Even before the "real crowds" arrive, Meron is bustling. Inside the tombs, the men's and women's sections are filled with people praying. They are NOT -- as could be misconstrued -- praying TO the sages (as Catholics may pray to a saint), but rather to God, in the hopes that the zechut (merit) of the tzaddik (righteous person) will aid in the reception of their prayers.

This photo was taken early in the day, BEFORE the crowds arrived. Four times this number of people pack themselves into the tiny room which is the closest accessible point to the actual burial site.

Meron quickly assumes a festive atmosphere quite unlike any other. In the woods around the town, campsites are filled with mainly Sephardic Jews. Some tents have televisions, electricity and running water. The frangrance of roasting shish-kebab wafts upwards toward the tombs. Some have the custom to make a seudat hodayah (thanksgiving meal) and to slaughter a lamb and roast it. Further up the road, there is a makeshift butcher station that provides kosher slaughter in accordance with Biblical commandments.

The crowds are mixed. Hassidim and Sephardim (both of which are more involved with the study of mystical texts than the general population) make up the bulk of the visitors, but there are Jews of all other types and even curious tourists. For some, this is a deeply spiritual event, where the symbolism of the bonfires will be seen against the deeper context of Judaism's mystical traditions, which they have been studying. Some come to experience the unity of thousands of Jews dancing, singing and praying together. And for others, Lag Ba'Omer is just a fun place to hang out and drink in the energy.

Hours before sunset, people line up along the edge of roof to get a good view of the lighting of the pyre. These boys are Boyaner Hassidim, one of the Hassidic groups in good attendance in Meron on Lag B'Omer. Some people save their leftover olive oil from Chanukah to burn the pyre at Meron. The bags on this pyre are full of clothing which will be burned.

It is now nightfall and the pyre has been lit. The music is loud and the crowd sings along. These people are looking at their Rebbe, the Rebbe of Boyan, who watches the flames from the rooftop above them. It is almost impossible to move except as one body. The floodlights and loudspeakers run through the night and the people dance until dawn.

Many return to their hometowns the next day. Others remain in Meron, resting from their exertions and breathing the clean mountain air. Within a few days after the event, the crowds are gone, the stands have been taken down, and even most of the refuse left behind has been cleaned up. Just a lingering smell of smoke remains as a witness that another Lag B'Omer has gone by.