Machla Abramovitz

The 120 newly elected members of the Israeli Knesset had just been sworn into the 23^rd Knesset when MK Oded Forer of Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu Party introduced the first of four extraordinary bills to deny Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the right to continue serving as prime minister. The bill grants the Knesset the authority to oust an indicted prime minister heading a transitional government by secret ballot. Not to be outdone, Blue and White MKs quickly presented three additional bills.  One bill limits prime ministers to two terms in office.  Another prohibits those facing criminal charges from serving as prime minister.  A third denies the president the right to offer an indicted Knesset member the mandate to form a government.

Scheme to Replace Likud’s Speaker

With the Blue and White bloc’s 61 Knesset members, as opposed to Likud’s 58,  Blue and White has the requisite numbers needed to establish and take control of the Arrangements Committee, which governs parliamentary activities and the formation of a new government, including the appointment of a Speaker of the Knesset.  Blue and White’s plan is to replace Likud MK Yuli Edelstein as Speaker with one from their party, and to pass legislation to oust Netanyahu. If the bills pass, Netanyahu would be demoted to MK and he would be forced to resign.

As of the writing of this article on March 21, Edelstein refused to comply with such a vote, placing the Knesset in lockout until Monday, March 23^rd in order to allow time for legislators to form a unity government to counter the coronavirus pandemic. At the moment, Likud and Blue and White are at loggerheads:  Edelstein accuses a splinter group within the Blue and White of preventing the establishment of a unity government, while Blue and White leader Benny Gantz accused Likud of misleading the public under the guise of the coronavirus, and tweeted that he had never agreed to such a government. The latest direct poll indicates that if an election were held today, Likud would win 40 seats and Blue and White 30 seats, leaving Gantz to proclaim that he may have no choice but to sit in a national unity government with the Prime Minister.

To sweeten the offer, on March 21, the Prime Minister called for a three-year emergency unity government to get the country through the coronavirus crisis.  He offered to step down as prime minister after the first year and a half after which Benny Gantz would take over for the concluding period. Netanyahu added that if Blue and White continues to try to replace Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein in the coming week, the unity government offer will be taken off the negotiating table.

To Form a Coalition Government

Blue and White’s move was made possible once Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave Gantz the mandate to form a new coalition government.  Even though Gantz’s party won fewer seats than did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, Netanyahu’s religious right-wing bloc was unable to muster the requisite 61 seats necessary to enable him to form a minority government. Likud also won close to 230,000 more votes than in the previous election; its bloc received more than 460,000 votes than did Gantz, an increase of 300,000 votes since September.

However, Israeli electoral law, with the mandate for proportional representation and the necessity of coalitions, is such that Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Liberman’s support for the anti-Netanyahu center-left bloc (that includes Labor, Gesher, and Meretz) placed Gantz within reach of that magic number. But that scenario would only be possible with the help of the Arab Joint List, which won 15 seats, two more than they received during the previous election, and the highest number of Knesset seats won to date.

Blue and White may have the numbers, but does it have the political will to ultimately align with anti-Zionists whose stated goal is the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state? Will the quickly evolving political realities within Israel play against the coronavirus scourge? Is it too soon to declare the end of the Netanyahu era?

Benny Gantz and Blue and White

Benny Gantz, a political newcomer, has proven himself to be a critical player on the Israeli electoral landscape. His party’s support, though, comes primarily from Tel Aviv. While Blue and White is centrist on security, it leans leftward on domestic issues. Many Blue and White supporters have reservations regarding Israel’s recently passed Citizenship Law, and favor a more inclusive society, according to political commentator and Canadian Institute for Jewish Research (CIJR) Fellow Prof. David Bensoussan, professor at École de technologie supérieure. In contrast, Likud voters are more representative of the country as a whole and include many Sephardim who are traditional, distrustful of Arabs, and nationalistic.

