WOODMERE, N.Y. (JTA/Rabbi Hershel Billet) – As an Orthodox Jew and an ordained rabbi, I am fully aware that the Torah and CHAZAL/Rishonim/Achronim/Halacha mandate that we pray every day. Ideally, praying with a quorum of ten men, at a minyan in a synagogue is the better way to do the “service of the heart.” From my perspective the Halacha is unequivocal and we are duty-bound to accept it in both theory and practice.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The inability to pray with a minyan has been a painful consequence of this pandemic for many Orthodox Jews. And the desire to have a minyan three times daily, in any venue, is a genuine yearning of the soul for Orthodox Jews.
In the best of all possible worlds, in the worst of all possible circumstances, a deceased Jew deserves a eulogy in front of his family, friends and fellow community members. The deceased deserves a quorum at the cemetery to do the burial and to enable sons, daughters (if they choose), or in the absence of children, someone else, to say Kaddish at the grave.
The mourners merit a week of Shiva with a minyan in their home and the opportunity to say Kaddish. The mourners and those outside the immediate family deserve the opportunity to share in the grief and to offer consolation by means of a personal visit. And the mourners deserve an available minyan to say Kaddish daily after the Shiva.
The pandemic has denied everyone these opportunities. The deceased has suffered the worst fate. The families of the deceased have suffered terribly over the loss itself and by being deprived of a normal Shiva week. Consolation visits have been by telephone or by Zoom. Kaddish has not been said except by designating some stranger far away to serve as a second-string substitute. Feelings of guilt are present in large doses.
I believe that Halacha applauds both mourners, communities and Shuls for their conduct over the last few months. Those who have endured and made disciplined but painful choices are courageous heroes!
We must understand the complex reality of human beings in an imperfect but real world. Rav Yochanan ben Zakkai instructed his five great students to “GO OUT and SEE a good path to follow and a bad path to avoid.” Why should five of the greatest Rabbis of the Mishnah have to “Go OUT and see”? Why not tell them to “Go IN and see”? Doesn’t the Bais Midrash contain all of the answers inside its sacred walls? The answer is that perhaps the Bais Midrash alone is insufficient if the Torah is to be a living Torah! Perhaps the lessons of the Bais Midrash must be applied in a practical way to the realities of an imperfect world.
A choice had to be made between observing our religious “normal” and adjusting in a safe way to our coronavirus infected world. What is a valid halachic determination as to how to conduct ourselves? On the one hand, we could choose to change nothing and continue to function as we always have. The downside of that choice is to put ourselves in a clear and present danger of getting sick and dying.
Jewish law is clear that danger to life takes precedence over everything else except for three unusual circumstances. The sanctity of life supersedes all religious obligations. Indeed, protecting the sanctity of life is the overriding choice of Halacha. Hence the social distancing and all sanitary guidelines that we have been following is the expectation of Jewish law. That means no communal prayer services. That means no normal funeral services. That means no Kaddish. That means no Shiva visits. This determination is absolute and irrefutable.
But in the days of social media, rabbinic authority goes as far as the choice to agree with the Rabbis or not. If one feels the Rabbis are wrong, then one chooses to do as he wishes. Hence, wherever the government has not forbidden it, one goes ahead and creates a religious service that does not comply with community standards. You implore mourners to come and say Kaddish. You find a Rabbi who agrees with you and who is willing to break the communal unity and norm. That is what has happened both in our community and in other places all over the world.
In my view, the services that have been conducted to date in defiance of the community are worthless. They are a violation of Jewish law. The Kaddish is of no value. It does not honor the soul of the deceased.
Some rabbis and attendees at these services are well meaning but misguided. Others use the cover of piety. From their perspective, they see themselves as wiser than the community. The Talmud has a term for that. It is called ‘yuhara’, hubris. They say that they are praying for the community and saving everyone from a terrible disaster. They have done a very poor job. Just look at the numbers of sick and deceased people.
One of the reasons we say Kaddish is to restore the image of God that has been diminished by the loss of a human being who was created in His image. A British Rabbi said that by not saying Kaddish for his father at a religious service, he felt that he was honoring his father and was restoring the image of God by virtue of his compliance with communal rules. All of those people who have conformed to the rules of not attending services indoors or outdoors have honored the memory of their parents. Going to an illegal service and saying Kaddish would disgrace that memory.
