by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com
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Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein issued a ruling that appears in the Hebrew language Yated Ne’eman about those people in quarantine because of exposure to the Corona virus. He said that they should not attend shul at all and can fulfill the Mitzvah by either reading the Megillah for themselves or by hearing it from outside of their homes.
Rav Zilberstein’s language was quite strong explaining that it is preferable not to daven in shul or hear the megillah to being a murderer.
Rav Zilberstein’s father-in-law was Rav Yoseph Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, the leading Posaik of Torah Jewry.
In the United States, a number of doctors and Rabbonim are involved in issuing a statement about how one can reduce deaths regarding the flu as well as possibly helping reduce the spread of the Corona virus.
Many prominent doctors note that there are approximately 17 deaths per week from the regular flu in New York state alone – which can be ameliorated by getting the flu vaccine.
In an early release edition of the New England Journal of Medicine made available to the Five Towns Jewish Times, researchers took a look at 1,099 patients in China and established some new details about the parameters of the Corona virus infection. The diagnosis was established with rapid PCR on nasal and pharyngeal swabs.
The median age of the cohort was 47 years of age. 47% of them were female. 5% went to the ICU. 2.3% were placed on a ventilator. 1.4% rachmana litzlan died. The median incubation period was 4 days but it ranged from 2 to 7 days. The most common finding that was an objective finding was a ground glass opacity on a chest CT.
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So they’ll come up with a vaccine and half the people won’t take it .
Is this an accurate translation ?
I’m put off by description of the carrier as a murderer [EDITOR’S NOTE: IT IS NOT A CARRIER. IT IS SOMEONE WHO PURPOSEFULLY EXPOSES OTHERS TO THE ILLNESS. QUITE A DIFFERENT STORY] Such strong language is unnecessary and insensitive.
It is comparable to driving a car when drunk. A murderer.
And what about being mivayesh someone in public? Asking someone totally inappropriate questions, digging knifes into an already hurting person. Isn’t that murder as well? Doesn’t that person lose his share in the world to come?
I agree with the Rabbi. In Shul, there are people coughing and sneezing, constantly shaking hands, hugging (even kissing), etc.
It is not only in shul per se. Have you ever noticed people handling food at a kiddish, or in a bakery? Sharing nuts, chips etc.. from a communal plate? Hygiene is real, germs are real, the danger is real. Murderer might be a harsh term, but involuntary manslaughter still leaves the victim dead.