The terrible disaster that occurred near the Zion of Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai in Meron, on his day of joy, Lag B'Omer, compels us to stop.
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It is impossible to continue with our normal lives and be content with sighing and nodding our heads. Something so dramatic and shocking has happened here that each and every one of us must recalculate our course.
1. Not by chance
The media, by its very nature, deals with safety failures and the steps required to prevent future disasters, and this is indeed important and necessary. But the believing Jew sees things from a deeper perspective. After all, all of these problems existed in previous years. Many have noted that it is a miracle that disasters have not occurred in the past.
If so, why did it happen now?
Maimonides (at the beginning of the Laws of Fasting) makes it clear that when a calamity strikes the public, one must awaken to repentance. He adds and writes a harsh sentence: "If they do not cry out... but say, 'This is a worldly custom that has befallen us,' and this calamity will be called a curse,' then this is a cruel way, and causes them to cling to their evil deeds, and the calamity and other calamities will increase.".
Each and every one of us needs to feel that God is shaking us so that we may wake up. What exactly do we need to correct? Each one knows this for himself. In no way should we beat the chest of others 'for sin'. Each and every one of us should take stock of our souls, examine what requires correction, and make good decisions about them.
2. No sky accounts
Apart from the very need to awaken repentance and correct ourselves, there is no point in trying to understand heavenly accounts. That is a matter for great righteous people, endowed with the Holy Spirit, who know how to tell what is happening behind the veil. People like us understand nothing about this, and it is ridiculous for flesh and blood to pretend to understand the thoughts of the infinite Creator, who informed us through his prophets: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts.".
3. Seek togetherness
The disaster affected a wide range of publics. You look at the pictures of the deceased and see the great spectrum of denominations, communities, and clothing customs. Sephardim and Ashkenazim, Haredim and knitted kippahs, Hasidim and Lithuanians, natives of the land and visitors from Israeli communities in the Diaspora. They all came to pray together, to rejoice together in the joy of the Rashbi, to wake up together, to unite together.
It is doubtful whether there is another event where people of all walks of life gather, without tribal and communal divisions. And perhaps this is what we are missing so much – the sense of togetherness, Jewish unity, the connection between us all. To love each other more, to learn from each other's virtues, to seek what is common and not what separates.
4. Safety in our souls
Along with great faith, it is important to remember the Torah commandment, "And you shall be very careful for your souls" and the teaching of Chazal, "There is no trust in miracles." To strictly observe safety rules, to understand that the police are protecting us and our children, not to be disrespectful, not to be careless. It is in our souls!
5. A Cry for Redemption
And last but not least: The cry that arises from all of our hearts must be directed in prayer to the Creator of the universe, that He may bring us true and complete redemption. That He may say enough is enough for our troubles and redeem us with eternal redemption.