Now we come to a new situation. There is no question that things have gotten slightly better. There is no question that there are ways that safe services can take place. But once we loosen our current standards, chaos will ensue. It is human nature to seek a social environment. Many unsupervised social gatherings (Kiddushes, invitations to meals in someone else’s home) will transpire. Safe standards will be dropped. The possibility is that nothing will happen. So why not take a chance?
The alternative possibility is that one person will get sick and one person will die. Who will it be? Is relaxing our standards of caution worth the risk of the loss of even one life? To my mind, that is called, ‘safek pikuach nefesh’, a possible risk of human life. Jewish law is very clear that for a circumstance like this, it is forbidden to take a chance.
There is always the possibility that the worst has passed and with the arrival of warm weather, the virus will disappear forever. But there is also the possibility that there will be a resurgence. And there is the possibility that the resurgence will be so bad that it will not only afflict people who were not sick this time around, but also those who were sick and felt a sense of immunity. Do we take a chance? Governments are under tremendous pressure to relax standards. And they are doing that! But the jury is still out.
We have no control over what the government does. But we do have control over what we do. My view is: in the meantime, we should maintain the restrictions. I know it is painful. But I also believe that the more pain we suffer now, the better off we will be in the future, for a long period of time. Life might even return to normal without having to suffer the consequences of a resurgence of the disease.
Let us be disciplined. Most of us are well. Let’s stay well. Let’s hope and pray those who are not well recover quickly and completely. Pray at home. No Kaddish yet. Make Shiva calls by phone or zoom. See the light at end of the tunnel. Be hopeful. We shall overcome.
I wish to clarify that I wrote the letter today because there have been many minyanim in the Five Towns in violation of our community standards which are based on both medical advice and our halachic authorities and the halachic authority of others.
I refer only to the past. It has always been possible to create a religious service that was safe. But we did not do it because our doctors and religious authorities thought that it could lead to unsupervised violations of medical advice. That could lead to a spread of disease. This was the universal position of almost the entire Orthodox Jewish community.
The violations that I referred to are ones that have occurred to date.
Some mourners have felt particularly bad about obeying our standards and having to give up saying Kaddish for their loved ones. Avoiding one of those minyanim took a lot of courage.
Going forward, our doctors and religious authorities are of the opinion that at present, things must remain the same for us.
But you will also see that in some communities standards are going to be gradually relaxed sooner than we will do it. As long as they function with their religious authorities and good medical advice, I have nothing bad to say about them. From their perspective they are behaving responsibly. Everyone has the right to follow responsible halachic advice that coincides with responsible medicine.
From my perspective, I wish that the OU/RCA standards and the forthcoming Agudah standards will be the same. But if they differ, we will continue to rely on our doctors and poskim who are one and the same with the OU/RCA doctors and poskim.
Rabbi Hershel Billet serves as the Rabbi of the Young Israel of Woodmere, New York and is a past President of the Rabbinical Council of America. He is a leading activist on behalf of numerous Israeli causes and a popular lecturer for the Genesis Foundation. Under its aegis, he has conducted classes with Jewish members of Congress, professionals and college students. Rabbi Billet speaks widely on issues regarding contemporary halacha and the Jewish community.
I’ve heard that Houston minyanim have restarted during the week in the parking lot with a lot of space in between.
What is the case in the 5 towns?
What you are unaware is that in some Yiddish neighborhood’s were almost everbody had the virus before pesach , and the shulls are opening up one after another since the second day’s Yom tov, and the numbers of infected people are declining more than 20 days in a row. The only 2 reasons not to daven with minyen is 1) if you are above 60 OR have any health issues and you don’t have antibodies. 2) if you believe the NYS government that didn’t do Anything right this pandemic.
With all due respect, please worry about YOUR OWN kehilla. Let the other rabonim worry an about theirs.
So we have an article posted by Larry and Moe. Waiting for Curly’s and if we’re truly blessed, we’ll have one from Shemp as well.
As Rabbi Billet clearly writes “ as long as they function with their religious authorities and good medical advice, I have nothing bad to say about them”. Rabbi Billet you hit it on the nail. That’s why the title of this letter and the way the letter is written is misleading. You should have started your letter right away addressing your own community. Your congregants. Every yid that has a Rov and his following his advice has the right to daven with a minyan, as king as he is following all his Rov’s Guidelines. I happen to daven with an outdoor minyan (not in the five towns) with a respected Rav. The minyan takes place outdoors and there is a Gabbai who is in charge of making sure no one gets closer than 8 feet.
Therefore the title of this letter is misleading as since there are minyanim sanctioned by her ehrliche Rabbonim and maybe even those minyanim in the five towns asked a shaila just not to Rabbi Billet?
While I do not dispute the contents of this letter I have to wonder about the future.
There many who were not regulars at minyan, but once pushed to go to shul regularly because of the kaddish, stay regulars. How many of these opportunities will be lost?
How many who have always been regulars, now having so often davened at home, will in the future find it easier to find an excuse not to go to shul?
How are our children being trained by being told that davening at home is also ok?
For many older members of our community, going to shul was their main social outlet; how are they coping mentally with being locked up at home with no social life? We cannot separate mental health with the physical help especially of the elderly. When i read that the over 65 will not be allowed in the beginning to go to shul, I cringe.
Why is NOBODY talking about the need for the medically impaired and elderly to stay totally quarantined ?
Because if they wud stay totally and unequivocally quarantined (with no relaxation in the quarantine chumros whatsoever) then 90% of the health issue would be gone.
Its a fact (chronicled in the NY Times) that more than 95% of hospitalizations in NYC were people with other health issues (Asthma, Obese, Diabetes etc) and if these people were quarantined well enough many people could have been saved.
And the chances of people tested to have anti-bodies to be able to transmit the virus to another person the sofek of a person infecting another person to the extent of it being nefoshos is very small and a tiny chance.
And especially in our communities where more than 90% of people already had the virus and then probaly cannot transmit the makes the possibility even lower.
Dead wrong. Sorry. In places like Lakewood where there hasn’t been a new corona case on a month There’s no reason not to start opening. Safek Pikuach Nefesh is also a Halacha that has guidelines and for the rabbonim to decide how far it goes. Problem is that the rabbonim are not deciding this. The politicians and by extension the doctors are making all the decisions here. Hence totally invalid. השיבה שופטינו כבראשונה
I’m not criticizing here, but I have a genuine question. What makes him the And the rabbis who agree with him the “community” and the rabbis who attend/approve social distance minyanim be the ones going against the “community”? Maybe it’s the other way around?
Rabbi Akiva Eiger in his famous letter re the cholera outbreak (where in a town of 25,000 more than 5,000 people died) says that one can daven on a minyan with up to 15 people and they should keep at a distance from one another.
The whole social distancing thing is a theory and no-one knows if it works. Delaying the virus is a experiment at best. Because eventually everyone has to come out of their hole and out of their homes and will catch the virus then.
In our communities most of us had it in our bodies before Gov Cuomo decided to close us down so the social distancing hasn’t made a difference either way.
Yes the elderly must stay home for a longn long time to go ! But the rest of us ?
Rabbi Akiva Eiger in that famous letter also says to do all the takonos needed with simcha and benachas …
Why dont I see on VIN a letter of chizuk for an oilam that really needs chizuk ?
Why do we see only rules & regulations from the Rabbis and not simcha whilst we are still breathing ? Why do we panic people when only a tiny percentage if people got really, sick people died ? Yes every death is terrible but panic and frightening healthy, normal people ?
Rabbi Bullet,
I appreciate your input, however you are not a Ruv of all of klal yisroel…. I have a feeling that you are not even a Rabbi that has a word on his own kehileh… Frankly the life style of the 5towns, all year, is a chillul Hashem to the rest of klal yisroel.
I understand that to close down your shuls, was a win win situation,. From your perspective, the men won’t talk all thru davening, and get drunk like a skunk…. and the women won’t come on shabbat, dressed to the nines like prostitutes to have every man look and flirt with her.. The men are ok, so that they can pray in pajamas and be done in 5 minutes
We look at davening with a different perspective!!
kudos to rabbi billet for spelling out the issues. i wish more rabbonim would weigh in on this matter.
