inspired the recitation of  daily value concepts when counting the Omer.

As many of us learned yesterday, tragedy befell our people who were celebrating Lag Ba'Omer in and near Mount Meron. Some forty-four people have died, and over a hundred people are seriously injured, as result of a terrible accident.

Now is not the time to intellectually analyze. Now is the time to join our brothers and sisters in grieving, empathizing, and comforting. As recounted in the book of Lamentations, "Our dancing has turned into mourning."

In shul tomorrow, I will expand on these words, and we will recite selected Tehilim-Psalms, passages of comfort to be recited at a time of pain and duress.

Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh La'Zeh - All of Israel is bound to one another, the Talmud teaches us, at times of joy or sadness.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison