[Avodah] Meron live

[Prof. Levine via Avodah]

At 01:07 PM 5/7/2015, Micha Berger wrote:


>Minhagim evolve, that's what they do.


But doesn't "evolving" mean that there is an existing minhag, and it 
evolves?  Here we are talking about a new minhag which no one knew 
about.  The Pri Etz Chaim never said that the Ari said it was appropriate.

People certainly can make up new customs whenever they like.  But 
bonfires on Lag Ba'omer are no more or no less than parades on Yom 
haAtzmaut for those who celebrate it: They have nothing to do with 
religion.  Some Jews have even invented  a custom to put up a tree on 
Chanukkah.  But do not try to tell us it then becomes a "religious 
minhag" and "minhag Hamokom."

Everything that Rabbi Dr. Seth Mandel wrote in his post is 
true.  There were no rabbonim at the time who approved of the 
custom.  Indeed it  is true is that there were no rabbonim who 
approved of the custom at the time,  nor at the time of the Ari and 
R. Chaim Vital.  While they  did not say it should be stopped,  they 
gave no support either.

YL


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