Why Are Hareidim Being Singled Out?

6 Nisan 5780

Hamevaser newspaper publishes names and photos of 58 members of haredi communities around the world who died from coronavirus.

The world no longer has a "Jewish" problem.  It has a "Hareidi" problem.  Hareidi Jews are the ones least likely to assimilate.  

With full acknowledgement that Hashem is in control of everything in His world, there are things which are perpetrated by human beings, like the Holocaust for example, that HKB"H, for His own reasons, allows to happen.

I think the evidence is clear that this pandemic and its resultant carnage falls into that category - a thing perpetrated by human beings - and therefore, I believe it is a mistake to attribute it to HKB"H.  After all, we blame the Nazis, yemach shemam v'zichram, not HKB"H for the Holocaust, even though that event, like this one, no doubt moves us closer to the Final Redemption.  In fact, were the full truth known to us, I have no doubt that we would see this is just the continuation of Hitler, y"sh's work.

This is not Hashem waging war on His enemies just yet, because His children are also dying in large numbers and are very possibly being targeted.  Right now, they are even being blamed for what is happening, not only to themselves, but to the whole world.  

And it's not Hashem cleansing the world of evildoers, because none of the worst offenders are even sick.

Consider the following.  What are the odds?

~~~

"The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hosted Event 201, a high-level pandemic exercise on October 18, 2019, in New York, NY. The exercise illustrated areas where public/private partnerships will be necessary during the response to a severe pandemic in order to diminish large-scale economic and societal consequences."

The Event 201 scenario
Event 201 simulates an outbreak of a novel zoonotic coronavirus transmitted from bats to pigs to people that eventually becomes efficiently transmissible from person to person, leading to a severe pandemic. The pathogen and the disease it causes are modeled largely on SARS, but it is more transmissible in the community setting by people with mild symptoms.

The disease starts in pig farms in Brazil, quietly and slowly at first, but then it starts to spread more rapidly in healthcare settings. When it starts to spread efficiently from person to person in the low-income, densely packed neighborhoods of some of the megacities in South America, the epidemic explodes. It is first exported by air travel to Portugal, the United States, and China and then to many other countries. Although at first some countries are able to control it, it continues to spread and be reintroduced, and eventually no country can maintain control.

There is no possibility of a vaccine being available in the first year. There is a fictional antiviral drug that can help the sick but not significantly limit spread of the disease.

Since the whole human population is susceptible, during the initial months of the pandemic, the cumulative number of cases increases exponentially, doubling every week. And as the cases and deaths accumulate, the economic and societal consequences become increasingly severe.

The scenario ends at the 18-month point, with 65 million deaths. The pandemic is beginning to slow due to the decreasing number of susceptible people. The pandemic will continue at some rate until there is an effective vaccine or until 80-90 % of the global population has been exposed. From that point on, it is likely to be an endemic childhood disease.

A Deadly Pathogen Plush Toy?

You know this is not from Hashem when it is being used to send children home from Torah study, to lock up synagogues and arrest people for engaging in public prayer, even when adhering completely to the Ministry of Health guidelines, and when it is being used to vilify and demonize the holiest population in the nation. 



Now, THIS kind of rhetoric has lead to THIS kind of rhetoric and endangers Jews even more than the virus. [Warning:  Oto HaIsh is mentioned by name.]



Under normal circumstances our three prayers a day in the synagogue would grant us Divine Protection from a plague.



Because the reshaim have attacked davka with a plague, mida k'neged mida, HKB"H will attack them with a plague.  This may be what they will call their "second wave" in the fall.

And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the nations who besieged Jerusalem; his flesh will waste away while he still stands on his feet; his eyes will waste away in their sockets, and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth. (Zechariah 14.12)

It can't be very far away because already the police and IDF soldiers enforcing the lockdown are fulfilling "...even Judah will fight against Jerusalem!"  (Zechariah 14.14)

