Lag B'Omer - Cold Feet? Who has been?

amother

Lilac

Mon, May 08 2017, 9:39 am

amother wrote:

I'm getting cold feet about traveling to Israel for Lag B'Omer. I've never been before, and I'm wondering if I should just stay home. For those of you who have been, please let me know what it is like!

I'd like to know too - especially from the perspective of someone nervous about going. OP - can you report back to us (read: me) when you get back ?

tigerwife

Mon, May 08 2017, 11:55 am

Is this your first trip to EY or first trip to Meron on Lag B'Omer? If it's the first and you are doing Meron, I just need to say it can be overwhelming. Are you going just for the weekend? Can you go for longer to enjoy the rest of the country too? Yerushalayim, Tzfas...

Meron is intense. It's a long trip up- at least 3 hours plus traffic. When you exit your car, there is a long walk and you will be joined by thousands of people. The closer you get, the more claustrophobic it will be. It's actually mind-blowing- you are standing with tens of thousands of Jews, all davening together. I can't imagine how special your tefilla will be with the strength of those numbers! All around you, people let loose. You will hear raw crying and perhaps allow yourself to really let go and depend on Hashem. It can be quite exhilarating-

But definitely overwhelming. You may be pushed (literally pushed!) from all sides. You may not be able to get into the room at all. Which is fine- you don't have to be standing on the lever for your tefillos to be accepted, no matter what people believe! I haven't been there so recently but I've heard that they really worked on the crowd control: for example, only letting in x amount of people at a time. Going to the bathroom there is a disaster so try to avoid that at all costs!

In the end, you will be happy you did it. But I would want you to also enjoy the rest of EY on your trip, visit the kosel, breathe in the air.

Don't be nervous. Have a safe trip!

miami85

Mon, May 08 2017, 12:00 pm

I went when I was in seminary and it was also a Sunday. We didn't get there until late in the day Sunday, it was MUCH emptier (you could tell--most of the crazies were either hungover or sleeping) but still PLENTY crowded. NOT a place to go if you like personal space while you daven. While waiting in line to get in, my feet were barely touching the floor--kind of floating along in a sea of people. It took quite a while to get in was appropriate that I got to say 33 kapitlach of tehillim while waiting.

Would I do it again? If I were still young and single, maybe. Not with kids, once I'm middle-aged probably couldn't handle it. I know my husband has NO desire to do it, so it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'll never forget.

treestump

Mon, May 08 2017, 12:00 pm

I went twice, and I'm an introvert who hates large crowds and gets overwhelmed when my senses are swamped. And I loved it. It was an incredible experience, and just magical. It felt surreal, and this is coming from someone who hates going to simchas because of the crowds and noise.

I went only at night, because it was a lot cooler then. You can find some quiet spots there to observe and daven; no need to jostle and join the swarms of people all pushing in one spot.

How long are you being there for? I've never stayed in Meron; it is crowded and just too crammed. Tzfat is beautiful and very close. Tiveria is also really nice, more spread out, and also fairly close.

You can come and have a nice, peaceful time if you're feeling too apprehensive to go to Meron. There are some beautiful ceremonies in Jerusalem too which are a lot less chaotic.

FranticFrummie

Mon, May 08 2017, 12:06 pm

If you are not going specifically to Meron, there will be other bonfires all over the country.

In Nahariya we have them on the beach, and there are many fires, big and small. You can wander from one group to another, join in or move on, just listening to the singing and watching the kids play. There's lots of room for everyone, and it's great for families. Other communities will be similar.