“Unlike Likud, Blue and White is not a united by ideology or leadership but is a conglomerate of entities,” political analyst Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld explains. The party consists of Yair Lapid’s center-left Yesh Atid, which ate into the traditional Labor vote. A second faction comprises a loose collection of individuals who Gantz chose specifically for the election. A third entity – Telem – consists of four or five MKs under the leadership of former Chief of Staff Moshe “Bogie” Yaalon, who served for a short time as Minister of Defense within the Likud government and stands to the right of Likud on security issues.

“What keeps the three entities together is their dislike of Netanyahu. That may be a strong bond in normal times. Today, with many Israelis worried about Corona and with isolation programs in play, this bond makes less sense.  The latest poll indicates that more people have confidence in Netanyahu as Prime Minister than in Gantz,” Dr. Gerstenfeld says.

Avigdor Lieberman and Yisrael Beiteinu

Ideologically, the secular right-wing nationalist Avigdor Liberman marries more easily with Likud than Blue and White.  Dubbed the “kingmaker,” Lieberman holds the balance of power in favor of Likud. However, Liberman refuses to back Netanyahu, claiming he is overly aligned with the ultra-Orthodox and religious parties.  Lieberman calls for a union between Likud and Blue and White, with the exclusion of the haredim.

“Liberman has significant issues with the ultra-Orthodox. His ‘bare minimum’ demands to Gantz for his support include a conscription bill to enlist haredim into the army, the easing of civil marriages, transferring the authority over Shabbat transportation to local authorities, and easing Orthodox conversions. Because many of his Russian constituents are not Jewish enough for the rabbis, the current stringent conversion requirements create a problem for them,” says Prof. Bensoussan.

The Arab Joint List

The Arab party’s astonishing political rise is one of the unexpected consequences of the electoral paralysis plaguing Israel this past year.  Israeli Arabs comprise 20 percent of the population.  Of the 600,000 votes they received, 20,000 were from leftist Jews who voted for the Joint List rather than Labor.

As did Liberman, the Joint List refused to sell its support cheaply.  Its demands to Gantz include the annulment of the Kaminitz Law and the Nation-State Law.  The 2017 Kaminitz Law thwarts the construction of thousands of illegal Arab dwellings, while the Nation-State Law enshrines Israel as the exclusive nation-state of the Jewish people.  Balad, one of the Joint List’s more radical factions, adamantly rejects Israel as an exclusively Jewish state.  One of its MKs, Hanin Zuabi, participated in the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla to Gaza. Moreover, Joint List Chairman Ahmad Tibi told the Jerusalem Post that they also demand an end to IDF strikes in Gaza, substantially inhibiting the IDF’s ability to protect Israeli citizens.

“If Gantz forms a government with the Joint List, you will theoretically have ministers who do not recognize Israel as a Jewish state. What is at stake is Israel’s very identity. If you put aside the Jewishness of the state, you have a country like any other country, and there is no reason for Jews to live in Israel and not elsewhere,” Prof. Bensoussan points out.

Gantz acknowledges the fundamental conflicts between the two parties. “The Joint List and I are deeply divided on the diplomatic, national, and security concerns of the State of Israel,” he said during his last campaign. “Israel is a Jewish and democratic state, the only one of its kind, which must protect itself from its outside enemies.” Still, Blue and White and Yisrael Beitenu’s dislike of Netanyahu is so intense that they are presumably willing to overlook the Joint List’s anti-Zionism, as well as ignore the will of the majority who voted Likud to oust him from office.

Will the Coronavirus be the Deciding Factor?

What Gantz could not have foreseen was how the coronavirus would affect the political scene in Israel. With the implementing of extraordinary measures, such as closing schools, shutting restaurants and theatres, putting citizens potentially exposed to coronavirus into 14-day quarantine, and curtailing public transportation, Israelis are feeling anxious, and are looking for strong leadership. And Netanyahu has stepped right up and has made himself seem indispensable. He has been on prime time television every day, flanked by government epidemiologists and economic planners, detailing methods of personal hygiene, bragging that Israel is an example to the world, and promising Israelis that they will get through this together. His public ratings are climbing. Although anything can happen, it seems that Netanyahu’s political career is not over, yet.

