05 May Coronavirus (Part 9)

During this pandemic we are experiencing a very i n t e r e s t i n g challenge in avodas Hashem, the proper serving of the Almighty. Throughout the ages, davening with a minyan was something we proudly and bravely did even at the risk of life and limb. Thus, we had underground minyanim in the face of the Inquisition, daringly risking the likelihood of torture and the real possibility of being burned at the stake. Behind the Iron Curtain in Russia, daring Jews dodged the NKVD and then the KGB, y’mach shmam v’zichram, to daven with minyan, risking the terrible fate of Siberia. More recently, inhabitants of Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen, Dachau and Treblinka put their lives on the line to grab a Kaddish and Kedushah in the face of the murderous Gestapo, y’mach shmam v’zichram. And so it has been throughout the ages. It is in our very DNA to valiantly and staunchly risk everything to congregate together in order to talk to Hashem. Our national psyche understands that especially in times of danger we needed the power of, “Dirshu Hashem b’himatza’oh – Seek out Hashem where he can be found,” which the Gemora explains is for an individual during the Ten Days of Repentance, and at all times with a minyan! Then comes COVID-19 and we have to make a huge adjustment in our behavior from that which we practiced over the millennia. Not only is it not an act of bravery to pray in a minyan – rather, it can be an aveira, a sin of endangering our health. Furthermore, we can be causing, chas v’shalom, the death of others. Even more so, davening with a minyan can result in a severe chilul Hashem, a desecration of Hashem’s name. It’s also important to bear in mind that the grave sin of chilul Hashem (which we are taught is so heinous that even Yom Kippur, tshuvah, and suffering is not enough to rectify), has never been so criminal for in today’s media sensitive environment, a mistake committed can go viral and generate a chilul Hashem all over the world. Hopefully soon, at least for the youth, some restrictions will be lifted and many will be able to enjoy an amein, y’hay shmei rabba, a kedushah, and the sweet melody of krias HaTorah (perhaps even hearing the leining of eight parshiyos in one sitting!). But the “adjusting dynamic” which I just discussed is one that actually is part of spiritual maturity in other areas of our life. Take for example the Bais Yaakov girl who has been taught rigorous tznius, modesty, all her life and has to make an almost 360 degree adjustment when it comes to interacting with her husband. Or the yeshiva bachur who has had a zero-tolerance attitude to interacting with the other gender, but when dating has to make a huge adjustment in his approach. The masmid, diligent student, who chafes at minutes wasted in learning, now has to show eagerness to listen to his wife’s sometimes trivial conversations. Consider the dedicated parent who loyally watched over her young child’s development, sternly rebuking any religious transgression. The same parent has to adroitly adjust to strategic silence when it comes to picking their battles gingerly or risk rebellion and repercussions with a teenager. The mother who, for the first twenty-five years of her dear son’s life, was the only woman in his life (besides “pesky” sisters). Now, this same mother has to adjust to diplomatically taking a very back seat to a much younger and often less mature daughter in-law. The empty nesters who for the first thirty to forty years of their marriage had very little alone time outside of the bedroom, now have to adjust to many long stretches of hours where it’s just the two of them. The Corona era has also confronted us with such major adjustments. Husbands who rarely witnessed their wife during the weekdays are now together with them on a daily basis for the first time. A wife is not used to having her mate under foot twenty-four seven and parents have been suddenly tasked with full-time care of a full brood of children. It behooves us, whenever we are confronted with such adjustments, to redouble our concentration when we pray, “Chaneinu mei’itcha dei’ah, bina, v’haskeil,” please, Hashem, grace us with knowledge, intuition, and intellect. Also we should increase our attention in the supplications we say the prayers of Sim Shalo-m, grant us peace, and Shalo-m Rav, give us abundant peace. We should realize that these adjustments are really the greatest growth opportunities. May we navigate these challenges successfully and in that merit be blessed with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.