Hamodia- In a Mazeldige Shaah — Baalei Simchah Move Up Weddings to Beat Crowd Restrictions
“My Rebbi, Harav Avraham Pam, zt”l, imparted to his talmidim on many occasions that we must focus on the pnimius of the wedding, the essential elements of the chasunah and not the externals, which are just window dressing. If the focus is to begin building a bayis ne’eman b’Yisrael, and we concentrate on what the Eibishter wants, then we can accept it as His will.”
BROOKLYN, NY - “My brother’s son was scheduled to go to the chuppah Monday evening at 8:30, with the kabbalas panim called for 7:30,” said Chany. “I had appointments scheduled for my daughter to have her hair done at 4:00 pm. Suddenly, I got a call that the kabbalas panim was moved up to 4:30, with the chuppah at 5:30. I’m trying to get everything done by then, but if I can’t get an appointment, we will just have to make due with what we have.”
Monday morning’s announcement by NY, NJ and Connecticut that social gatherings of more than 50 people will be prohibited after 8:00 pm Monday evening triggered a rush of families who had planned their children’s wedding for the evening to reschedule them for early afternoon in order to be able to have their guests attend. Halls which had weddings booked are hurrying to be ready for the earlier start time, with some beginning as soon as 2:00 pm on Monday afternoon.
The uncertainty of not knowing what will happen put many of these families under stress for the past few days. “I guess that now that the other shoe has dropped, and my family went forward with their backup plan, the actually tension has eased somewhat, and we will just have to make the best of it,” Chany shared with Hamodia. “I guess it’s best that we look at the glass as half full at this time.”
Rearranging the start time of a wedding may be complicated, since all the participants, including the caterer, musicians, photographers, flowers and others must rush to be there at the new time. Families whose members planned their weddings for later in the week have a whole other set of issues to deal with.
“I know that there was a wedding scheduled for next Sunday evening, March 22, and the family cancelled their reservation at a large hall and booked a small hall in a local shul which would normally be used for a small bar mitzvah or sheva brachos,” Chany related. “With a limit of 50 people, there is no reason to spend the money on such a large hall.”
A well-known Jewish singer who entertains at weddings told Hamodia that he is aware of many cancellations. “People are very distressed that their well-laid plans have gone up in smoke,” he reported. “The weddings will have to be on a much smaller scale, and the families won’t spring for a large band and sound system for an intimate chasunah of 50 people. A friend of mine who works as a sound person at weddings told me he has had 8 or 9 cancellations, since a small wedding has no need for a sound person.”
Some families who have weddings scheduled for next week are worried that by that time, the restrictions may be tightened, and even 50 people will not be permitted to attend. One family had a wedding scheduled for next Sunday, March 22, and they quickly rearranged it for Thursday, March 19, since they were scared what the next day or week may bring.
Rabbi Mayer Tzvi Chesir, a Maggid Shiur in the beis medrash at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, has his son’s wedding scheduled for next week, but he is taking it all in stride.
“My Rebbi, Harav Avraham Pam, zt”l, imparted to his talmidim on many occasions that we must focus on the pnimius of the wedding, the essential elements of the chasunah and not the externals, which are just window dressing. If the focus is to begin building a bayis ne’eman b’Yisrael, and we concentrate on what the Eibishter wants, then we can accept it as His will.”
As far as planning, Rabbi Chesir is taking a wait-and-see attitude. “The aufruf is scheduled for this Shabbos in Brooklyn, and the wedding is next week in Lakewood. We will have to let the caterer know pretty soon if we will have the aufruf in Brooklyn or in Lakewood. If it looks like there may be some travel restrictions, we might transfer the aufruf to Lakewood, in order to have everyone on location.
“For the chasunah, we were told by Bais Faiga that we since they have two buildings, we can plan on 50 men and fifty women, and we will have to trim our lists accordingly. We can still have a Yiddishe simchah with whoever can attend,” Rabbi Chesir stated with his usual good cheer.
“Of course, we will observe all the rules of hygiene. But as I told my friends and talmidim, if all we do is wash our hands and not improve our avodas Hashem, then it seems we are just ‘washing our hands’ from the whole situation.” HAMODIA.com
As a frum doctor in Lakewood, I am writing this to help people know what I believe they should be doing RIGHT NOW, based on halacha and on standard medical practice. These guidelines will protect yourselves, your families, the rest of our community, and will SAVE LIVES.
If YOU practice these guidelines, you will be fulfilling your responsibility as a member of the klal. Every single person who follows these guidelines might actually be saving a life, even if others do not follow these guidelines. The fewer people the virus can reach, the fewer people it can infect and the fewer people it can be transmitted to.
I believe it is the responsibility of every man, woman, and child to stay at home as much as humanly possible, without contact with other people. This is because everyone can spread this deadly virus, even if you are not sick now.
If every family stays in their homes, the virus will starve and die. The virus needs human hosts to live. If people are not in contact with each other, the virus will die faster, because it will have nowhere to go.
Children should not play with neighbors. No child should be in school or daycare. Men should not go to minyan.Learning should be over the phone or on teleconference. Work should be over the phone or on teleconference. Grocery shopping for necessary food should be ordered over the phone and delivered to your home. Daven, daven, daven!
Also endorsed by Lakewood Doctors: Dr. Jonathan Cohen Dr. Alan Lempel Dr. David Ogun Dr. Neil Gittelman Dr. Nachum Indich Dr. Chaim Kaweblum Dr. Harvey Hirsch Dr. Jonathan Fisgus Dr. Binyamin Greenberg
Refresh for updates -As situation escalates there is talk of possibly closing all shuls. -Boro Park may be on lockdown after outbreak intensifies. Patients traced to a tush held on purim. -Boro Park Maimonidies hospital overwhelmed.
1:00 pm - Over 100 Boro Park residents test positive for Coronavirus an urgent care clinic confirms. Lakewood so far has no reported case by the OCHD but dr's say that will likely change.
-Executive order in NYS for school closures no later than tomorrow 3/18/20 for 2 weeks. -Dial in phone for Yom Tefilah 718-298-2077 at 1:30 pm Livestream torahanytime.org -Tehillim in BMG with אבינו מלכנו by Mincha
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-Lakewood Balei Batim offering their large backyards to host weddings.
- Yom Tefillah - Torah Umesorah Tehillim recited together at 1:30 pm for all schools, children at home joining together to say kapitel צ''א ק''כ קכ''א ק''ל
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-APP: "unlike other colleges, students at BMG won't be able to take classes online while the campus is closed, Kotler said. Students at BMG study the Torah and other rabbinical works in text form. Study halls are completely devoid of computers and students leave their cell phones outside".
- Israel health ministry directs people to stay indoors except for essential needs.
10:30 am
-Bergen county eases mall restrictions will be allowed to stay open through Saturday
-With many facing financial difficulties ahead of Pesach Tomchei Shabbos offering help If your family needs help please contact our office asap please let us know if any friends relatives or neighbors in need as well call 732-905-7136
- Otzar Hachochma basic now open to the public at no charge Here
9:30 am אבינו מלכנו מנע מגפה מנחלתיך lakewood shuls and yeshivos add the tefila of אבינו מלכנו during davening this morning
NYC Mayor De Blasio is considering New Yorkers to only leave their homes for food, medicine and exercise, 'Shelter In Place'.
8:00am
Minyanim across Lakewood split up or held outside to keep limit of 50 people, Some shuls put up temporary walls spread around. Yeshivos closing tomorrow.
A Rebbe in a yeshivah on 18th Ave in Boro Park has tested positive for Coronavirus his 20 students will now go into a 14-day mandatory Quarantine.
Lakewood doctors write letter urging the community to stay home and not go outside at all even to daven.
NJ gets its first pediatric case a 5 year old in Paterson tested positive
Letter was written last night by Harav Micha Cohn shlita, kehilas Oakley Hills Jackson.
"I followed the unanimous advice of all three experts to put minyonim on hold as of now. As a shul I feel we can simply not take the responsibility to ignore the unanimous expert opinion. In such a situation we must err on the side of caution. If I overacted – I will be happy".
Dear Mispalelim Chashuvim,
I would like to update you as far as the current situation of the COVID-19 outbreak as it pertains to our community. Sunday night there was a conference call with many local doctors and Rabbonim with Dr. Elliot Frank, a specialist in infectious disease from Jersey Shore University Medical Center. On Monday afternoon there was a Rabbonim’s meeting at CHEMED with Dr. Ahron Glatt, an Infectious Disease specialist from New York and Dr. Freidman CEO of CHEMED. Later last night I spoke with Dr. Kofsky, (our Tzvi Eli’s father) who is an Infectious disease specialist from Brooklyn. What we need to understand is a few points;
• While there are few confirmed cases in Lakewood, this is largely a result of the difficulty to test. It is believed that there are numerous cases, if not more. I know of plenty of people closely related to our community that have been in contact with individuals that may have the virus. • The officials this week became very concerned of a mushroom affect, as is being seen in Italy when cases multiply rapidly when there is not proper containment. • While the over 60 age group is at a far greater risk there are plenty of young people being hospitalized without preexisting conditions. • A person could transfer the virus even before symptoms arise. This means that one person in a shul can infect many others, especially elderly, without knowing it . • As of Monday the CDC prohibited gatherings of more than 50. Dr. Frank on Sunday night wanted the number to more like ten or max twenty. • I was hoping that we could have small minyonim, possibly with 10-15 people outside with space apart. As of last night, given the rapidly changing situation, all the above doctors advised against that.
Specific to Minyonim:
• We must realize that the obligation of tefila be’tzibur is a chiyuv to be to’rai’ach (less than a regular chiyuv de’rabanan). (See Igros Moshe OC 2:27) • We have an achrayus to the tzibur, as Reb Yisroel Slanter’s famous psak of making everyone eat on Yom Kippur during a cholera epidemic demonstrates. Even if these abovementioned recommendations are overblown it certainly is enough reason to say this is considered a tircha and there is no obligation of tefilla betzibur. • Minyanim are very difficult to control, for example on Monday there were 26 people at our weekday minyan in a small space. This means that the proper precautions of 6 feet apart etc. were certainly not met. Additionally, as of Monday evening because of the seriousness of the situation I was advised that we cannot take responsibility on such gatherings. This is different than a work environment that is easier to control. • We must understand that davening with a minyan can be a prolonged exposure which is much more serious that a casual encounter when one goes shopping in an uncrowded store. • The status of children, if they are vectors who transmit disease, is still being debated. Furthermore, the concern with letting all the schools out is that the 41,000 children of Lakewood will be congregating in all different places and spreading the virus. This is why there are differing opinions about school closures. • At the Rabbonim’s meeting on Monday evening many Rabbonim based on the urging of Dr. Glatt and many local doctors expressed the feeling that their shuls should not have minyonim. It is too difficult to control and the risk to the tzibur at large is too great. However, it will take time before a conscious emerges. My friend, Rabbi Moshe Rotberg of Hatzolah, is working very hard on this . • It is not my way to make these decisions in a vacuum. However, I saw at the meeting how rapidly the situation is changing and how painfully slow the Rabbonim will take in order to reach a consensus. After my discussion with Dr. Kofsky about our shul in particular, I saw no way out. After numerous requests to decide if there should be minyonim I followed the unanimous advice of all three experts to put minyonim on hold as of now. As a shul I feel we can simply not take the responsibility to ignore the unanimous expert opinion. In such a situation we must err on the side of caution. If I overacted – I will be happy. • As things change, we will certainly reevaluate and will continue to be in touch with other Rabbonim and communal leaders. • However, each individual is certainly entitled to do their own research and act accordingly. I would be happy to discuss the situation with anyone that wants to. I hope that soon things will return to normal and we can once again have the great zechus of tefilla be’tzibur. Mikvah • All doctors were in agreement that the virus does not live in chlorinated water and therefore mikvah for women is fine. Mikvaos should be disinfecting surfaces between uses. • Mens mikvaos are not kept as clean and men often congregate, therefore it would probably be better to avoid. ....... Very truly yours, Micha Cohn
Tuesday March 17, 2020 – כא 'אדר תש"פ URGENT PLEA FROM THE רבני העיר שליט"א LOCAL PHYSICIANS and HATZOLAH OF CENTRAL JERSEY
The Rabbonim have been inundated with calls from very concerned members of our kehillah as how to proceed in these tumultuous times. In truth, these are very concerning times on many different levels. Hkb”h is truly testing us on many levels and we require rachamei shomayim merubim.
We would thus like to bring some of our insight to the general public. The Novel Covid19 Virus, is a brand- new virus which has not been seen prior to a few months ago. This virus has had devastating affects throughout the world. In some countries the death and destruction has been horrific. Hundreds of deaths per day, hospitals are overwhelmed and have no beds, staff and equipment. In some countries, patients as young as 60 are not being given respirators and sadly being left to die.
Other countries have taken extremely aggressive steps to lock down the country and the result has been far better and clearly saved thousands of lives. A group of doctors from Lakewood ran the projections of what has happened in other places similar to Lakewood and the results are frightening. Compounded is the fact that our hospitals are almost full to capacity as it is, and additional cases of the virus can completely overwhelm the system. We must make sure that we stop preventable deaths. We have spoken to frum Infectious Disease specialists who said that if we do not take drastic precautions the risk of death R”L is staggeringly high. The only way to stop this is by ceasing the social contact with other people!
As such, we feel that unnecessary social interaction is a question of pikuach nefashos mamish!
Hand washing with soap and warm water is vital before and after any interactions. Non- essential retail establishments should only do deliveries and curb side drop off. Groceries and pharmacies should also only do deliveries unless absolutely necessary for patrons to go in. In those essential stores, if one needs to be there, care must be taken to avoid interactions and/or touching items such as carts etc.
No one should be attending simchos besides the immediate family within the proper guidelines suggested. Any elderly and immuno-compromised patients should not attend Shul or any social gatherings at all. Anyone not feeling well should be sure to stay away from any social events interactions including Shuls of course. The only way a Shul may stay open is if the following guidelines can be followed, and ensured. Mispallelim should be approximately 6 feet from one another on all sides. All areas must be cleaned and sterilized after each tefilah. There should be staggered minyanim to ensure that these can be followed. If you’re concerned or unsure please stay home, chamirah sakantah! THIS SHOULD ONLY BE DONE IF THE INDIVIDUAL RAV TAKES ACHRAYUS THAT THIS IS STRICLTY ADHERED TO.
If Rebbeim learn with the Talmidim in their homes they should be aware of the following. The Infectious Disease specialists state that this can have a devastating spread of the illness R”L. If an individual Rebbe finds an appropriate location with suitable spacing and ensures the proper distancing and sanitizing as detailed above, this would be on the achrayus of this individual Rebbe.
PLEASE DO ALL THAT IS POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE TO LEARN BY PHONE.
The Rabbonim are following the guidelines set forth by the Health Department, should their recommendations become more stringent so will ours. It is a time to be mechazek in Torah and Tefilah so that Hashem will have rachmanus on us during this eis tzarah.
In the z’chus of following the directives of the Torah and making our hishtadlus to do what is required of us, we will certainly see the Rachamei Shomayim and end to these dark times. Signatures in formation
12:00 pm - Some phone conference lines for kids are overloaded also scheduling conflicts as siblings have phone learning the same time. Tip try setting up a google voice #.