I hate being nasty, but some things have to be said. Just keep in mind that I can guess that in this Rabbi’s synagogue they only have Kadish Sayers by weekday Mincha – Mariv. No real feelings for Minyan…
We all know that in most heavy populated Chareidy communities, more than 50% of healthy people already had the virus. There is no Halachic reason preventing them from Davening with Minyan. We don’t ban fasting Yom Kippur because some old people may fast. We ban the ones at risk. And, No!, you cannot get virus again! Don’t believe Media fear-mongering. If having the virus doesn’t make you immune, no vaccine will ever help. There is no reason to suspect that this virus is different then all other viruses in this regard.
Sorry Rabbi, but you lost me as soon as you wrote that daughters can say kaddish.
I am aware that one can find such concurring opinions but that is simply not the accepted frum norm.
Indeed, the frum world (excluding the breakaway modorox factions) strongly opposes such a practice, including issue of kol isha and pandering to feminist.
Therefore, halachic proclamations or views from sympathizers of mod-orthodox are given zero consideration and have the same value as so-called “halacha” of the Conservative Movement.
I didn’t read through this article I just looked on the headlines and did read the comments
My position in this is, everyone is entitled to have an opinion, we live in a free country, but for me to take it into consideration I first check does this opinion person MAKPID all year round to Daven with Minyan 3 times a day 7 days a week 365 days a year, and is willing to consider to spend a few dollars more on airfare to be able to Daven with Minyan Such a person his opinion talks to me and if he gets to the conclusion that in these days you shouldn’t Daven with Minyan that’s an opinion for me to consider
But I see that most opposers and Mussar givers are the ones who aren’t MAKPID all year for Minyan or Mikveh so it’s really hard for me to even look on their opinion VDAI LEMYVIN
A little background:
Since the beginning of this crisis the Aguda type Rabonim were trying to act b’achdus and be on the same page as all the Young Israel Rabbis. They wanted a unified voice coming out of the Five Towns Far Rockaway area.
The Rabonim on the right did everything they can to please this writer. They conferenced together, signed papers together all in the act of maintaining shalom and achdus.
However, it came to a point where this Rabbi would not budge. It’s his way or it’s no way. He has posted that any Rabbi who disagrees with him is not worthy to be a Rabbi. In the beginning of this letter he writes “Some rabbis and attendees at these services are well meaning but misguided.” He was referring to some extremely choshuv Rabonim on the right who would not go along with him. After he was called out on it, he added the second part of this letter to try to fix the first part
This letter is a result of a unified voice of many Rabonim in the Five Towns he permitting outdoor minyonim with very strict rules and regulations. These Rabonim did this with consultation of their Doctors and professionals, and direct contact with the Governor of New York.
Rabbi Billet is upset that many verry prominent Rabonim are no longer bowing to his demands, and they are not sticking to the advise of his doctor, Dr. Glatt. Ity also ahppens to be that many Rabonim have been hosting private safe and legal minyonim for a while already and never listened to this Rabbi from the start.
This Rabbi will not stop putting pressure and threatening anybody who does not go along with his anti minyan agenda. He is a leftists liberal on an anti-minyan campaign. This is not exclusive to the Five Towns. He also wrote very strongly against the Lakewood Rabonim and Roshei Hayeshiva for allowing porch minyanim.
Let this Rabbi worry about his own Kehila. There is a lot of work to do there. The right will never go along with him on most issues, and they probably regret now ever trying.
STOP YOUR CAMPAIGN AND STOP THE PRESSURE!! This is not l’shem Sdhomayim
P.S. The Five Towns Covid situation is much better than Lakewood and Brooklyn. They got Covid early and there have been almost no new cases at all recently.
This was written and circulated in the Five Towns as a response to this letter:
I would like to make some points in response to the letter of Rabbi Billet.
This should not be taken in any way as being disrespectful, but as an Infectious Disease
physician who has been involved in the care of hundreds of patients with Covid 19, I
would like to share my perspective.
