Nadene Goldfoot
Yesterday, my son and I were driving across the Columbia River Interstate Bridge and I asked the question of what it would be like if we had an earthquake at that moment. Of course the answer was not good. Thank goodness nothing happened. We were going there to see a beloved relative at Vancouver's hospice center and for us to say our good-byes. it was a sad drive for us.
Little did I know that at possibly that same moment, something was or had already happened that was terrible in Israel at almost the same place I had lived; in Safed where the 2nd century Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai was buried.
Something like a bridge between two places, a ramp, broke with too many people on it, and the people fell and over 40 were killed, including children. They had been there, outside of Safed, celebrating a holiday many American Jews are not too familiar with, Lag B'Omer, which connects us to Rabbi Simeon Yohai . I think of it as the holiday where you can make bonfires. The story behind it is amazing.
According to legend, an outbreak of plague occurred among the people of Rabbi Akiva in the 2nd century, and had ended on 18 of Iyyar, the date of the 33rd day of the Omer. It has since been considered the "scholars' feast-day." The Omer period's regulations for half-mourning was that there were certain prohibitions during this period; marriage, cutting one's hair, etc. So it had happened during a sad period, and being the plague had ended, called for celebration and the suspending of the prohibitions.
The period of "Counting of the Omer" is a 7 week period (49 days) started from the day on which the Omer was first offered in the Temple which was the 2nd day of Passover to the 50th day being the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot. Omer was the first sheaf cut during the barley harvest which was offered in the Temple as a sacrifice on the 2nd day of Passover.
Schoolchildren are given a holiday and formerly used to conduct a mock-battle with bow and arrow. In Israel, the day is marked by the lighting of bonfires and a mass pilgrimage to the tomb at Meron of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai, who is said to have died, transmitting his mystical lore, on this day.
Rabbi Yohai was a Tanna (teacher) , a very special highly rated rabbi. He was a pupil of Rabbi Akiva. He even followed his teacher, Akiva after Akiva's imprisonment by the Romans for continued instruction and discourse. Simeon was putting himself in harm's way with his own opinions which the authorities thought rebellious and was forced to hide in a cave with his son, Eleazar for 13 years.
This incident was the background for attributing to him authorship of the ZOHAR. He was rather unworldly, teaching that Torah study should take precedence over the pursuit of a livelihood. He even regarded a man who paused in his study to admire nature, which would be to take a break from his studies, worthy of deserving death. In his mind, nothing could be allowed to interfere with his goal of studying Torah. He was indeed overzealous by our standards today. (I would have taken that break and called it my mental health break. I'd say he was obsessive).
However, Simeon was also a miracle worker of politics. In later life, he was sent on a mission to Rome where he succeeded in obtaining the withdrawal of a persecutory decree against Jews.
He had an intense love for the Holy Land and considered emigration from there a grievous sin. His pupil, Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi, frequently quotes him in the Mishnah. Kabbalists have long made his traditional tomb at Mt. Meron a center of pilgrimage, especially on Lag Ba-Omer, the traditional date of his death. 
That's when this unusual tragedy happened. in their singing and dancing, the ramp fell, and people fell on people below. 45 were killed in a stampede.
Meron is 12.5 km from Safed. By car, it's about 17 minutes away.
Resource:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/dozens-said-hurt-as-stand-collapses-at-mass-lag-bomer-gathering-in-mount-meron/
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/lag-bomer-80-year-old-in-critical-condition-52-requiring-treatment-666768
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