-Motzes gedolei hatorah in EY- Everyone should listen to the directives of the medical professionals and authorities -Rav Chaim Kanievskiy now says all chasorim and yeshivos in EY should close as situation escalates. -Dr Shanik office: Waiting room seats are covered with tape only allowing a few people to sit as they keep it sterile. -Kupas Yom Tov: Due to the current situation collecting will not take place outside grocery stores, Mikvaos, or shuls call 732- 334-0050 -Bill in NJ would make it illegal to return groceries purchased to hoard food and supplies for the coronavirus outbreak with fines of up to $20,000. Virus can be on the surface of these items. - Rachmastrivk shul in Lakewood will close today at noon - The 50-person rule includes hall staff and anyone on premises. Separate rooms of 50 people or even inside/outside is NOT permitted and Lakewood Police tell me it will be shut down immediately.(Shlomo Schorr on Twitter) - Viral news Police break up 2 weddings in Lakewood HERE
11:00 am
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
As per Dr Shanik, as well as other lakewood Doctors, all playgroups and learning groups must be disbanded immediately.
Due to the danger of the virus and the increasing number of sick people in the community, we must take this very seriously and avoid all groups, of any size! This includes babysitting groups, groups learning with rebbeim, and any other kind of group. No Rebbe may meet with ANY talmidim in ANY location. Learning may ONLY take place over the phone.
These changes must take place immediately!!
10:00 am -Monsey doctors on Hatzola conference call: Kids off from school should NOT visit their grandparents you are doing a disservice to them and putting them at risk! Wait till this passes and you will iy"h spend time with Zaidy and Bubby -Trump: by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Details to follow! -LPD: will strictly enforce policies limiting gatherings to 50 ppl, they responded to 2 weddings yesterday -Kol Arye open to members only no kids under BM separation guidelines strictly enforced -Pine River Village: Shul for residents only no outsiders/ -Public school parents: long lines waiting to pick up laptops and learning material -Snack and lunch delivered to pick up locations
9:00 AM The day the yeshivos had to close- Torah learning continues -Slabodka yeshiva closes its dormitory -Philadelphia Yeshiva closes -Yeshiva Telshe Chicago closes -Lakewood Yeshiva BMG closes -Slabodka yeshiva closes its dormitory -Philadelphia Yeshiva closes -Yeshiva Telshe Chicago closes - Somerset walk shul open only for residents -Chestnut shul if your shul closed down you are forbidden on the chestnut shul premisis -Toms River: All shuls closed -Toms River Rav who signed Lakewood kol Korei says the guidelines are unique to Lakewood in certain situations but he closed down his own shul -Lakewood Vaad spokesman: APP: "We do have to understand that it's a very concentrated and compressed community, and we're struggling with it,People are confused, but they're confused everywhere because this is a moving target. "The guidance changes from day to day, so there's a little bit of a lag until it filters down."
8:00 am
-Lakewood begins homeschooling teachers and rebbeim have set up conference calls for the students to call in during the day at designated times. -Free lunch and snack from Gelbsteins sponsored by the NJ state lunch program will be available in pick up locations around Lakewood from 10:00 am- 1:00 pm (see previous post) -In a reversal of police many shuls closed down fully instead of having restrictions -APP: Lakewood police "shut down" a wedding at a catering hall yesterday after passerby sees a chuppa - schools have cancelled secondary smaller classes, will only study over phone -Rav Avrohom Schorr closes his shul in Flatbush -Gur chasidus Main Bais Medrash in Yerushalyim is closed,
Coronavirus - Not to gather in shuls to daven or learn. Every person should not leave their home unless absolutely necessary. People who can should be mekabel taanis shaaos till chatzos and say Yom Kippur kotton. Daven for Klal yisrael and the entire world.
Yom Tefillah and Taanis - אבינו מלכנו מנע מגפה מנחלתך
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Thinking of heading to the Catskills? Sullivan county officials ask summer residents to refrain from seeking refuge in the bungalow colonies during the Coronavirus outbreak. Resources are in short supply
NY Gov 90 day mortgage relief waiving mortgage payments based on financial hardship, no negative reporting to credit bureaus, a grace period for loan modification, no late payment fees or online payment fees, and postponing or suspending foreclosures.
3:00 pm
-Israelis on to stay at home short of a lockdown order by PM Netanyahu it is a command can not leave their homes for 7 days they can shop for food and medicine and some
Chap Arein get a haircut before Pesach. All Barber shops in NJ order closed by 8:00 pm tonight until further notice.
2:45 pm
-Hatzola of South Florida asking people not to come to Orlando or south Florida for Pesach there are cases of Corona in the community. - Lakewood stores overloaded with Deliveries some stores not delivering until next week.
1:30 pm
The Agudah's rabbinical leadership have informed us that one may say Yom Kippur Koton even though they stopped or not fasting, One praying alone should not recite the 13 middos portion of the Yom Kippur Kattan prayers.
1:00 pm
-NJ cases jump to 742 with 9 deaths -Traffic on Cedarbridge by Circa because of lunch pick up - Mutphy orders personal care businesses closed tonight that can't comply with social distancing such as Barbershops salons not good for business before Pesach
- State Department to tell Anericans to return home or stay put oversees no more traveling! Will impact going to EY
11:00 am -40 cases in Lakewood and rising now Ground Zero in NJ
- APP- Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles has confirmed that “to the best of my knowledge” at least 40 positive cases have been detected in Lakewood. He said cases are spread out around township, but many concentrate in Latino population. Coles said that when testing was done last week, many Latino residents fit the criteria to get tested and that other residents were turned away due to limited testing kits. But that we may see increase in other groups as this progresses
- A Lakewood business has laid off a lot of its employees, one school is not paying its part time workers even though it is open.