Dave Gordon

Coronavirus (COVID-19). Virtually unheard of fewer than six months ago. It started on the other side of the world. A once-a-century pandemic that few really understand, and fewer know how to respond to, has paralyzed the world, the U.S., the Tri-State Area, and our community. Who could have dreamed how stealthily it would invade our shores, shatter our security, impact our synagogues, yeshivot, and semahot. Families are facing agonizing dilemmas previously unheard of – such as, should a wedding be pushed off – something which is usually considered something to avoid at all costs?

Currently, on six continents, with over 360,000 people infected at the time of writing, the coronavirus has become the focus of international efforts to contain its spread as much as possible. The numbers are rising every day, and who knows what the next few weeks will bring?

(Please note that since this is a developing and changing situation from one day to the next, by the time this article goes to print the information and situation might be very different than what it is now).

We find ourselves in a surreal period of quarantines, cancellations, and social distancing. Self-isolation is the order of the day. Travel bans are in effect across every hub. Virtually every non-essential store and company has shuttered in almost every city: restaurants, theaters, shops, gyms, sports centers, community centers. Handshakes and hugs are forbidden. Kollels and synagogues  have closed, weddings take place on front porches in front of five people, and minyanim are now frowned upon. Schools are closed, and children learn online. Hand-sanitizer is now a staple item. And we’re washing our hands until it hurts, by doctor’s orders.

The coronavirus, has brought all social life to a screeching halt.

The reaction of some has been swift and extreme. People are hoarding supplies and foodstuffs. Surgical masks, a presumed preventative measure, are being bought off the shelves, and even stolen from medical facilities.

Are we going over the top? Being practical and safe? Not doing enough?

These are all good questions, and like with any sudden change in the status quo, and like any new challenge, we won’t know what we did, or didn’t do right, until many weeks, or perhaps, months, later.

But first things first. For all of the stress and radical change in lifestyle, writer Michael Pietrzak in Success magazine says it’s important not to lose our perspective, or our reason.

“(We must not let) the parallel virus of media fearmongering drive us to irrational behavior,” he warns, in the lead-in to what has since become the drastic measures undertaken by the U.S. in response to the crisis.

Those aforementioned surgical masks? Pietrzak says those were not meant to protect the layman from germs. They were designed to keep surgeons’ saliva specs from inadvertently falling into a patient’s wounds during operation. And those much-hoarded bottles of Purell – as helpful as they might be – should be used only when hand-washing isn’t available, he says. Should the numbers of patients increase dramatically, Heaven forbid, these bottles will ultimately be needed in medical facilities a whole lot more than on our kitchen counters.

“Let’s not exacerbate an emergency by cleaning out Costco,” Pietrzak urged.

A Time For Drastic Change

The numbers are, unfortunately, swiftly rising, but as of the time these words are being written, about 500 coronavirus deaths have occurred in the U.S. – out of a population of 330 million. There are a total of about 10,000 deaths globally, with China, Iran, Italy, France, and Spain comprising nine-tenths of the fatalities.

There are a variety of presumed reasons why some countries are affected worse than others. Revealingly, the majority of corona deaths have occurred in one country, China, notorious for its poor healthcare.  And, as of mid-March, Israeli biophysicist Michael Levitt, in Ctech magazine, said that fortunately, the virus was slowing down in China. Levitt, a Nobel prize winner for chemistry in 2013, also noted that with such densely populated centers in China, one ought to have expected a far greater infection rate.

The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reported on March 11 that Iran has a relatively higher contagion rate because of its “Chinese-backed infrastructure projects built by scores of workers and technicians from China.”

Moving westward to Italy, according to the country’s national health authority, nearly all the fatalities involved the more vulnerable segments of the population – those with existing severe medical issues, and the elderly, with the average age of those who have succumbed to the virus at around 80. Italy has a disproportionately high number of seniors, leaving the country more susceptible. Levitt added that Italians are culturally “very warm” and social, thus allowing the virus to spread more quickly.

