Thousands of Etkanshu Members to Gather in Meron for Historic Prayer and Zohar Completion Event

On the eve of Rosh Chodesh Elul, thousands of students of the holy Zohar studying within the Etkanshu organization will participate in a historic procession and prayer gathering at the sacred site of Meron. The event, called 'Shaarei Rachamim,' will include a mass prayer, heartfelt supplications, and a grand lighting ceremony in honor of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the revered Tanna associated with the Zohar.

This extraordinary gathering comes amid heightened tensions and challenges facing the Torah world, including increased persecution of Torah scholars and looming military conscription decrees threatening the Haredi community. Leading rabbis and rebbes, including the Vizhnitz and Belz rebbes and Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, have issued a rare and powerful call urging all Etkanshu learners to unite in prayer to open the gates of heaven and seek divine mercy to annul these harsh decrees.

The event will begin at 18:30 with a communal Mincha prayer, followed by a moving session of Psalms and Selichot led by the generation's greatest Torah leaders. Afterward, there will be a solemn ceremony marking the completion of hundreds of Zohar volumes studied by thousands of participants. The climax will be a grand bonfire lighting, a traditional highlight symbolizing spiritual awakening and communal unity.

Logistical preparations include subsidized transportation by organized buses from across Israel, with a symbolic fare of 10 shekels. Participants will receive refreshments before and during the journey. A special "Kvitel" (petition list) will be placed at Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's tomb during the upcoming High Holy Days, containing the names of all Etkanshu members for blessing and protection.

For those unable to attend in person, the entire event will be broadcast live via the Etkanshu network, allowing remote participants to join in prayer. Organizers emphasize the spiritual significance of this moment as a critical opportunity to fortify the Torah world through collective prayer and devotion, hoping for the annulment of decrees and salvation for all Torah learners in the Holy Land.