JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, the 98-year-old Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, has contracted coronavirus, according to a report from his associates. The Rosh Yeshiva was tested for coronavirus after his body temperature rose and the test revealed that he was positive.
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Rabbi Edelstein’s infection was surprising since he has been extremely careful since the beginning of the pandemic to maintain social distancing and only met people behind a plastic sheet. Moreover all members of his household kept masks on while in his presence. Rabbi Edelstein received the fourth shot of vaccine on Thursday but the vaccine’s protection does not begin until five days after the shot.
Both Rabbi Edelstein and Rabbi Kanievski have called on the chareidi public to vaccinate. Rabbi Edelstein said recently that ” in the merit of our efforts we will be able to continue our studies with G-d’s help.” The fourth shot of vaccine is currently being given to Israelis over 60 or with weak immune systems.
The public is requested to daven for Rabbi Yerachmiel Gershon Ben Miriam for a speedy recovery.
A number of other prominent Rosh Yeshivas have tested positive to the virus during a wave which has seen a huge spike in Omicron cases in Israel over the last week. Rabbi Baruch Weisbecker of Beis Matisyahu, who recently recovered from cancer, tested positive and Rabbi David Cohen of Chevron yeshiva, who had been especially cautious and even wore two masks and hardly left his house, also contracted coronavirus. Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Rosh Yeshiva of Meor Hatalmud in Rehovot and Rabbi Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka also contracted the virus.
Many yeshivas have also reported widespread infection from the Omicron strain of coronavirus. In the wake of the infections, Rabbi Edelstein and Rabbi Kanievski called on the yeshiva students to strengthen their studies and “not to allow the yetzer hara to disturb the study of Torah” but at the same time warned them to “make every possible effort not to infect others and to vaccinate according to requirements.”
I am sorry he is ill and I am sure we all hope for a quick recovery for everyone who is struck with this plague.
The Rofei Cholim should send them all a Refuah Sheleimah!
I think once a elderly Yid especially a Gadol reaches 80 yrs plus it’s not necessary to mention his age as it can cause a עין הרע .
What are your thoughts ?
It seems that this variant is breaking through to everyone. Whether you are careful or not. Whether you vaccinated and boosters or not. Yet unproven is whether it would be worse without the vaccine. However, the fact is we need Rachmei Shamayim. Bezuchus Limud HaTorah and listen to our Rabbonim we should be zoicheh to yeshuos and refuos.
ספר שרשי השמות
written by
רבי משה זכותא זיע”א
(1625-1697)
a בעל קבלה
says (page 649) that during a מגפה one should avoid coming into contact with people who do not themselves seperate from other people.
He goes on to say that he should stay in his house for 40 days. Quarantine is a French word that means “about forty”.
of course they won’t actually do it, but they should take vitamin c 1000mg. Vitamin D 10000 Iu. Vitamin K 100 mg. Zinc 50mg. Quercetin 1000 mg.
Nobody will give them this information, and nobody will give them any pills.
My family members who took the vitamins, were better in one day. My sister, who did not, is getting progressively worse, and has been sick for a week.
Get the point people
Vaccines don’t work
Masks are a waste of time
Omicron is going to infect everyone like it or not
What we should have done to begin with is to teach people how to strengthen their immune systems and also find the best medications or supplements that work to treat covid
Instead of destroying our liberties, businesses, social lives, and very fabric of society with this nonsense
I saw the way Hareidim were administered booster shots, here in Jerusalem, both at Me’uhedet and Maccabee clinics: I was amazed how they waited for the shots, in close proximity to one another (I found an empty room) and also for 15 minutes after the shots (I went outside.) This is likely also the case in B’nai Brak. Given the highly contagious nature of Omicron (may this not be upon us) conventional masks might not help, if you are in close contact for several minutes.
“Both Rabbi Edelstein and Rabbi Kanievski have called on the chareidi public to vaccinate.”
No, they haven’t; stop lying. Where’s the halachic teshuva analyzing the situation, with input from doctors on both sides, etc. not some pathetic Zionist propaganda video?
It’s too bad that they lied to him and he took a fourth! shot. Yes, of course, he got infected anyways because “protection doesn’t start until 5 days later”. Right.
Does anyone know if Rav Edelstein bought R’ Chaim’s magical “Special Shemira” coin?
According to the Gemara is Tanis this is currently not a plague. You must have a mortality rate of 1 in 500 for 3 days straight