To Members of CLY from Rabbi Raichik
Along with our Tefillos, Torah learning and extra Tzedakah, as mentioned in the previous email (see below) we must follow the guidance of professionals with regard to physical precautions to protect ourselves against the coronavirus.
Many bachurim and girls are arriving home early this year from out of town due to the coronavirus. As much as we look forward to seeing them and welcoming them home, nevertheless specific steps must be taken for general safety purposes.
Everyone arriving from out of town should be under quarantine until they are tested and confirmed that they don’t have the coronavirus. Due to the fact that there have been many confirmed cases the authorities in New York have announced that everyone should consider themselves as if they have been in contact with someone that has the coronavirus.
No one should place themselves above the guidance of these qualified professionals. If they do not act in accordance with their guidelines they place not only themselves and their families at risk but the entire community as well.
Anyone who has a cold or a fever, should stay at home and shouldn’t leave without the advice of a doctor.
Wherever you go please remember to sanitize your hands and for now keep at a safe distance.
Hashem should hear our Tefillos and send a complete refuah to those who have been affected and Hashem should shield and protect everyone else from this pandemic.
Email from Friday:
Protecting Ourselves by Creating a Safe Environment
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
It's important to remember at this time in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak that everything that happens is not by chance, rather everything, including this pandemic, is from Hashem.
While it is true that we don't understand the full extent of what's going on around us or why nonetheless we have bitachon in Hashem that it will all work out well. As chassidus says and as the Rebbe often quoted the Tzemach Tzedek; “Tract Gut Es Veit Zayin Gut- Think Good and it will be Good”. It's against our emunah to frighten ourselves and others. There is no place for panic or hysteria.
As Jews, in situations like this, we turn to Hashem with Tefillah during davening and our daily and extra Tehillim, and especially during Shemona Esrei in the bracha of ‘Refaeinu’.
Aside from our daily Chitas and Rambam we add in Limud HaTorah. It is especially important to add in learning the Torah now that schools are being closed temporarily. As parents and teachers we have an added responsibility to find ways for our children to continue to learn and it requires our involvement. It's not acceptable to go so long perhaps until after Pesach without addressing our children's best interest with regard to learning Torah. It’s self understood that we should say with the children the 12 Pesukim every day.
At times such as these we also add in Tzedaka to help others, especially before Pesach, to give maos chitim in addition to any special needs they may have.
In these times it's very important to strengthen in ahavas Yisroel.
It’s also a good idea to check your Tefillin and Mezuzos if they weren’t checked in the last 12 months as the Rebbe would often point out.
In addition to the aforementioned, according to the Torah and to Halacha we need to listen to the professionals about how to act and take all the precautions that they recommend to avoid contracting or spreading the coronavirus. No one should feel that they are an exception from taking their warnings seriously which is something that could cause them to endanger others and themselves.
This week’s parsha discusses the kiyor, the washing of the hands of the Kohanim in the avodah of the Mishkon and Mikdash. Just like we have to wash our hands physically, so too we should see to it that in our homes which are a Mishkon and Mikdash to Hashem we cleanse not only in the physical sense but also cleanse ourselves of any spiritual viruses as well.
May Hashem hear our Tefillos and take away this machala this pandemic and may we quickly go from the geula of Purim in Adar to the geula of Pesach in Nissan (Mismach Geula l’Geula) with the miraculous disappearance of the galus and with it the coronavirus and the miraculous appearance of geula with Moshiach now.