May 4, 2021
Why is Meron So Special?
by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine
Following the tragedy on Friday, many people are wondering why is Meron so special that so many tens of thousands gather there each year.
Meron is the burial place of the great Talmudic scholar, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochoi, a man who was known both for his intense scholarship and spirituality, as well as his intense love for each individual. When he hid from the Romans for over 12 years he soared and is recognized as the author of the Zohar. When he came out of hiding he encountered an individual who was carrying two bundles of fragrant Haddasim (Myrtle) in honor of Shabbos, and Rabbi Shimon celebrated this man’s devotion.
When we have an awesomely great person who celebrates the “simple” accomplishments of the individual, we have the recipe for national unity. My take is that this is why Meron has become a shrine for people of all walks of life to connect with the Divine through song, dance, prayer, and meditation, at the site of the sacred bonfires that are lit each year. This, of course makes the tragedy that much more painful. May G-d bless the memories of those who died.
Tonight, at my online program “Home to Home” I posed the question, “Who do you have in your life who is very great, yet takes great joy in your accomplishments?”
Rabbi Mordechai Rhine is an Online Coach and Mediator based in Maryland. He is the Director of TEACH613, an organization which promotes Torah and mitzvah education through classes and virtual media.
Rabbi Rhine is the producer of “Take Ten for Talmud” a ten-minute audio program based on Daf Hayomi. He is the author of, “The Magic of Shabbos,” and the presenter of the Perek Shirah Collection CD Series. He can be reached through his websites at https://www.care-mediation.com/ and http://www.teach613.org/ or by email at RMRhine@gmail.com