Interesting Psak: asking mechila or calling the police

Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein, rav of Ramat Elchonon neighborhood of Bnei Braq, pasked today was asked by someone who screamed at someone else for not wearing his mask properly in shul if he needs to ask forgiveness. He explained that in his shul some wear properly and some dont wear masks at all - someone not wearing a mask sat near him and he screamed at the person and told him to move away and not get close to him, and he screamed out at the others asking how many people need to die before you start being careful??

The person asking says that after the incident someone came over to him and told him he must ask mechila from that person and he should not have screamed at him. So he is asking the rav if he needs to ask mechila or if he was ok with his harsh criticism.

Rav Zilbershtein paskened that someone who told off another person harshly for not wearing a mask does not need to ask his forgiveness before Yom Kippur. Not only that but he should have called the police on this person. He actually said that what you did was somewhat incorrect - you were wrong for not calling the police. He quoted Rav Akiva Eiger who said that screaming at people doesn't help and the police must be called.

Rav Zilbershtein also said it would be a great sin to ask this person for forgiveness.

source: Kikar

All throughout this pandemic, Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein has probably been the rav to take the strongest stance on following the guidelines completely and even more than required.

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