Baruch Hashem, the news in Eretz Yisrael is terrible, but not awful. One hundred people have died, and many are sick, but, thank G-d, the death rate has been low overall.
In America, on the other hand… what can one say? Five people I knew personally have passed. And the extent of the devastation caused by the world’s major economies shutting down remains to be seen.
And yet, there remains much to be hopeful about. Most people who have contracted the virus have recovered. The curve is flattening. The financial markets have stopped hemorrhaging. Here are a few additional items that should give us hope:
For only the second time in history, the Jewish people were told (at least in Israel): “V’atem lo seitz’u ish mipesach beiso ad boker – No person shall exit the door of his home until morning” (Shemos 12:22). That was literally what the Israeli government ordered its citizens to do on the first night of Pesach this year.
I don’t think it’s too unrealistic to hope that this directive will mark the beginning of the final redemption just like the first quarantine Seder marked the beginning of the first one.
Additionally, the last days of Pesach are coming, which are far more oriented towards to the future than the past, centering on the miracle of the Yam Suf when the Israelites were stuck between the sea in front of them and the Egyptians behind them. The Yerushalmi states that the people reacted in one of four ways:
Some said, “It’s hopeless,” and wanted to drown themselves. Another group said, “Let’s subjugate ourselves to the Egyptians.” A third group proclaimed, “Let’s fight!” And a fourth group said, “Let’s pray to Hashem!”
In response, Moshe said to the people, “Have no fear! Stand by and witness the salvation that Hashem will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. Hashem will battle for you; you be silent” (Shemos 14:13-14).
The order was to clamp down on their egos and do as they were told. At first, they were hesitant, but then Nachshon and other leaders led the way and the great salvation followed.
I don’t want to comment now about the seriously inadequate initial response to the coronavirus pandemic in many parts of the Orthodox world. There will be time for that when this is over. But one thing is clear: Different forms of their ancestors’ four replies were voiced when the appropriate response should have been to listen to the medical experts, shut down weddings, shuls, and yeshivos, and enter the heretofore unimaginable world of social distancing that we are living in.
The correct approach for us is not to lose hope, not to wish to go back to the way it was, not to fight the pandemic in ineffective ways, and not even to come together to pray in minyanim. It is to approach quarantine with confidence, to do as we are told and to “witness the salvation which Hashem will work for you today” – whatever form that will eventually take.
One last thought: A while back, someone sent me the following document that I never quite appreciated until now. It was written in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp and reads as follows:
Before eating chametz, one should say with fervent intent:
Our Father in Heaven, it’s known and revealed before you that our will is to do Your will and to celebrate the holiday of Pesach by eating matzah and being careful to refrain from violating the prohibition against eating chametz. But over this, our hearts are saddened – that the persecution we face stops us from doing so, and we are in danger for our very lives. We prepare ourselves to fulfill the commandment “And you shall live by them – and not die because of them” and…”Be very careful to guard your soul carefully. Our prayer, thus, is that you should keep us alive and watch over us and redeem us soon so that we can fully observe Your laws and do Your will and serve You with a whole heart. Amen.
We’re going through a frightful time. But almost all of us are in our homes, and we celebrated the Seder with beautiful dishes in comfortable dining rooms with plenty of good food. We slept in comfortable beds, ate strictly kosher matzah and meat, and continue to enjoy being with our closest ones in peace and security. The Jewish people have gone through far, far more difficult times.
Let’s hope that this special Pesach will mark the beginning of the end of this awful plague. Let’s hope that the redemption quickly follows our night of seclusion just as it did 3,300 years ago.