-Ocean county freeholders announce they probably will open a coronavirus testing site at the Ocean County College because we think the numbers are going to go up. - Gelbstein lunch drop off delivered to locations, Bnos Devora has to be picked up from the school
9:30 am - New Square:Krias hatorah is done via loud speakers outside -DR. Zelanko of Kiryas Yoel in video message 9 of first 14 tests came back positive meaning that 90% of the population in Kiryas Yoel will have Corona virus that's around 35,000 people in a square mile area , there are 1000 people that are vulnerable and they need to be watched carefully please make sure they are protected.
-Hatbox stores open by appointment only not more than 10 people allowed in the store at anytime allowing maximum social distancing
8:00 am Audio: Rav of Somerset walk shul says many of the kehila were exposed purim morning. Sets up a virtual minyan shul members will daven together at the regular scheduled zmanim of the shul.
7:00 am -Lakewood Cheveirim and volunteers offering to shop for seniors in need of essential items so they dont have to leave their homes - Camden county, NJ prohibits self-serve drinks, food due to coronavirus. Wawa, 7-Eleven workers must pour coffee.
6:00 am -Ocean County Health Department confirms 4 positive cases in Lakewood
-Numbers of cases go up as results come back in Lakewood expected to spike in double digits. -Ateres Yeshaya: "the Rov Shlit"a is against joining any minyanim in private homes or backyards, etc. He urges us all to take seriously and strictly follow the Hatzolah guidelines for safety and protocol. -Talmid in Passaic yeshiva tested positive other students notified -Kol Shimshon closed -Crown heights: Bais Din forbades davening in outside minyanim - Landaus shul in Flatbush is closed Audio: Lakewood resident who tested positive for corona speaks.
ערב שבת פרשת ויקהל-פקודי פרשת החודש שבת מברכים חודש ניסן תש׳׳פ
Refresh page for updates ראש חודש ניסן ביום החמישי הבא עלינו לטובה Weather hi of 77 degrees in Lakewood Segula during kiddush turn the נגף into גפן to have in mind to stop the מגפה. In the zechus of Kiddush on Wine it will turn the נגף into גפן
1:00 pm -Bergen county coronavirus testing site hits capacity after just 4 hours. - Queen, NY :Hatzola asks that only real emergencies call in , theres an epidemic of coronavirus in the community
12:30 pm -Hospitals in NJ setting up tents expecting surge in patients -Satmar Rebbe Rav Aaron sends chizuk letter to all his followers -Mazel Tov wedding in Lakewood today 12:00 pm NY on lock down starting Sunday -NY Gov to sign executive order banning all gatherings in NY Mandates That Non-Essential Employees Stay Home Likely no more Chasunas can take place! will take effect Sunday night
-Barber shops, salons close in NY as of tomorrow if you need a haircut before Pesach get it now
-Audio listen for free Jewish books for kids - Listen HERE by chilazon press
11:45 am - Rav Tzvi Rotbereg shlita a R"Y of Bais Meir in EY said without Torah learning the segulos are worthless. !! מעולם לא פסקה ישיבה מאבותינו אני יודע, מחר יבואו עם סגולה כזאת ומחרתיים עם סגולה אחרת, כל הדברים האלה בטלים ומבוטלים!!!! הרי אנחנו כבר "מחונכים"כמה שנים שאין תורה, ואין מצוות, ואין שום דבר יש רק דבר אחד, שקוראים לו סגולה!!! אני מאד פוחד שפה מישהו גם יבא עם כמה סגולות, ואז בכלל יוכלו לסגור את הגמרא..... ח"ו, זה דבר אחד, בלי תורה אין מה לדבר בכלל.
11:00am -A. I Stone clothing offering free shipping on all orders -Toys For Thought offering curb side pick up Free Delivery on orders of $50 or more
10:30 am BDE: ר'אברהם יהושע פריינד ז"ל a 63 year old Stamar Chosid from Williamsburg was niftar this morning. He was not feeling well last week and this morning had breathing complications. He did not test for Corona so no way of knowing if he had the virus.
-Those who took tests and awaiting results should not assume all is well a frum women from queens is in critical but stable condition awhile waiting for the result her situation deteriorated rapidly, she tested positive
10:00 am APP - about Lakewood mesivta “Seems that the dormitory has students who live here in town and they are from out of town,” Meyer wrote. “They are in the process of returning home tomorrow as they typically do for the weekend.” “We cannot throw them out into the street and, like I said, we are hoping to remedy the situation tomorrow.
9:45 am Tehillim: הרב יוסף בן רחל האדמו"ר מדעעש רמות whose situation deteriorated because of Corona the rebbe is 57 yrs old in the ICU -Test center opens in Bergen county only those with symptoms will be tested another one opening soon atPNC bank art center exit 117 on the GSP Ocean county officials opening one next week 9:20 am Robo call with doctors- Psak From Harav Simcha bunim Cohen shlita for the entire Lakewood It is assur to have any private minyanim on shabbos anywhere
9:00 am Restrictions at Lakewood supermarkets only one shopper per family no children allowed -Rav Moshe Heineman- one does not need to announce the Molad when davening at home דער מולד וועט זיין: דינסטיג אינדערפרי עלעף חלקים און פערצן מינוט נאך צען The molad will be Tuesday morning 11 Chalakim and 14 minutes after 10 Rosh chodesh Nissan Thursday ראש חודש ניסן ביום החמישי הבא עלינו לטובה!