Of course, this is true of Orthodox Jews, as well, and our community in particular. We regularly assemble with large groups of people – at Shabbat meals, in the synagogue for prayer services, classes and sebets, at large celebrations and fundraising affairs, and at family gatherings. The unique social, close-knit nature of our community – which is, normally, our greatest source of strength and pride – is our Achilles’ heel when an epidemic strikes. And, it makes it all the more difficult for us to take the steps which health and government officials are urging – to stay at home as much as possible and avoid all socializing. For us especially, this marks a drastic change of our cultural – and even religious – norms. But the severity of the situation necessitates that we follow these restrictions and quickly adapt ourselves to the new set of circumstances that has been thrust upon us – difficult as this may be.

Community Responses

In an effort to keep the community safe, follow legal guidelines and mitigate worries, nearly all of our religious institutions in the area have closed.

In the days leading up to mid-March, the Eatontown Synagogue (Congregation Shaare Tefilah Bene Moshe) continued their minyanim, but in a larger room, with people keeping their distance from one another. Congregants were asked to bring their own books, so multiple hands did not touch the same prayer books and Humashim. Nevertheless, books were being disinfected, just in case. Women who reported slight illness symptoms were warned not to immerse in the mikveh.

That was before our community’s synagogues rabbis, presidents, and doctors held a conference call to determine the next steps. On March 16^th, Rabbi Moshe Douek, Rabbi of the Eatontown shul, said that there were no more services. Doors were closed until further notice. A full lockdown (a few days later, all synagogues, yeshivot, and kollels in the community were closed). Weddings have been cancelled. Rabbi Douek said that his synagogue is providing video clips for children praying at home.

Hillel Yeshiva, like most schools in our community, has been teaching their students via Zoom, a remote method of instruction. Zoom does not require internet access, so the teaching can continue with all the safeguards that a yeshiva requires.

“We were already preparing in late February, with a faculty meeting, with what could be an inevitable school closure, protocol, and plans,” says Rabbi Leon Cohen, assistant rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue and a teacher at Hillel Yeshiva, which serves some 800 students. The biggest challenge, he reports, is adapting and adopting new instructional methods that few have been exposed to – or at least not at length.

“It’s tough to know if the students really understand the work, if they’re really hearing you,” he explains. “We tend to forget as teachers that it’s not just about the instruction or content, but it’s connecting with the classroom, and being able to bond with them, and to understand them. That, I feel, is what’s missing most.”

Sammy Sitt, Director of Deal Sephardic Network (DSN), says that the facility closed mid-March, when the city declared an emergency. The center offers various sports activities, with a 2,000-strong membership, and is now trying to help homebound community members stay healthy with live streaming exercise classes. “The good thing is that we can show the best of our community coming out, helping each other in need,” he said.

Ike Dweck, Founder and Director of SAFE, says that many clients are foregoing one-to-one therapy visits, for obvious reasons, and group therapies are cancelled. Online resources and internet chats are offered as alternates.

“We want our clients to be safe and adhere to guidelines regarding self-quarantine and social distancing, but isolation can be very detrimental to recovery,” he says. SAFE, he added, began putting contingencies in place even before New York declared a state of emergency, including a thorough cleaning of offices and screening potentially ill clients. As of press time, the doors remain open for crisis situations, and the organization is still available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week (866-569-SAFE).

Rabbi Yaakov Marcus of Yeshivat Or Hatorah says the decision to shut down the yeshiva in early-March was because of pending health concerns, and they did so before the city shut down. Hebrew and secular studies are now being conducted online.

“We knew this was coming, so the staff talked about it and met about it. We already sent home work beforehand, and within two days we had things set up online. New York State regulation was already two weeks away. All the teachers had all the courses set out: Gemara, Halachah, Humash.”

