Lag BaOmer is approaching and with it the following minor storm: For years, the Rebbe of Bayan has lit the central lamp above the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, at exactly midnight.
• For the special channel: Celebrating Lag BaOmer among the Haredim 10
When the Chief Rabbinate, Rabbi Amar, requested to light the lamp at this time, it was made clear to his people that 'the time was taken,' and they were forced to move their lighting to the wee hours of the night.
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Last year, a controversy arose regarding the actual lighting of the lamp on Shabbat night. Rabbi Amar ruled that it should not be lit on Saturday night, as was the case last year and as will be the case this year. The letter was also signed by Rabbi Yosef, zt"l, which stated that the lightings should be postponed.
""In recent generations, there are many who are not strict with the commandments, who come to pray and light bonfires, there are serious concerns about desecrating the Sabbath, God forbid. When Lag BaOmer falls on Sunday, when the bonfires are lit on the eve of Shabbat, and there are those who do not notice and are not knowledgeable and come to desecrate the Sabbath in various ways, may God save us.".
However, this substantive halakhic ruling succeeded in igniting another internal fire of controversy.
It turns out that Rabbi Amar intends to light the lamp this year at 3 a.m."
