Our world is being turned upside down. Regardless of what “side” you are on (e.g. masks, no masks, lockdowns, no lockdowns, etc.), one thing is certain: Hashem is directing this and it is for a reason and the ultimate purpose of this is directly related to the Jews.
I have read from a very respected English-speaking Rav that those who do not abide by the government decrees are guilty of spilling blood and will ultimately be taken to task by the Heavenly court.
Let’s assume this is correct, but now let’s look at the other side: The person who gets sick and chas v’sholom might even be one of the 0.012% of the population who die from the virus. What should that person’s attitude be?
I saw in the news a month ago that a teacher in a child day care center died, and her last words were blaming her students and their parents for her death. While such sharp words got lots of air time, I am not sure if they are appropriate for a Torah Jew.
28 years ago I contracted an infectious virus. I could not point to the source of the infection, which I think was a good thing, because then it became quite obvious that the virus was from Hashem: A “special delivery” message from my Creator telling me it was time to do teshuva. Baruch Hashem I took this personal message to heart, and the rest is history.
I feel that today there is a cacophony of messages from Hashem, and it is hard to decipher them all. But the lockdown, synagogue closures, and the sickness that some experience are all messages from the One above, all coming together on the holiest day of the year.
If we can only take out one lesson from these crazy times, it is that Hashem is the master of both Good and Evil. My ultimate sickness or health during this period is 100% determined by Hashem, and not because “negligent” people interact too closely to me. (That doesn’t mean we should be a negligent person
May we all merit to understand these personal messages from Hashem, take them to heart, and do teshuva shelayma.