It is very possible that what we are seeing play out - particularly in light of the fact that it SEEMS like HKB"H is rejecting our prayers and that Divine Protection in the pursuit of mitzvot has been withdrawn - is the following.  (For surely our public prayers ARE our korbanot.)

(h/t NK)  ... the Alter of Kelem, Rabbi Simcha Zisel Ziv zt”l asks (brought in Chachmah Umussar, part one, third ma’amar, The Process of Redemption from Egypt), why did Moshe first go to the elders of the Jewish People before he went to Par’o? It seems that it would have been better to first go to Par’o and present his bold request “Send forth My People” - which was especially audacious, firstly because Moshe came before Par’o without permission, and specifically because Moshe had already been convicted of the death penalty by Par’o. Then, when Moshe emerged from his audience with Par’o unharmed, everyone would recognize this as being a revealed miracle which would encourage the Jews to have faith in Hashem and his messenger, Moshe, who was sent to be the instrument of their redemption from Egypt.

The Alter answers that the Jews were not worthy to be redeemed without the merit of “Faith.” Without their faith, no miracle would have occurred for Moshe and Aharon when they appeared before Par’o. Therefore, Moshe first let them know he was about to appear before Par’o. It then says (Shemos, 4:31), “The nation had faith, and they heard that Hashem remembered the Children of Israel and that He saw their pain - and they bowed and prostrated themselves.”

Therefore, in the verse immediately following it says, “and after that...,” meaning after the Jews’ faith was demonstrated, only then, “Moshe and Aharon came before Par’o, and they said ‘So says Hashem, the G-d of Israel - “Send forth My people, and they will serve Me with celebrations in the desert.  Without this faith on the part of the Jews, Moshe and Aharon would not have been able to brazenly say “Send forth My people.” Only with this faith, could they rebel against Par’o with impunity because redemption comes in the merit of faith.

[NOT FEAR!!!!!]

The Alter concludes, “The redemption from Egypt is a model for the future redemption. Let us merit to properly prepare ourselves in this manner, so that it will go well for us through this period.”

It’s interesting that the Alter, on his own, arrived at the same conclusion as did Chazal (the Sages). It says (Hoshea 2:22), “And you will be betrothed to Me through faith.” In the Yalkut Shim’oni on that verse (Remez 519) it states:

You will find that the in-gathering of the exiles happens only as a reward for faith... . Also, we find that our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt only in the merit of their faith, as the verse states, “The nation had faith.”

From this we see that redemption depends on the outcome of a test of faith, just like the Alter said.

Similarly, we find that other great rabbis and Jewish leaders warned that tremendous tests will befall us in the end of days, prior to the coming of Mashiach. Regarding these difficult days our holy Sages say (Sanhedrin 98b), “Let him (Mashiach) come, but let me not see him” (because it will be a very trying time). One of these was Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. In Sichos HaRan, essay 35, his disciple quotes him:

And he said that a great disbelief would grow in the world. So he has said several times: A great disbelief will grow and continue in the world because of our many sins. Praiseworthy are those who hold on to faith in these times. And he said, even though he is forewarning of this phenomenon, and urging a strengthening of faith, it will not prevent it from happening. Disbelief and confusion will prevail. Have not Daniel and others like him already informed us that many will be selected, whitened and refined like ore (smelting) in this test of faith. He who merits passing the test and remains with his faith is praiseworthy and will merit all the good that will come to us, speedily, in our days. The good that all our prophets and sages have prophesied.

Now since this has all been revealed in advance, it is fitting that each person should be perceptive and be compassionate on himself by insuring that he remains strong in his faith. And then he will not have any test and refinement like ore (smelting) at all since he has already been informed of this beforehand.

However, truthfully, even though these people might be informed beforehand, it will still be a great test. Many will fail and become wicked as the verse states “The wicked will become wicked”. However, even so, I inform of this beforehand for the sake of those few proper people who will strengthen themselves in their faith. Even so, there will certainly be great battles in their minds, so this foreknowledge will be soothing to the soul and will strengthen them and give them courage when they see that this has been foreseen.