Rather than lament, Rabbi Marcus encourages people to see this crisis as a lesson. “People should realize Gd runs the world, and he’s sending us a message. We have to strengthen ourselves through study of Torah, prayer, and following safe practices.”

Keep Calm and Stay Rational

Dr. Abdhu Sharkawy, an infectious disease specialist from Toronto, posted online an important message of hope, urging every to stay calm and composed, rather than resort to panic.

“I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health,, or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.

“What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world.”

He emphasized in particular the harm such hysteria could have on children:

“Instead of reason, rationality, open-mindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary, and self-interested.”

Dr. Sharkawy urges everybody to take the time to stay informed, to get the facts, “as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.”

In short, he says: “Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.”

Victor Davis Hanson wrote in the City Journal of March 16 of the potential for increased substance abuse among those struggling with stress and anxiety during this epidemic, as a dangerous coping mechanism. He further warned that depression is likelier to set in during times of upheaval, like we are experiencing, especially with the economy crumbling. Hanson urges us all to be mindful of the signs of mental illness, learn yoga or meditation to help ease the anxiety, and phone a friend to lean on.

Looking Ahead

Is there any good news?

Yes!

The Guardian of the UK reported on March 20 that about three dozen companies and academic institutions “are racing to create” a coronavirus vaccine, while “at least four of which already have candidates they have been testing in animals. The first of these – produced by Boston-based biotech firm Moderna – will enter human trials imminently.”

The other, and more important, piece of good news is that as observant Jews, we believe in Providence and that the world is governed by an omnipotent, benevolent Creator. As long as we do our share – taking the necessary precautions that health officials are urging – we can rely on Gd to do the rest. Our responsible handling of the situation, coupled with our heartfelt prayers and efforts to improve ourselves, will, please Gd, get us through this period and raise us all, both as individuals and as a community, to greater heights of unity and religious commitment.

We look forward to soon returning to our synagogues to offer a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving to Gd for ending this crisis and for once again showing the world His unlimited power and grace, amen.

Symptoms of Coronavirus

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness for confirmed coronavirus cases. The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure – fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, and bluish lips or face.

NOTE: Call your doctor first. If the doctor feels you should be examined, he/she may make proper arrangements to see you. If you simply walk into a doctor’s office, you may infect others in the office.

Know How It Spreads

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

* Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet).

* Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Take Steps to Protect Yourself

Clean your hands often:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60percent alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact:

* Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

* Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

* Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Please consult with your health care provider about additional steps you may be able to take to protect yourself.

Take Steps to Protect Others

* Stay home if you’re sick.

* Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

* After you cough or sneeze – immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

* Throw used tissues into the trash.

Clean and Disinfect

Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

Risk of Children Becoming Sick with COVID-19

Based on available evidence, children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults. While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19, adults make up most of the known cases to date.

Facemasks
If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., in the same room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room.
If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.

Information obtained from CDC (Centers for Disease Control) Additional and updated  information can be found on their website or local health departments. New Yorkers may call 311 for more information.

The current coronavirus pandemic is hinted to in the Torah, says Biblical scholar Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson, who discovered that this allusion can be disclosed using the “Bible Codes” system of revealing secrets concealed within the sacred text.  These codes predict major events that have taken place or will take place, even many millennia after the Torah was written.

Community Magazine contacted Rabbi Glazerson for his insights into the Biblical references to the current crisis. Before presenting the full revelation of the Bible Code, Rabbi Glazerson first  highlighted numerous news stories that point to the coronavirus outbreak originating from China’s markets – which were reported to have included everything from rats, snakes, bats, fish, to still-living wolf pups.

Rabbi Glazerson produced a video in which he lays out his thesis that the coronavirus can be found in the Torah – specifically, in a segment  from the Book of Vayikra  that speaks of the importance of refraining from the consumption of certain species which are considered “impure.” He highlighted consistent patterns of letters that appear equidistant from one another in the text – something known as the Equidistant Letter Sequence (ELS), a feature on which Bible Codes scholars heavily rely.

What is ELS?

