11 Mar Coronavirus (Part 1)
The coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, has been occupying much of our thoughts of late. I’d like to share with you, my dear readers, some of my musings about this scary subject.
I’ve noticed an acute difference in the reactions of people, depending upon whether or not they have a smartphone. Those who do are bombarded every minute by new and mostly grim updates such as “Italy is quarantining 16 million people,” “Israel cancels El Al flight from New York,” “New deadly mutation of the coronavirus appears,” “A dog has the coronavirus,” “Israel closes its borders with Egypt,” and the list just goes on and on and increases every few minutes. Those with a smartphone experience a constant erosion of doom that seeps into their very pores. On the other hand, those who don’t have smartphones are mostly living their lives as normal, and are surprised at the alarm and fright on others’ faces. They’ll likely say, “It’s just like the flu, right? What’s all the hype?”
Now, the reality is somewhere in the middle of these two reactions. It is important to realize the corrosive effect that such a regular bombardment of doom and gloom can have on a person’s psyche. It’s especially important to be aware of this when a child has a smartphone and starts having nightmares or starts exhibiting signs of panic or depression. It is probably advisable to limit one’s viewing of these bulletins to just once or twice daily.
On a second front, we are losing some of our liberties due to this virus. Following the lead of the CDC, Hatzoloh, and many rabbis who are more senior than I, I got up to the pulpit on Shabbos and said that although I’m almost a rabbi for four decades, I never thought I’d have to make an announcement that people should desist from shaking each other’s hands. The personal connection of a “Good Shabbos” and “Shalom Aleichem” is a big part of the shul experience. As a talmid of Rav Moshe, zt”l, zy”a, I remember how he wouldn’t simply shake your hand but would rather take your hand in his two hands and hug it. Sadly, for the immediate future, we will have to abstain from this pleasure. Instead, we will have to replace it with a deeper smile and a more meaningful saying of “Good Shabbos.” I also said that desisting from shaking hands alone is a mere token gesture. If we are all going to use the same tissue boxes and not wash our hands with soap regularly, we’re not going to accomplish much. The vigilance in personal hygiene with a mind towards the fulfillment of v’nishmartem meod es nafshoseichem, to guard very diligently your life, has taken on new meaning.
Here’s another thought. The phrase, “It’s good to be young,” has never been so applicable. The virus seems to be excusing the youth. Eretz Yisroel has drafted teenagers to help in sanitizing the Light Rail system. This gives our younger population a tremendous opportunity at chesed and bikur cholim. They can become the personal shoppers for those who are quarantined. They can offer all kinds of services to the elderly and the immune-compromised who cannot so safely mingle with the masses. It is a goldmine of opportunity. Remember that the Gemora in Masechtas Nedarim tells us that for helping the sick one is saved from Gehenom and from suffering, and one is promised good friends, and one is granted that people will be honored to be in their presence.
I have many more thoughts to share with my my readers. In the meantime, don’t forget to pray with kavanah, learn Torah, give tzedakah and do teshuvah. In that merit, may we all be protected from this disease. May those who are ill recover, and may Hashem bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.