Religion Magazine

Interesting Psak: Police Driving to Meron on Shabbos

By Gldmeier @gldmeier
Rav Rami Berachyahu, rav of the Israel Police, has, in light of the public discussion regarding the bonfires in Meron on Lag bOmer night which will be on a Motzei Shabbos, publicized the psak he issued to his police forces.
Rav Berachyahu wrote a tshuva about this and it has received the approbation of talmidei chachomim.
According to Rav Berachyahu, he says he has no choice but to instruct the police that they should travel on Shabbos, at 2pm, to arrive at "Kever Rashbi" in Meron and to secure the area. Pikuach Nefesh is involved, and even though the pikuach nefesh is only going to be later, on Motzei Shabbos, it requires such preparation.
Rav Berachyahu points out that it would always be better and preferable to postpone a mass event that is scheduled to take place so soon after Shabbos that requires security and advance preparation including on Shabbos. Something that involves a mitzva that must be done on Motzei Shabbos, or an event that the organizers refused to postpone it even though they should have, would permit the police to do what they need to do to secure it.
Should the police, perhaps, prepare in advance by going to Meron on Friday and staying there over Shabbos instead of traveling on Shabbos? No, Rav Berachyahu says, as that would disturb each police officer's own Shabbos meals with his family and cause him extra tircha.
In conclusion, Rav Berachyahu says the bonfires must be pushed off to later to avoid causing the chilul shabbos of the police, which would become muttar if the event is not pushed off. However, with the masses going up to Meron, the only real solution would be to push everything off until Sunday evening, because with the security situation as it is, the police will have to be out working security.
source: Kikar
I don't think anybody has a complaint against the police. Everything said by Rav Berachyahu sounds right. They have to provide the security and are not at fault for deciding when the event takes place. They are forced into the situation, and must do what they need to do. The people responsible for the event itself are the ones causing the security forces to work on Shabbos, and they are the ones the public is pressuring. I would add, the pressure seems to be starting to work, as various Hassidic groups have announced slight delays in their bonfire lightings in order to lessen or minimize any chilul shabbos.
I would add that the police do have the power to permit or not permit an event from taking place. They do it all the time, deciding certain protests, for example, cannot take place in certain places or at certain times. Security can shut down an event that it thinks might cause problems or be a security risk. Technically the police can refuse to give a permit to the Saturday night bonfire events and say they will only give the permit for later on Sunday. Perhaps "chilul shabbos" is not a valid excuse for the police to reject a permit?
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