Also in Sichos HaRan, in essay 220:

Once, he said to someone: “I will now reveal a secret to you. There will be great disbelief in the world. The disbelief will come from above as a test. Now I know that my people will truly strengthen themselves in faith and remain firm in their belief even without this. However, I reveal this to you now so that they will strengthen themselves even more, knowing that this has been foreseen and discussed.” Words like these were heard from his holy mouth several times. He would heave many sighs about this matter and would say: “Woe, how will a few people be able to stand against the whole world?.”

Rabbi Ya’akov Teitelbaum zt”l was a foremost disciple of the great Rabbi Meir Arik zt”l. He led his community in Kew Gardens, Queens. In the summertime, he was the spiritual authority of Camp Agudah in the Catskill Mountains. One of the leaders of the generation testified that he was “a sage and a trustworthy man.” His love for all Jews was outstanding and he honored each Jew much more than was due to him based on his level. I was fortunate to merit a special relationship with him when we were together for two summers.

In the summer of 1972, the whites of his pure eyes turned yellow and we were very concerned for his health. The last day that I was privileged to see him was on the very bitter day of Tisha B’Av. In the middle of the day, after we had finished reading the Kinos and were waiting for the Mincha prayer, the Rabbi called me over to him. He said he wanted to convey something to me and requested that I publicize it in any place in the world that I might reach.

“My grandfather on my mother’s side,” began the Rav, “was a regular guest in the home of the great Rizhiner Rebbe zt”l. I heard from him that the Rizhiner would often say that just like a fire descended from heaven for Eliyahu the Prophet on Mount Carmel (validating the Torah and invalidating the Baal worshipers, as is related in Melachim I,18:39), so too, before the coming of the Mashiach a fire will descend, but this time, for the Prophets of Baal, and it will be as difficult (for the Jews) as scaling a straight wall to cling to the faith.

“I related this to many Jewish leaders,” continued the Rabbi, “until I reached the Skullener Rebbe (zt”l). When the Rebbe heard my words he requested that I repeat them. After repeating them, he asked me to repeat them again, and so I did. Then I asked him why he had requested that I repeat the matter twice? The Rebbe answered that he had a similar tradition, passed down to him from the Slonimer Tzaddik zt”l, that before the coming of Mashiach the Jewish people would lose patience. They will not want to wait for Mashiach to rebuild the Holy Temple in Jerusalem (as explained by Maimonides, in Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Kings, chapter 11, paragraph 1) but will erect it on their own initiative and will bring sacrifices on the alter. And a fire will descend from heaven and will accept their offerings. However, the Jewish people will be expected to understand that this fire that descended from heaven came from ‘the side of evil,’ not from ‘the side of good’ (since they should have waited for Mashiach to come and do it properly). The Skullener Rebbe explained that he had asked me to review the words of the Rizhiner Rebbe several times because he wanted to determine if I would also mention that this ‘descending of fire from heaven for the Prophets of Baal’ will occur on the site of the Temple, as he had heard.

“I answered him,” continued Rabbi Teitelbaum, “that even though my grandfather never mentioned that the Rizhiner Rebbe specified the site of the Temple, I understood on my own that a momentous thing like this would most likely occur in a very holy place.”

The Rabbi then said to me, “Imagine what a tremendous test this will be for all Jews - to hold on to their faith even though they are witnessing the fire descending from heaven for the benefit of the Prophets of Baal. Therefore, I request of you: Publicize this matter in the whole world, wherever life brings you, in order that the Nation of Israel will prepare themselves and be ready for this great test.”

This was the last thing I ever heard from his holy mouth, because I was never again privileged to see him alive. After Tisha B’Av, he was brought to New York for a surgical operation and, very unfortunately, this sweet, wonderful Rabbi died on the operating table. Therefore, in my mind, the matter then became like a Last Will and Testament to me, as we see from our holy Sages (Ta’anis, 21a) “We are commanded to actualize the request of the deceased.” Since then, I try to tell these words, in his name, wherever I may be.

