JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In 1910 the people of Brisk in Lithuania faced a cholera epidemic and turned to their leader, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, for advice on how to cope with the epidemic and how they should behave with regard to halacha. Rav Chaim’s advice was immortalized in a newspaper article which was discovered by Rav Shimon Meller who has recently written a two-volume biography of Rav Chaim. Rav Meller showed the article to Rav Chaim’s only living grandson, Rav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, who was visibly moved.
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The article describes how the “plague” of cholera had spread in various places over the last six weeks, but “due to the kindness of Hahsem and the efforts by members of our city it did not cause havoc here like in many other places and even though there are not a few people sick in our city, only a small proportion passed away.”
The article praises the community for establishing a 24-hour emergency service which provided immediate attention and medicine to those who fell sick. The local Bikkur Cholim society had the expertise and knowledge to provide succor and medical aid to “all corners of the city” when the hospital became overloaded with cholera sufferers.
Rav Chaim, who was known for his stringency in preserving lives, ruled that the community should have hot water prepared by gentiles on Shabbat and place the food there, rather than putting their own Cholent from before Shabbos, which he obviously felt could become contaminated overnight. He also issued declarations before the fast of 17th of Tamuz that “no person should dare fast on the fast day and no person should leave his house without eating.” Most people followed the rabbi’s ruling.
Rav Chaim also ruled prior to Tisha Be’Av that people should not fast and that those who need to should eat already “at night after Kinos”. People should not fast even if the epidemic had died down, since it could easily break out a second time.
Rav Chaim also prohibited the custom of performing a wedding for orphans in the cemetery in an attempt to stop the plague, and ruled that the couple should get married in the synagogue courtyard as is customary.
Ay Yay Yay, Der hailiga reb dovid shlita, the last son alive of the great brisker rav, may he be gezunt until 120
Interesting.
I wonder if he documented it in any Sefer
L’mayseh.
Yes Porch minyanim or not according to Reb Chayim ZTL?
Yes 6 ft apart or not according to Reb Chayim ZTL?
Yes Masks or not according to Reb Chayim ZTL?
Yes staying home or not according to Reb Chayim ZTL?
Yes learning in shul or Yeshiva vs. Home or not according to Reb Chayim ZTL?
What did we get L’mayseh from this 1910 article other then impressing Reb Dovid Shlit’a?
What you get l’mayseh is that rabonim made unusual restrictions (not fasting on Tisha B’av) and people listened. So because this is a different magaiyfa with different issues, just listen to the rabonim!
Every normal person has his own Rav. You follow what he says. Mine says safe backyard minyanim are okay. If someone has to paskin based on articles he reads on the internet, oach un vai.
Bottom line, is a little kabolas ol, accepting the psak of a rov, and not being an oiberchochom. If there is even a slight possibility of transfer of this killer to another person, than pikuach nefesh takes precedence over davening bzibbur
Come on, people, we can do this!
Let’s get something VERY clear:
Reb Chaim was matir for a GOY, yes a GOOOOOYYY, to make the cholent on Shabbos morning. NEVER EVER DID HE, or WOULD he be matir for a Jew to cook anything on Shabbos unless it is a DIRCET & IMPLICIT Pikuach Nefesh. Even though it is well known that Reb Chaim and all REAL Briskehs are very very maikel in Pikuach Nefesh – or like the Briskeh would say: …Very aMachmir on Pikuach Nefesh…
mistake in the report.
if you read the hebrew , it says that he permitted the nochri to make “chamin” which means hot water, like the shuls had ready every day and night. and that “cholent” was not to be had for six weeks.
having the goy make cholent would have been a isur of bishul akum. i wonder what the reaction would be if today some were to assur cholent on shabos because of corona?