8:30 am -Gelbstein snack and school lunches have been dropped off early at the locations.
-Novominsk Rebbe shlita: We must be informed about the facts of this disease and listen to the medical experts can not behave like we did last week or 2 weeks ago learn on the phone daven with kavana and hasjem should releive us from this gezeira and Tzaar -Many Rabbonim in EY allow davening in a controlled minyan of 10 with proper social distancing
8:00 am Shabbos at home all of klal yisrael together -Stolin Rebbe instructs his chasidim not to daven in any other minyanim or arrange private ones in the porches and stairwells all must stay home no mikva Erev shabbos anyone over 70 should be checked on and make sure they have all foods and medicine needed. - Belz Rebbe tells chasidim who gave birth to grls to name them yesterday and not wait for shabbos -Singer MBD reminds everyone of this unprecedented shabbos without public transportation invokes his famous song "just one shabbo sand will all be free" -Rabbi Moshe Heineman shlita- those davening at home should read the parsha from a chumash once people are allowed to go back to shul the first aliya of that shabbos will start with the krias hatorah of Vayakhel and will make up for all the parshhiyos that were missed. -Psak from RavYItzchok Zilberstein shlita: If one is awaiting results for a Coronavirus test they may leave their phone on during shabbos
We do not say מגן אבות or יקום פורקן for ויכולו if no one else there some say you should say it twice as if you are reading the Torah.One is not יוצא when he lains from a חומש. However, there is an ענין to have a זכר of laining and read from a חומש. This applies to the הפטרה as well. It does not hurt to read פרשת החדש as well you can say חזק חזק ונתחזק for a transcript of the video click HERE Coronavirus Webinar with Rabbi Moshe Heineman from STAR-K KOSHER CERTIFICATION on Vimeo.
9:30 pm -Satmar Rebbe Rav Aaron shlita tests positive for coronavirus אהרן בן פעסל לאה לרפו"ש. -Hatzolah of central Jersey was busy over shabbos transferring patients to the hospital as more people are feeling symptoms -NJ stay at home rules HERE what you need to know -Virtual Melava Malka HERE Special Message from Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss 9:30 pm
-Rav moshe wolfson speaks to his kehila listen to recording 718 559 6665 wait into prompt 5 than 0 In Yiddish not great but still inspiring -Rav Avrohom Helberg shlita will be giving divrei chizuk tonight 9:45 pm via teleconference 605-475- 6700 code 1019#
8:40 pm -OCHD: Ocean county now has 98 cases 42 in Lakewood 10 in Jackson toms river 13
-NJ to go into lockdown stay at home order beginning 9:00 pm tonight New Jersey will go into virtual lockdown mode starting Saturday night at 9:00 pm after Gov. Phil Murphy announced he is ordering all people to stay at home except for necessary travel and mandating that all non-essential retail businesses in the state close until further notice to help to battle the spread of the coronavirus.
-FAA briefly halted air traffic in NY tri state area because an employee tested positive
-N.J. coronavirus cases spike to 1,327 total with 16 deaths. 442 new positive tests announced.
-Lakewood business charged for price gouging on Hand sanitizer, homeowner charged for too many ppl at a wedding
-Stores that can stay open during the lock down grocery stores, food banks, pharmacies, medical marijuana dispensaries, gas stations, auto mechanics and repair services, convenience stores, banks, hardware and home improvement stores, laundromats, dry cleaners, printing and office supply shops, pet stores, stores that sell supplies for young children, and mail and delivering shops.
Refresh page for updates 10:00am Eli Beer, the founder of Israel's Ichud Hatzalah who tested positive with coronavirusbeen placed on a respirator, Please Daven for Eliezer Yehuda ben Chaya
8:00 am
-Tehillim: Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Chaim Dov Keller, shlita, is hospitalized with COVID-19P Please be mispallel for Chaim Dov ben Kreindel b’soch she’ar cholei Yisrael.
important message from former CBA member Dr. Stephanie Haimowitz. FWIW, I have personally received multiple identical accounts from numerous physicians in local hospitals.
Dear Rabbi Rothwachs,
I hope this email find you well and that you and your family are feeling good. I would firstly like to thank you and the entire RCBC for your bulletin to the Bergen County Jewish community regarding social distancing and the closing of the shuls. I know it was not a decision that was made lightly.
As an Emergency Medicine Physician, I am on the "front lines" of this pandemic, and quite frankly I am scared by what I am seeing. Over the past 10 days, I have witnessed first hand how quickly this pandemic has evolved. We in the medical community are in agreement the worst is yet to come. We anticipate that over the next 30-45 days we will see an even more massive influx of patients with the disease ranging from the worried well to the critically ill who will require intubation and ventilatory support in our intensive care unit. As it stands, we do not have the resources to support this, which is why I am reaching out to you to ask you for your help.