1. I suppose that Rabbi Billet is relying on medical authorities for some of his
statements. I am concerned that he may not have the true picture of the situation. He
states, “things have gotten slightly better.” From my vantage point, things have gotten
dramatically better. The difference between now and two months ago is night and day.
Two months ago, new infections raged through the frum Jewish community like a tidal
wave. Today, I do not hear about any new cases in any of our frum communities
although, I admit I cannot be sure that there are not a few. I have spoken to Hatzalah
members who say that the calls have gone back to “preCovid” numbers. Even outside
communities which had their “tidal wave,” a month ago or more, now have very few
cases. I work at Einstein. The emergency room is nearly empty. Six weeks ago it was
flooded with Covid 19 patients. I have spoken to physicians in other hospitals who share
this experience. I know it may be true that there are areas that are experiencing their
“tidal wave” now, but so far none of these have had any impact on the frum community.
Some have quoted the death figures to show how things are still bad. However,
generally the deaths that are occurring currently are in patients who have been sick for
weeks. This does not reflect on the current disease activity.
2. Rabbi Billet concedes that “there is no question that there are ways that safe services
can take place.” He then says that “once we loosen our current standards, chaos will
ensue.”… Many unsupervised social gatherings will transpire.”
If 95% of the community complies and 5% don’t, I do not think that the 95% should be
deprived of participating in safe services, that Rabbi Billet concedes are possible. For
the 5% who take risks, that is their issue and the entire community should not be
deprived. I do not think that community leaders should feel responsibility for those who
defy the regulations and take their own risk.
3. “There is always the possibility that the worst has passed and with the arrival of warm
weather, the virus will disappear forever.” . We do not have to look into the future for
any reason to be optimistic. Right now, the situation is dramatically better than it was
two months ago. We do not have to count on the virus disappearing forever to have
safe services now. With regard for the possibility that there will be a resurgence, there
may not be. Based on that argument, even if things are as they are now, we should wait
for at least a year to see if there is a resurgence. If there is, we would have to deal with
the new situation. I do not think that having safe services will cause a new resurgence.
4. With regard to those having been sick feeling a sense of immunity, I am one of those,
and although it is not certain, most, infectious Disease specialists I have spoken to feel
that it is likely that someone who had the disease this season will not likely get it again
this season.
In summary, I understand everyone’s concern. Obviously, safe services can only start
when the government allows it. This can only happen when the government is also
allowing people to go back to work. Workplaces will have their guidelines to assure
safety. I am sure that our community members will go to work. Synagogues will also
have their guidelines to assure safety. Our community members should be able to go to
the synagogues, just as they go to their work.
Daniel Berman
Dr. Daniel Berman, MD is an infectious disease specialist in Bronx, NY and has been practicing for 33 years. He graduated from New York U, School of Medicine in 1982 and specializes in infectious disease medicine.
With all due respect. We have in my community stated minyan after 7 weeks. It’s safe and the right thing to do.
What? Some communities still aren’t davening with a Minyan??
Lakewood shus are talking about opening for this coming shabbos for 13 through 50 year old, excluding anyone with underlying issues or obesity
Daniel Berman could not have said it better!! If only more doctors and politicians would accept this view they would start opening up our lives let alone our shuls. I implore our leaders and doctors to apply maximum pressure and get our libtard politicians to get our society going again
I once heard from a big Tzadek, that the ראשי תיבות of Rabbi is רע בעיני השם
והמבין יבין
Someone who goes in social media to denigrate people who get psakim from social media; who says listen to the rabbanim but then disqualifies anyone who doesn’t agree with him as “well meaning but misguided, and using the cover of piety”; who equates davening with a minyan and answering kadesh to be inseparable from socializing and making a Kiddush; and who despicably writes that “people davening have done quite a poor job, judging by the amounts of disease and death”; is not someone worth publishing, and certainly not listening to. I think the irony was lost on him with he talks about yehora. Maybe it’s better for such a Rabbi that his shul is closed and he has no congregants.