When I lived in Monsey, New York, I related Rav Teitelbaum’s legacy to the brilliant Sage, Rabbi Shmelke Taubenfeld zt”l, who was renowned for his expertise in the entire Torah. Sure enough, he immediately responded that there is a very similar statement in the Midrash on the verse (Yesha’ayahu, 60:7) “All the sheep of Kedar will gather together to you.” When I asked him about the location of this Midrash, he smiled and explained that he was not referring to the revealed Midrashim, which I was familiar with, but rather to a hidden Midrash (among the works of Kabbalah). He then paraphrased the contents of the Midrash for me.

Through wondrous Providence, I soon realized that I had this same hidden Midrash in my home, in a very old book, called Yalkut Haro’im, which was printed in 1885. It contains a collection of volumes including: The Wellspring of Wisdom (attributed to Moshe), The Tractate of Atzilut, The Tractate of Gehinom, and others. It also includes The Book of Eliyahu and the Chapters of Mashiach. In that volume, I was dumbfounded to find these awesome words:

And Israel will say to the king of the Arabs, “The Holy Temple is ours - take gold and silver, and leave the Temple to us.”

And the Arab king will say “You have no claim to this Temple. However, if you will first choose an offering, as you did in days of old, and we will also present an offering. And we will all become part of the nation whose offering is accepted.”

Israel will present their offering and it will NOT be accepted, because Satan will prosecute us in front of Hashem.

And the sons of Kedar will present their offering and it will be accepted, as the verse states: “All the sheep of Kedar will gather together to you.”

Then, the Arabs will say to Israel, “Come, believe in our faith.”

And Israel will answer, “We will kill, or be killed, but we will not Deny the Essence.”

Then, swords will be unsheathed, bows will be drawn, arrows will be fired, and corpses will be felled from the Gate of Efraim till the Gate of Pinah. And Nechemiah (most probably, Mashiach ben Yosef) will be among those that are killed.

Those who escape will flee to the desert of Moav and to the land of the Sons of Amon.

There, the Israeli refugees will remain, and Hashem will perform miracles for them there, and a wellspring will emerge from the depths, etc., and they will eat the roots of thorn bushes, for forty five days. At the end of forty five days, Eliyahu and King Mashiach will sprout from there, etc., etc.

I immediately realized that this must be the “hidden Midrash” that Reb Shmelke was referring to, and, indeed, it is clearly very similar to what I had told him. On the one hand, it indicates that a fire will descend from heaven, on the site of the Temple, to consume the offering (since it states the “Sons of Kedar will present their offering and it will be accepted,” there is no doubt that this means that a fire will descend from heaven and consume their offering), similar to the tradition of the Skullener Rebbe from the Slonimer Tzaddik. On the other hand, this fire will descend to glorify the opposing side - this part is similar to the tradition of Rabbi Teitelbaum from the Rizhiner Rebbe.

The hairs of our head should stand on end, when we imagine this great test that all of Israel will undergo opposite the Arabs. The Jewish People, and, most likely, the Jewish leaders and the righteous of our generation, will pray - and we will not be answered. And opposite them will stand the leaders of the Arabs and their shamans, and they will pray - and will be answered from heaven.

Therefore, Rabbi Teitelbaum commanded me to publicize this matter in order that we should prepare ourselves, sons, daughters, grandchildren, students and friends to strengthen our faith and trust in Hashem, so that we not be influenced by any test, heaven forbid. (I don’t know if we are obligated to accept all that is described above literally. Perhaps this all falls into the category of the verse, in Mishlei 1:6, “To understand parable and prose, words of Sages and their riddles.” In other words, there will be great tests in the matter of faith before Mashiach comes, and in order to merit redemption we must pass those tests with Hashem’s help).

May Hashem strengthen us and rescue us from tests, always. And may He send us the Righteous Redeemer, in the merit of our faith in the Creator of all Worlds, and redeem us soon, with all of Israel, speedily, in our days, Amen.

~~ AMEN!! ~~

Postscript: Had we failed to bring the lamb (the god of the Egyptians) into our homes and then slaughtered them in full sight of the Egyptians and then painted its blood over our doors - a very real danger to all our lives at that time - we would not have been redeemed.  We would also have succumbed to the plague which took all the firstborn of Egypt.

Sometimes you have to risk your life to save it.  Just ask Nachshon ben Aminadav.