Pesach is swiftly approaching and with it comes travel and family time. Many people have plans to host their elderly parents and/or their children and grandchildren. I cannot stress enough how dangerous this is. With every passing day we learn how varying the presentation of illness can be and there are asymptomatic carriers who can transmit the virus. It is getting increasingly more difficult to say with any real degree of certainty who has the virus and who does not in the absence of widespread testing. We therefore cannot conclude that it is fine for families to get together provided no one has any symptoms or a fever.
In fact, the medical community itself has not come to a consensus as to what they consider true symptoms and how to distinguish COVID-19 from any other condition based solely on clinical presentation. As an example, I recently had a patient whose only symptoms were diarrhea and a fever. He is COVID+ and currently in our ICU. When we first discussed the case with infectious disease on call for our hospital, he was declined for testing due to his lack of respiratory complaints despite a CT scan of his lungs that appeared to be consistent with COVID-19. After much arguing and a repeat phone call he was accepted for testing. This patient presented 6 days ago. In just 6 days, we have changed the way we think about this virus and are learning that it can present with anything.
And to the people who will say "but this is a disease of the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions" I have some very sobering information. While the overwhelming majority will likely be okay, we are seeing more and more cases every day of young and otherwise healthy people who are requiring ventilators and ICU admissions. The man in the example above is 45 years old with no other medical problems. There is another patient in his early 30's in our ICU. I know of cases in Brooklyn, Seattle, Westchester, and other Bronx hospitals with intubated patients in their 20's, 30's, and 40's who have no other medical problems. The good news is that most of the data coming out of other countries and Seattle (they were a few weeks ahead of us) is that most of these young patients ultimately survive. But ventilators and ICU beds are not unlimited. We can and will run out at this rate. My friend at one bronx hospital had to intubate (put on a ventilator) 10 patients over a 48 hour period. My hospital has the capacity for approximately 35 intubated patients. I give you these numbers to help you understand how rapidly our resources are being depleted. When we run out, my colleagues and I will have to start making impossible decisions. We will be forced to decide who will receive these potentially life saving interventions. There is no training for these kinds of decisions. There is no class in medical school on how to tell a family that their son or daughter is less deserving than someone else's family member, or that grandma has had a good run and so let's give someone else a shot at a long life. I pray it does not come to this.
But without your help, this nightmare will become my reality. And so I urge you to speak with the members of the RCBC to help us flatten the curve. This is not business as usual. Members of the Bergen County Jewish Community need to understand that this virus is everywhere and if we do not continue with our social distancing we will be faced with more heartbreaking situations than a lonely Pesach Seder. I understand that for many, logistically, this will be a tremendous burden. But our community is strong and together we can lessen the load. Perhaps we can speak with restaurants and caterers about providing affordable kosher for Pesach packages to the elderly or families whose plans are being changed at the last minute. We can create message boards for people making Pesach for the first time to post questions or recipes. We can still be connected without physically being together. It will just require some creative ideas and out of the box thinking. Maybe we can explore how we can use technology to create a sense of togetherness while still remaining faithful to Halacha and our traditions.
I will lead by example. My husband and I will be spending this Pesach just the two of us. My grandmother will be staying home alone in her house in New Jersey. My parents will be sitting at a big empty table come Leil Pesach. But if we act now then the hope is that next year my parent's table will once again be crowded with their children and grandchildren bumping elbows and spilling wine and making matzoh crumbs while belting out off key tunes to our favorite Pesach seder songs.
Please help me in ensuring the safety of the people and community I love. I may possess the medical knowledge but without your leadership echoing my words they will fall on deaf ears.
May we be zocheh to live long and healthy lives and may our community continue to be a source of strength to anyone who needs it during these most trying times.
CLEAN FOR PESACH AND ENJOY THE SEDER! by Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Edited By Rabbi Moshe Finkelstein Kiryat Mattersdorf, Jerusalem
These notes are based on the responsa of Moreinu veRabbeinu HaGaon HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, zatzal, rosh yeshivas Torah Ore, to questions posed by women attending his regular talks. They have been compiled by a group of his students. The notes also include Hebrew sources and footnotes, which are not reproduced here. link
PREFACE
In former times, wealthy people who had large houses also had many servants who did their bidding, while poor people, who could not afford servants, lived in small homes with one or two rooms. Understandably, the pre-Passover chores of the rich were performed by the servants, while the poor, who had only their one or two rooms to clean, a few pieces of furniture, a minimum of utensils, and some clothing, took care of their needs themselves.
In those days, cleaning was hard. Tables were made of raw wood, requiring them to be scrubbed or even to be shaven to ensure that no pieces of food were hidden in the cracks. Earthen or wooden floors also needed to be thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed.
Today, we seem to be caught in a trap. The average modern home is larger than formerly. Furniture, utensils and clothing are much more plentiful. The average home today can compare with the more affluent homes of previous generations. However, we do not have the servants that they had, so that today, all the chores fall on the woman of the home. At the same time she still feels obligated to clean and scrub as they did formerly, even though she has laminated furniture and tiled floors, making this type of cleaning unnecessary.
As a result of this, the pressure of pre-Pesach cleaning has reached unnecessary and overwhelming levels. The housewife often becomes overly nervous, unable to enjoy the holiday joy of Passover and unable to perform the mitzvos and obligations of the Seder night.