Rabbi Billet hardly needs defending, by me or anyone else. Nevertheless, I need to bring to your collective attentions the very last Be’er Ha-Golah of Choshen Mishpat: And he who endangers himself repulses the will of his Creator, and wants not to serve Him nor His reward,and there is no Zilzul nor Apikursus greater than this…..
Dear Rabbi Billet
Where were YOU when the NY politicians instituted gay marriage. This corona is a result of that evil law. You say you know shas etc. look at Chullin 92B.
Then tell us heimisha yidden where you were. Why were you not firing off emails. And you can still save the day. Contact President Trump that when Judge Ginsberg leaves the bench,the replacement should be a serious anti gay judge. Until then this virus continues and we religious Jews will Daven in yards,driveways,rooftops,parks and porches with spaced out minyanim
Dr Berman is an infectious disease specialist in a hospital a bit larger than my Succah. He wrote a letter supporting a foolish and less than honest treatise by Yonassan Binyamin Goldberger prohibiting the use of the glass cylinder for Metzizah (despite Harav Shimshon Refael Hirsch, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, most Litvishe Gedolim, etc. etc etc.) Needless to say ,the local Pediatricians in Boro Park stopped Yonasson Binyomin from continuing this practice (as he was A Mohel)AFTER HE INFECTED MULTIPLE BABIES WITH HERPES. Yonasson Binyomin is now facing his judgement and Dr Berman has outdone his Apikursus.
It never ceases to amaze me how shuls with to marginalize senior in thir community by denying them entrance to shul.
This protects the seniors and provides no extra benefit to other mispallelim.
These are adults who can make their own decision. You may suggest certain people stay home but it would be discriminatory to refuse entrance without proof of infection.
Then there are those places that need proof of antibodies. Who says it means anything. They keep piling the absurd on the. Irrational.
If members are wearing masks and distancing it should be ok. If not then close the place down. If what they are afraid of is a certain laxness which may allow a compromised individual to become ill then it is very certain police yourselves better,,
It’s either good for all or good for nothing
Every rabbi should just concern themselves with their own communities. Let the Long Island And manhattan rabbis work on their congregants who don’t dress tziniyos enough or walk in public with uncovered hair. Let the Rabbis in Brooklyn deal with shul talkers. Let Rabbis in Israel deal with their issues from closing streets on Shabbos to improving the kashrut industry.
Please count up all the lashon hara which was written and read by all the people in Klal Yisroel by the comment section. Shame on all of us!
lt seems Rav Bender met and got everyone in the 5 towns to agree how the minyanim can be held
The amount of lashon hara on this forum is truly disturbing.
Instead of all these vile, vicious comments made by most of you , take out a siddur or tehillim and beg Hashem for rachamim to forgive you.
Truly truly sad…
The Amshinover Rebbe ,Rachmistrivka Rebbe ,Rav Binyomin Eisenberger,Rav Eliza Bear Wachtfogel to name a few are misguided.I think anyone who gives any credence to this Rabbi after saying those things about Gidolei Yisroel is misguided.
Shame on you sir!!!!!
Moishe…..and you should just concern yourself with your issues.you would be a lot happier with yourself and the world would be a better place
I am very sad to hear all the lashon harah and sinas chinam.Tomorrow is Lag B’omer. Haven’t we learned anything from our tumultuous history. The plague that raged in Rabbi Akiva’s community of talmidim stopped on Lag B’omer. We need achdus and derech eretz now more than ever, if we want refuah. If we want Moshiach now we should be worthy and improve our midos Bain Adam l’chaveiro.
Age is not a factor. We must realize there are rabbis in each community. And who knows if those heroic minyan goers are keeping us alive. In every generation there were Jews who sacrificed. According to modern thinking those Jews who killed their families during the crusades so that the Christians don’t convert their children would be considered murderers. And those Jews who took along their kids into gas chambers rather than them being raised by neighboring Christians as Christians would also be considered murderers. No one is saying to Daven in overcrowded shuls. But outdoor spaced minyans are safe. You see it all over Brooklyn. I never realized there are so many minyanim on each block.
BS”D
It’s called Don’t Stand Idly by the Blood of thy Brother.
95% of those who are dead from covid 19 would be alive if their doctors had used Dr. Zelenko’s protocol.
