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Dec 8, 2020
Interesting Psak: keep the windows open, despite the cold
There is always an argument, in offices, in shuls, in yeshivas, in homes, what to do about keeping the windows open or closed in the winter. If some people are warm and others are cold. There are similar arguments in the summer, about air conditioning, about the level of the thermostat, fans, etc as well, but the winter arguments are usually worse. People (in the yeshiva world) always quote a Choafetz Chaim about what to do in such situations, and somehow the issue gets resolved, often not satisfactorily to everyone.
Some avreichim asked Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein, rav of Ramat Elchonon neighborhood of Bnei Braq, what to do about the windows in shuls and yeshivas/kollelim. People are cold if the windows are left open, but the Ministry of Health guidelines require all windows left open in indoor gatherings such as shuls and whatnot. So, if people are cold, can the windows be shut?
Rav Zilbershtein paskened that we are in an emergency situation and even in the winter all windows should be left open, in order to prevent a situation of pikuach nefesh. While normally in the winter if the cold bothers someone the rule is to close the windows, this does not apply during a pandemic. If someone is cold, he should buy a personal heater, and has no right to demand the window be closed.
The only issue with this might be that shuls and yeshivas generally have very few electrical outlets available in the beis medrash. If a few people want to bring personal heaters from home, they likely wont have enough electrical spots to plug them in to. And, even the ones they have are not necessarily going to be placed near enough to where the relevant person is sitting. So I am not sure how this is much of a solution. Perhaps the batei medrash should install wall units or central systems, if they don't already have, and if they have them but are reluctant to use them, this might be a good time to use it anyway despite the cost.
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