Featured Post

Free The Hostages! Bring Them Home!

(this is a featured post and will stay at the top for the foreseeable future.. scroll down for new posts) -------------------------------...

Mar 26, 2020

I don't get it

Every day in the news, including today, there are reports of the police discovering schools still in session and breaking them up, or shuls still meeting for services and locking them up. This is true in both Israel and in the USA (and maybe other places as well, though I pay less attention to them). Yes, other gatherings as well by other types of people - same issue, whether some form of protest or prayer vigil or just lackadaisical whimsy behavior (beach goers and general entertainment).

I just do not get it. I am not going to argue about how important minyan is and if it should supersede pikuach nefesh or not. I am not going to go on a rant about people who insist on davening with a minyan in these times. But I don't get it. Do they not see what is going on around them? Do they not see people are getting sick all around, and plenty are dying?

Even if they are not concerned about being involved in the spread of the disease to other people, do they not care about themselves? Do they really think they are immune to it and can congregate and hold services or lessons together and they will just be ok, as if they know where eve other person has been and with whom they have been in contact?

I just don't get it.




------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------

6 comments:

  1. This is what happens when you conflate ritual with religion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Did you read what he wrote? People are still congregating for whatever reason is important to them, whether it is religious, political or simply amusement. The point is why is anyone still doing that in the light of the pandemic.

    With respect to religion, all Jewish leaders have stated that the government orders with respect to the virus are to be followed as halacha (Jewish law), and yet there are people flouting the rulings of their own religious leaders. That is their personal choice, not religion.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I heard an IDF rav holds daily minyin on mirpeset. If he can't follow orders why do you hope others will follow rules.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kohelet 3:5

    עֵת לַחֲבוֹק, וְעֵת לִרְחֹק מֵחַבֵּק

    Those who have lived all their lives in an עת לחבוק don't know how to live in an עת לרחק מחבק, but that is the עת we're living in currently. Adaptation is hard, but is absolutely essential for a robust nation.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ''I am not going to argue about how important minyan is and if it should supersede pikuach nefesh or not.''
    ''Even if they are not concerned about being involved in the spread of the disease to other people, do they not care about themselves?''
    Aren't these two comments a contradiction? If they believe that minyan supersedes Pikuach Nefesh then obviously they won't care about their own health. Isn't that the definition of supersede?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I dont think so. I am talking ona personal level, not a religious adherence level. I am fine with other people arguing over how important tfilla btzibuur is and how much it is or is not pikuach nefesh. On a personal level, regardkless of what you or I might decide about the importance of minyan and pikuach nefesh, if I personally know of a danger even if it might not meet the criteria of pikuach nefesh somehow, I will decide on my own nto to put myself at risk without dealing with shutting down the shul.

      Delete

Related Posts

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...