Read the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons’ report on hydroxychloroquine.
I heard a firsthand account from a survivor, it was Yom Kippur 1944 and someone told him tonight is Yom Kippur and what are we doing about it. He told the other man lets go outside, and he started to say “al das hamokom v al das hakhal …” and soon there were a few 100 men outside davening.
My question to Rabbi Billet is if you were there would you, A. told everyone not to daven with him because he was endangering the barracks. B, reported him to the guard because after all he is endangering the barracks.
My only question is – is the hate between fellow Yidden that is so clear why reading this and other posts in VIN a true picture of American Orthodoxy, or is this not a scientific sampling.
We will not listen to outsiders. We will increase our minyanim in the face of the reformers. We are not ashamed. We will stand up. We need to organized round the clock minyans.
Hi everyone, If you are all such big Gedolei Ha’Dor, Rabbonim, or whomever you purport to be with all of your “, facts, figures or opinions”, why don’t you use your real names and locations ?
If the Vast majority of Rabbonim, Rabbi’s, Dr’s and Gov’t officials say to stay home, then STAY HOME !! PEOPLE ARE DYING ,, OUR PEOPLE ARE DYING,,GREAT RABBONIM ARE DYING,, GREAT LEADERS ARE DYING,,!!
WHAT DON’T YOU PEOPLE GET ????
You’re really cares so much about minyanim. How many ”chusheve” shuls are going to end the time regulated Balabateshe minyanim with barely six mispalilim holding with shloiach tzibur so that some chayim yankel can make it on time to work. I have the answer zero.
When I say reform I mean Reform,recontructionists,conservative,conservadox and yes many modern orthodox. They should not tell authentic Jews what to do. First they in all these groups should get their wives to wear long dresses not pants and minis. Second they should not dictate what we should or should not do. Yes as Jews we risk our lives all the time. Going to Daven is top priority. Tonight here in Brooklyn we had some reformers warn us not to celebrate with fires in the street as we do every Lag Bomer. Guess what the neighborhood was ablaze. Including the suburbs of Boro park known as Flatbush. It was very impressive seeing real Jews celebrate.
At this point I just hope you clarify that you are not including Rabbi Billet with those reform type of groups. You would be very wrong.
I have an idea, since he has no issue with giving out gratuitously his opinion, I suggest that everyone who disagrees with him let him know they feel otherwise, I just sent him a email
Every normal Jew agrees with what I have to say. Learn from holocaust survivors who Daven Ed at the threat of their lives. The boy reason we are safe is because of the minyanim. Those are the prayers listen to for sure in Heaven.
I am very distressed that people are equating those not currently going to shul, with people who rarely attend. I have gone to shul, usually for all three tfillos, every single day, for 57 years. And now, upon the advice of our local Va’ad, and medical professionals, our shuls are closed. My grandchildren are learning via Zoom. Is it ideal? Of course not! But, we do what is safest.
Yesterday, we commemorated lag Ba’omer. Among the many stories told ablout Lag Ba’omer, is the story of R Shimon and his son, R Elazar, who hid in in a cave for many years. Why did they do that? To save their lives! Do you think they had a minyan in the cave?
In a few days, I will have yahrtzeit, for my mother (A’H). I will not be able to say Kaddish. But, I will Zoom a siyum on a Mesichta, and my eight year old grandson just completed his 28 Mesichta of Mishnoayot. What will be a bigger z’chus for my mother? keeping her descendants safe, and zooming some siyumim, or endangering us all, and say a kaddish?
My assumption is that you are a teen aged kid with nothing to do now. I am impressed that you consider yourself to be educated, it shows gaava, nothing else.
To put it nicely, you are not one to pasken and you do not have the qualifications to make the medical determination, which is based on understanding the health ramifications and statistics. Please stop wasting everybody’s time and go back to ranting about your other topic.
Limaskanas hasugya
כל אחד ואחד לפי רבו
ישאל לרבו ויעשה מה שהוא אמר לו
I’m not paskening. A rabbi of young Israel is kosher. We are not disputing that. It’s reform,reconstructionoist,conservative and OPEN orthodox that are NOT kosher. Period