Two days ahead of the Lag Ba'omer holiday, about twenty prominent haredi rabbis have issued a letter begging the public to keep the safety guidelines and follow the instructions of those organizing the main Lag Ba'omer event on Mount Meron.
Signatories to the letter include members of the Council of Torah Sages, municipal rabbis, heads of Jewish courts and rabbis who rule on religious matters.
The letter, which was published by the Rabbinical Court of Bnei Brak, headed by Rabbi Yehuda Silman, read: "Following the great and horrific tragedy which struck the People of Israel last year, when 45 worshipers were taken from us by an horrific Heavenly decree, my G-d have mercy, and ahead of the anniversary [of the passing of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi)] which will fall next week, those responsible have gathered to discuss how to prevent such crowding and the danger to lives this year, and have set a number of rules for this, so that not all the worshipers will come at the same time, and they have also added many rules, and all for the sake of the safety the public who visits."
"Certainly, one must follow instructions and those who have the custom to travel to Meron on Lag Ba'omer should not remain on the mountain more than four hours, as the organizers decided, and it is absolutely and strictly forbidden to become involved in clashes, and pushing, and such things, which are a desecration of G-d's Name and a spiritual and physical danger, and this is not the place to expand on this.
"If a person's ancestors did not customarily make this trip, he can avoid it himself this year, or push off the trip a few days, and spend the holy time of Lag Ba'omer learning Rashbi's Torah, and that will be a merit for the souls of the 45 holy worshipers who were killed at this holy place.
"And all those who listen will be blessed with all the blessings written in the Torah: contentment from holiness, and gaining in Torah and fear of G-d, from a place of security. And may we merit good news with the coming of Moshiach (Messiah) speedily in our days, amen."