Suppose we eliminate all spaces in the Torah, and consider the text as one long sequence of 304,805 letters. A computer then finds hidden words, encoded at equal intervals of letters. Statisticians call this phenomenon ELS.

Rabbi Glazerson explained that in the section in Vayikra that discusses the prohibition against eating forbidden species, there is an ELS sequence of the Hebrew letters kuf, vav, resh, vav, nun and heh – the letters that spell the word “Corona.”

He also points out other highlighted ELS patterns in the same section, one of which features the letters vav, yud, resh, vav and samech: “virus.” Another consists of the letters alef, bet, resh, mem, het and yud, which spell “ever mehai – limb from the living.” This term, Rabbi Glazerson says, refers to the sin of eating the limb of a still-living animal.

In another part of the excerpt, Rabbi Glazerson highlights the letters samech, yud, nun and yud, which spell sini, or “Chinese.”

“You have it exactly in the section of the Torah that speaks of things you should not eat,” Rabbi Glazerson explained, pointing excitedly to a highlighted verse: “I separated for you the impure things, then you will be for Me a holy people.”

“It’s amazing finding this: coronavirus, China, and the limb from the living, which causes what we see now,” Glazerson concluded.

In this chart the highlighted words include: Corona (top left in black) / Virus (center in red) / Do not eat (top center in orange) / Limb from the living (center in purple)

In this chart the Bible Codes confirm that the coronavirus will come from people eating bats in China in the year 5780.

Hidden Messages

The Torah contains not just the holy words passed down through Moshe, but also a myriad of subtler, and even hidden, messages.

Those hidden messages could be hints to events or people at any period in history, and over time, those messages can be revealed with the right tools and interpretative methods.

It was only in the past few decades that a new methodology was developed with the help of modern technology to search for hidden messages in the Torah through “codes.” The codes are words spelled out in patterns throughout portions of text. Those who deciphered these hidden codes claim that there are hidden messages encoded in the Hebrew text of the Torah, messages so complex that no human could possibly have embedded them.

It should thus come as no surprise that the coronavirus pandemic and its origin are alluded to in the Torah!

Charts and Insights provided by Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson. Rabbi Glazerson has written over 30 books on the Bible Codes and related subjects, including, Torah Codes: A Glimpse into the Infinite, which was co-authored by Professors Robert Haralick and Eliyahu Rips.

Rabbi Benjamin Blech

“When we are directed by doctors to wash our hands we are required to do so by Torah law.”

Coronavirus is officially a global pandemic. Suddenly we find ourselves smitten by a plague of biblical severity.

Pesach asks us to remember the ten plagues which Hashem sent against the Egyptians. With the help of the Torah we know the purpose behind these afflictions of a people. Gd had a plan. Egyptian suffering had meaning. What makes our contemporary anguish so particularly unbearable is its seeming incomprehensibility.

In the age of the prophets there would have been an effort to discern some Divine message in this global tragedy. But today we somehow assume that scientific knowledge precludes the possibility for including Hashem as part of the management of the universe. After all, who can argue with Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch who, in the latter half of the 19^th century, proved the germ theory of disease – that pathogens too small to see without magnification are the true cause of illness? Germs are the villains and viruses are the sole reasons for the presence of diseases that determine whether we live or die.

A Divine Message

And I dare to ask: Doesn’t belief in Gd demand that we merge the germ theory of disease with the conviction of faith in a Supreme Being who actually decides where, when, and how far viruses spread?

Please understand exactly what I’m saying. Rambam long ago made clear that it is our obligation to ensure our good health. We can’t simply rely on Hashem; Hashem has made us his partners in our quest for longevity. Hygiene is a mitzvah; it’s an obligation. Taking care of our bodies is a spiritual requirement akin to protecting our souls. When we are directed by doctors to wash our hands we are required to do so by Torah law.

But the ultimate decision of life or death remains, as we make clear every year on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur when our fate is sealed, with the Almighty.

