Following the exhortations of HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef earlier this week to travel to Meron early to avoid causing the policemen at the site to be mechallel Shabbos, Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau also addressed the issue in a letter published on Monday.

Rav Lau urged people to ensure they travel to Meron early and return early and “the zechus of Shemiras HaShabbos will stand by you and your household forever.”

Rav Lau also urged people to daven for the refuah of coronavirus patients throughout the world on Lag B’Omer and in general. “In light of the painful news about Acheinu Bnei Yisrael throughout the world who need a yeshuah, it is appropriate that we who live in Eretz HaKodesh should daven that the ill should have a refuah and the healthy shouldn’t become ill,” Rav Lau wrote.

“And we should add Acheinu Kol Beis Yisrael at the end of every tefillah, and the zechus of the tzaddik [Rav Shimon Bar Yochai] will protect us and Klal Yisrael and the entire world.”

Last year, Harav Yehudah Aryeh Dinner of Bnei Brak said in the name of HaGaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky that Lag B’Omer is a day that is mesugal to end the coronavirus pandemic.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)