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| Something most of us haven't seen in a while (YWN) |
Off the top of my head, that people are still dying from it is obvious. Yesterday, Illinois had the highest total number of deaths from the virus to date.
Meanwhile after six weeks of this, people are getting restless. They are sick an tired of being stuck in their homes. Not being able to return to the life they once knew – before this virus hit. Not knowing when it will end. And not even knowing whether we will be able to return to an even modified version of normal. How normal will it be if we are all still wearing masks in public and continue social distancing?
What's worse is that many people who once had productive jobs that enabled them to feed their families and pay their bills - will no longer have them! A lot of businesses will not be able to survive. Some of them might be major industries. Like the airlines. Which I believe are in danger of a complete collapse
How will we be able to fly anywhere? Especially on long overseas flights. Is there even a question about the increased risk of infection from this highly contagious disease? Asymptomatic passengers may be on board that don’t even know it but are nonetheless contagious. All on board the flight will then be breathing the same recirculated virus laden air.
And even without that - passengers will not be distanced the minimum 6 feet apart tat health experts say one needs to be safe. Eliminating passengers form the middle seat will not accomplish that. Can anyone seriously consider taking an overseas flight under these conditions? Not me!
The economy may very well be on the precipice of a depression that will rival – if not surpass the Great Depression of the 1930s!
The restlessness and lack of income has caused a lot of people to angrily protest the shutdown. Some of it has been violent. Meanwhile in some cases people are being arrested for violating mandatory ‘shelter in place’ orders.
Which has brought out a terrible reaction recently in Lakewood. Onlookers yelled at the police calling them the Gestapo (among other things) as they (the police) carried an Orthodox rabbi they arrested for violating that order. What a Chilul HaShem!
And then there are some among us that are treating this pandemic lightly seemingly unfazed by the danger. They are seeking ways to make a Minyan that might be legal but not as safe as staying home. Religious services in Illinois are technically legal if there are 10 people or less in attendance, social distancing is observed, and masks are worn. 10 people is the minimum required for a Minyan. This may satisfy the law. But not so much Sofek Pikuach Nefesh issues.
Do they not realize that one person can infect 50? As was the case of a church choir where 50 people got the virus from one infected asymptomatic person back in March? Do they think it’s just not going to happen to them?
Perhaps they should speak to one member of the Orthodox community here in Chicago that got the virus at Purim event hosted by a Yeshiva. There too only one person had it and many got sick. One of whom was hospitalized and on a ventilator for a while. He is now at home and recovering. But 2 months after contracting the virus, he is still having some difficulty breathing and is very weak.
Do they really think that this is what God want’s from us right now? …to figure out how a group of self selected individuals can Daven with a Minyan to the exclusion of others? Is that the message God is sending us right now?
How selfish it is of them anyway! No one else can join them because that would violate the law. If those Minyanim are taking place outdoors, what is to stop others that see them doing it day after day – and attempting to join them? Do they have bouncers that block anyone from trying?
Contrast this with what one Shul, the Young Israel of Deerfield Beach, has done. They clearly understand the dangers and are acting accordingly: From YWN:
Apparently, some members of the Shul participated in a “rouge Minyan”, and the Rov of the Shul is taking action.
In a letter sent to the entire Shul membership, it calls out the “raw Chutzpah and dangerous Safek Pikuach Nefashos” that these individuals engaged in.
“Those individuals who participated will be stripped of any current positions in our Shul and denied any forms of Kibudim including aliyos, baalei kriah and Shiluchei Tzibur and Maggidei Shiur.”
OK. That’s a little harsh. But it shows just how serious this should be taken.
To say this entire situation is depressing is an understatement of immense proportion. But even as I contemplate what a terrible state we are all in right now, there is a very inspiring story that I will share. A true Kiddush HaShem by someone that devotes his life to relieve the suffering of others.
A Chabad Rabbi by the name of Aron Wolf founded and heads an organization that actually lives up to its name: Chicago Mitzvah Campaign. (CMC). The story involves Rabbi Micha Gruber, a fellow Musmach (rabbinic ordainee) of Rav Ahron Soloveichik and a huge Talmid Chacham. He also happens to be one of the most refined and ethical people I have ever known.
A couple of decades ago, he suffered from liver failure and received a liver transplant. However about four or so years ago complications developed that requires a grueling but lifesaving treatment. Which means a trip to the Mayo Clinic (where it is available) every 6 or 7 weeks. Because of the pandemic, he was unable to find transportation for the current cycle. From the CMC newsletter, here is the rest of the story as told by his son in law Rabbi Nosson Lederer, a former member of the Chicago Community Kollel (Lakewood) and currently an elementary school Rebbe at Chicago’s Yeshiva Tifferes Tzvi:
"My father in-law needed a vital procedure at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. But with Covid-19 quickly spreading in Ilinois and especially in Chicago, traveling by air as usual was simply out of the question. Being a post-liver transplant patient with a delicate immune system, extreme caution was needed to avoid exposure. Transport by ambulance for the long drive was also not an option, due to the fact that it involved crossing state lines and would also be very cost-prohibitive."
"We turned to Rabbi Aron Wolf, founder and head of CMC. Now, this request was for a daunting task that required four full days of assistance, so although I know Rabbi Wolf is a man who does not have the word "NO" in his vocabulary when it comes to helping others, nevertheless, at this time I fully expected a response of, "Let's see if we can do it," or "Please call me back," etc. Therefore, Rabbi Wolf's immediate reply caught me completely by surprise. "We will do it!" he exclaimed.
I quickly learned that nothing is insurmountable at CMC when it comes to a chesed. I felt that CMC had joined our team, and their only concern was how to accomplish the trip in the safest and best way possible.
About a week later, Rabbi Wolf provided one of CMC's beautiful vans and a wonderful fellow who not only drove my father in-law the six hours to Mayo Clinic and the six hours back, but also stayed with him from Sunday through Wednesday, taking care of him as if he were family.A ray of sunshine in an otherwise very dark period in our lives.