That is why I’m amazed that of the countless suggestions for how to counter and to cope with the coronavirus we hear so little of the word Gd and the possibility that this global pandemic brings with it a profound Divine message.

I am obviously no prophet, but here is a thought that I think is worth considering and taking to heart. Every parent knows that one of the most obvious responses to a child’s misbehavior is what is commonly known as a “timeout.” The child is restricted from enjoying pleasurable activities. The child has his normal life disrupted. The child is encouraged to reflect upon his disobedience. Is it too much to consider that as our world continues to sink ever lower in our commitment to virtue that Hashem responded with a virus that has forced millions into a “timeout” of quarantine and seclusion?

The Ten Commandments – 620 letters

The Ten Commandments are the biblical source of the most basic system of ethical and moral behavior. They represent the primary justification for our continued existence on earth. And the commentators took note of a remarkable number. In the original Hebrew, the language in which the commandments were inscribed by Gd on the two tablets, there are exactly 620 letters.

620 would seem to be a number with no particular theological significance. It would have been perfect and readily comprehensible if there were exactly 613 letters in the Ten Commandments. Those are the numbers of mitzvot given to the Jewish people in the Torah. The Ten Commandments are the principles inherent in all of Jewish law. But what is the meaning of 620 letters? The rabbis explained. While the number of mitzvot for Jews is 613, the number seven represents universal law – what is commonly referred to as the seven laws of the descendants of Noah, required as a minimum for all of mankind. And 620, of course, is the sum of 613 and seven, the totality of Divine guidance for both Jews as well as the rest of the world.

The commentary does not end there. 620 is the gematria, the numerical value, of an important Hebrew word, keter, which means crown. A keter – a crown – is placed on top of every Torah scroll. The symbolism is obvious. The crown above the Torah demonstrates the relationship of the Ten Commandments to the rest of the Torah. From the 10 – in number of letters 620 – we have the principles which subsequently found expression in the entirety of the Torah.

The keter – the crown – is the most powerful symbol of our connection with Gd.

The word corona – as in coronavirus – comes from the Latin word for crown.

Perhaps we need to consider the world’s present affliction not just in the context of a disease caused by pathogens, but as a Divine message reminding us that we have been given our lives to invest them with meaning and virtue as defined by Hashem’s Ten Commandments.

The Biblical Quarantine

There is a biblical parallel of quarantine that Jewish scholars viewed from a moral perspective.

The book of Vayikra describes the metzora, a person afflicted with tzara’at, a disease commonly mistranslated as leprosy. In fact, the disease is a spiritual malady, primarily caused by speaking slander about others. The metzora is someone who was, in Hebrew, motzi ra – an originator of evil talk, and he was to be quarantined, sent outside of the camp, sparing the community from his ability to infect others with his destructive gossip.

Thus, the biblical quarantine was intended not to isolate a carrier of physical disease but rather of moral turpitude.

While we hope to find a cure for the coronavirus, let us derive an ethical lesson from the ongoing misfortune. Everyone acknowledges the obvious: we dare not allow the healthy to be exposed to those who can harm them.

Isn’t this the most fundamental truth about human relationships?

Friends are assuredly good for you. In recent years, scientific research has suggested that people who have strong friendships experience less stress, recover more quickly from heart attacks, and are likely to live longer than the friendless.

But not all friends have such a salutary effect. Some lie, insult, and betray. Some give bad advice and have immoral values. Psychologists and sociologists are now calling attention to the negative health effects of bad friends.

Do not underestimate the warning of Shlomo Hamelech in his book of Proverbs: “He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).

Perhaps the most important way in which we can help direct the path of our children’s lives is by constantly reminding them how important it is for them to not only have good friends, but friends who are good. It’s a lesson we all need to take to heart. Some people need to be quarantined before they get a chance to infect us with their diseased values.

Rabbi Benjamin Blech is the author of 19 highly acclaimed books.  A much sought after speaker, he is available as scholar-in-residence in your community. See his website at rabbibenjaminblech.com