In several places in the Torah, including this week's Torah portion, the command to establish "cities of refuge" appears, intended to accommodate those who had accidentally murdered a person. These people did not for a moment think of taking a life. Sometimes the person who was accidentally murdered was a dear and beloved friend, and this must have hurt and grieved them. And yet the Torah determined that they were to be exiled from their homes to a city of refuge, as punishment and correction for their carelessness.
Where can I find accurate information about investments? Come on, ask the CEO
Where would you like to travel? We have compiled great vacation offers for you only in Israel.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
In the law of life-saving, there is a special definition – doubt of life-saving. There is no certainty that a particular situation is life-threatening, but there is a possibility that it might be so.
Halacha states that those who doubt Pikuach Nefesh desecrate Shabbat and violate most of the Torah's prohibitions (of course, there are definitions of what is considered to be Pikuach Nefesh and to what extent performing the prohibition is essential for salvation). This is because of the great seriousness of the loss of human life.
On your conscience?
Unfortunately, even after a year and a half in which the entire world has been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, when in Israel alone we have already buried more than six thousand five hundred deceased, not everyone has yet internalized the need to be careful even in the face of life-threatening emergencies.
Indeed, there are just claims about the government's conduct. About selective enforcement. About opening the skies to mass flights of Arabs to Turkey. About avoiding a lockdown in the summer and talk about a lockdown during the holidays, as if the Tishrei holidays are less important than rest and recreation. It's all true, and it's still our duty to be careful not to expand the circles of infection, because that's at least a matter of self-preservation.
Medical experts around the world are still studying the disease, but one thing is clear – as the circles of infection expand and the number of confirmed cases increases, the number of seriously ill patients increases, and consequently the number of deaths. Statistics show that for every thousand confirmed cases, twenty are seriously ill, and seven of them die (these are the figures in Israel).
So it's true, the vast majority of those who are confirmed will develop a mild illness, but some will reach a serious condition and even die (God forbid). And would any of us want such a thing on our conscience? Can't a circle of infection of a thousand people be caused by the carelessness of one person!
And even if we're not talking about serious illness or death - even mild illness involves great suffering. People who fell ill in the current wave testify that they went through a difficult time. And what about losing their livelihood, putting entire communities in quarantine, canceling the Torah? What are they asking for? Responsibility and caution!
Want to independently check the risk level of your family and loved ones?
A little more responsibility
No one is going to infect others intentionally, but carelessness is irresponsible. If there are symptoms or exposure to a patient – we don't say 'it's nothing', but we get tested and make sure that's indeed the case. Have you gone to get tested? Don't hang out with people until you get a negative answer. Adopt the rule: if in doubt – don't doubt!
All the excuses that were good at the beginning of the pandemic – 'I didn't know,' 'I didn't think,' 'I didn't understand' – are no longer valid after a year and a half. Let us take on a little more caution and responsibility during these days of Elul. It is appropriate that we fear the doubt of pikuach nefesh just as we fear the doubt of desecration of Shabbat. And may we all have good writing and signing for a year of health, joy, and redemption.
