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| COVID testing facility in Uman (Jewish Press) |
Over one hundred Israelis returning home from the Ukraine after the Rosh Hashanah holiday entered the country while carrying the novel coronavirus, after having obtained falsified negative COVID tests, authorities said Friday morning.
What these Chasidim did makes what happened in Melbourne seem benign by comparison. These Breslovers were interested only in going back home no matter what it took. If they had the virus – they would find a way to hide it. What better way to do that than to falsify COVID tests that ‘proved’ they were negative?!
Now as I’ve said many times, this type of behavior is appalling to most Chasidim. Who are as honest and ethical as anyone else. The problem is that things like this seem to keep happening mostly in the world of Chasidim.
Every time I read a story like this it reinforces my view that there is something in the overall Chasidic culture that allows it to happen. Those that did this apparently feel they did nothing wrong. When it comes to the outside world – all is fair. Because they see them all as their enemies who are out to get them. Making them all legitimate targets for fraud when it suits them. They apparently feel they have no ethical responsibility to the outside world. So that they can do what they did with a clear conscience.
In the current case, however, it goes beyond just fooling the authorities. They are harming their own people. The only explanation for a clear conscience about that is they simply do not trust medical advice given by the outside world. That medical experts lie for their own nefarious reasons and that no one would get hurt because of a little virus they carried with them on a airplane.
It should be noted that these Breslovers probably consider themselves quite devout. Which is the reason they leave their families behind and travel to the Ukrainian town of Uman during Rosh Hashanah. Their founding (and only) Chasidic Rebbe, Nachman of Breslov - was buried there over 200 years ago.
Before his death (at age 38) Rebbe Nachman directed his Chasidim to make a pilgrimage to Uman every Rosh Hashanah whereupon they would receive his blessing posthumously – just as they did every Rosh Hashanah when he was alive. They have been doing it ever since. In recent years tens of thousands of devout Breslover Chasidim show up in Uman for that purpose. Apparently the pandemic hasn’t stopped them. This event has becomes so popular that even non Breslovers from all over the world go there just to see what it’s all about. One fellow I know said he loved it and was inspired by it. And he will probably go back next year!
(Certainly the non Jewish citizens of Uman love it. Although in each of their souls beats the heart of an antisemite, they love the money this event generates for the town’s economy. It may very well be their biggest source of income of the year. But I digress.)
Now I have no particular quarrel with the teachings of Rebbe Nachman. Much of it is very sound advice for anyone. The point here is not about his teachings. It is about the ‘mystical’ side of his Chasidus that preaches visiting his grave during the holiest time of year. As though his posthumous blessing outweighs any prayer one might have anywhere else in the world. Including at the Kotel in Jerusalem. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are a lot more visitors to Uman on Rosh Hashanah than there are at the Kotel on the same day.
Those who do this are obviously quite devout. Among them this year were the over 100 Breslover Chasidm that perpetrated this fraud. How they reconcile that with their devout dedication to their Rebbe is beyond me. Except to say that they do not consider what they did wrong ala their attitude towards the outside world.
Curiously, Breslov is into big time outreach to fellow secular Jews. They have been quite successful at it. Creating a near cult flowing among many formerly secular Jews. They even have a ‘battle cry’ - Na Nach Nachman MeUman. Which one can see scribbled as graffiti all over Israel.
I’m sure that most Breslover Chasidim are as appalled about what happened as I am. Perhaps they should think about why some of their devout felt no conscience about it - and try to fix it by changing how they see the outside world.
In the meantime Israeli authorities caught these people. The Jewish Press reports that they will be prosecuted for fraud and quarantined for 10 days in their own homes or in a hotel. In my view that is not enough. They should be quarantined for those 10 days in a maximum security prison along with inmates that have COVID. That might have a salutary impact on them… and anyone else that might try something like this in the future.