Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, one of the leading rabbinical figures in Israel's haredi sector, has issued an unorthodox ruling to the observant – that they pray alone and avoid a minyan.
This is a ruling with major implications that is even more stringent than the current guidelines from the Health Ministry, which has banned prayer inside synagogues but allows minyans to gather in open air if the members observe social distancing rules and stand two meters (six feet) apart from each other.
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Kanievsky handed down his ruling as the haredi public is coming under increasingly harsh criticism by society at large due to a number of rabbis who are failing to observe Health Ministry regulations, leading to a growing number of COVID-19 patients in the largely ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak.
Orthodox Jewish communities have awoken to the threat posed by the #CoronavirusPandemic, @Ami_Magazine correspondent @JakeTurx tells @calev_i24 on @i24NEWS_EN pic.twitter.com/3SijkJaGjw
— Calev Ben-David (@calev_i24) March 27, 2020
On Saturday night, hundreds of faithful took part in a funeral for a prominent rabbi in violation of Health Ministry regulations.
Kanievsky has issued a number of dramatic rulings pertaining to coronavirus in response to questions from various sects in Jerusalem. He further said that community members must inform the police about anyone who fails to observe coronavirus regulations. In addition, Kanievsky ruled, anyone waiting for the results of a coronavirus test must answer the telephone on Shabbat.
According to Kanievsky, anyone who causes the death of another because he or she failed to follow doctors' recommendations, is considered "karov lamezid," or someone who has caused the negligent death of another person.
The rabbi was also asked if it was permissible to shout at someone who violated quarantine orders, and replied that it was. He has also said that the police must be informed about individuals who operate synagogues or other religious institutions in violation of health regulations, even if that means the operators would be subject to fines or imprisonment.
When asked what the public could do to stop the epidemic, Kanievsky responded simply, "Pray."
Kanievsky is a signatory to a letter due to be published later Sunday calling for a cessation to all group prayer, even outside, and urging yeshiva students to stay home and study alone.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Elimelech Firer, an authority on medicine and Jewish law, has published a video in which he urges all citizens of Israel to stay at home.
"I am taking advantage of this platform and calling on all Israeli citizens: Please, stay home. Staying home has been clearly proven to stop the spread of the virus and therefore save lives. This is a question of saving lives. I ask that you abide by the instructions from the Health Ministry experts.
"At this time, I would also like to thank the doctors, who are working tirelessly, without stop, day and night, on the front lines, putting themselves at risk. I hope that by doing so they will be saved from any harm," Firer said.