INTRODUCTION
Passover, like every other yom tov, must be enjoyed by every member of the family, including women. This is an obligation clearly defined in the Torah as explained by our Sages. We can understand a person dreading Tisha B’Av but Pesach is to be looked forward to and anticipated with joy. Every woman should be well rested, relaxed and alert at the Seder table so that she can fulfill all the Torah and Rabbinic obligations and follow the Haggadah with the rest of the family. Clearly, the performance of her pre- Passover duties must be balanced against her Passover obligations.
Pre-Passover cleaning is required to avoid the danger of transgressing any Torah or Rabbinic prohibition of having chometz in the house on Pesach. It is evident from the responsa of the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita that this need not be excessive.
It is not the intention here to abolish traditions which have been passed down by Klal Yisroel from generation to generation. Nevertheless, some practices adopted by women in the Passover cleaning today are not an actual continuation of the old traditions. For example, if a person does not sell his chometz, of course it is necessary to check his utensils and to wash off any chometz left on them, or to render the chometz inedible. But if the chometz is sold, then washing the pots, pans and dishes which are going to be locked away is not necessary.
One might be tempted to insist on doing the extra work anyway — to be machmir (stringent). However, in these stringencies lies the grave danger of causing many laxities and brushing aside many mitzvohs completely, including Torah and Rabbinic obligations which women are required to do on Passover and particularly during the Seder.
Many women like to do more “cleaning” than the bare minimum, to such an extent, that some even incorporate their general “spring cleaning” into their required pre-Passover chores. These extra exertions should not prevent them from fulfilling their obligations on Passover, and particularly on the Seder night.
GENERAL NOTES
A. All property and possessions must be cleaned and checked to make sure that they are free of all chometz, except in the following cases: B. If, during the year, chometz is not brought into a place, that place does not have to be cleaned out or checked for chometz. C. Any article which is not used on Pesach does not need to be checked for chometz, provided it is put away properly and the chometz in it is sold. D. Crumbs which have been rendered completely inedible [C.J. Weisberg explains: by coating with small amount of household cleaner] to the extent that they are not fit to be eaten by a dog are not considered chometz. E. The general obligation to check for and destroy crumbs does not apply if the crumbs are less than the size of an olive (kezayis) and are dirty or spoiled enough to prevent a person from eating them. F. The household cleaner (mentioned below) used must spoil the crumbs slightly to the extent that people would refrain from eating them. G. It is customary that any item to be kashered should not be used for 24 hours prior to kashering, in order that it should not be a ben- yomo.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
1) CLOTHING CLOSETS: If there is some significant possibility that chometz went into them, they should be checked for fully edible crumbs of chometz, besides large pieces of chometz. If the probability that chometz entered these places is remote, a rav can be consulted to clarify the conditions under which they do not have to be checked. This includes chests, dressers, basements, and all other similar places (see General Note E).
2) FLOORS: We don’t have earthen floors with deep cracks in them. It is sufficient for tiled or covered floors to be swept and washed with a household floor cleaner. Cracks and spaces between tiles do not have to be checked if the cleaning solution reaches into them.
3) FOOD CABINETS: If the cabinet is not going to be used on Passover, then you just have to lock it or seal it in a manner that will remind you not to use it on Passover and sell it with the chometz (see General Notes C & E ). If the cabinet is going to be used on Pesach, take out all the food and wash it with a rag soaked in a household cleaner. Be sure the cleansing agent reaches into all the cracks and soaks into any crumbs that might be left there. The usual practice is to line the cabinets.
4) REFRIGERATOR: Take the food out, and wash it with a rag soaked in a household cleaner. The racks are usually covered. (It is advisable to leave holes for air circulation.)
5) KASHERING SINKS: Clean the sinks (see General Note G), and pour a kettle of boiling water into them and on their sides. Some people pour hot water mixed with bleach down the drain. The usual practice today is to use an insert, or line the sinks (e.g. aluminum foil, contact paper). If not difficult, this practice should be followed.
6) FAUCETS (TAPS): Cleaning, without any other kashering procedure, is sufficient.
7) MARBLE AND STAINLESS STEEL COUNTERS: If they were used for hot chometz they should first be cleaned well. They should either be completely covered so that nothing Pesach’dik touches them or (if it will not ruin the countertop) pour boiling hot water on them (see General Note G). Many people do both.
8 TABLETOPS: Wash them with a household cleaner. The usual practice is to cover the tables.
9) KASHERING RANGE/OVEN/STOVE-TOP: Wash the top and side surface areas with a rag soaked in a strong household cleaner. Clean the knobs well. Grates can be kashered by first cleaning them well (see General Note G), then put them back on the stove, and then lighting all the burners, raising them to their maximum heat, putting on a blech while the burners are on. This spreads the heat over the whole top and intensifies the heat on the grates. Let it burn for 5 – 10 minutes. [Be careful that the knobs don’t melt.] After kashering, the usual practice today is to cover the stove-top with aluminum foil (being extremely careful not to block the air inlets around the burners and on the back of the stove, as this could create poisonous fumes in the room).
* OVEN: If you want to use the oven: (a) First clean the oven well with an oven cleaner (e.g. Easy-Off). Make sure that it reaches into all the cracks and around the screws. (After using the oven cleaner, there is no need for further cleaning). (see General Note G). Then heat the inside of the oven by turning the oven on to its highest temperature for about one hour. (b) If your oven has a turbo option (a fan which circulates the heat ), consult a rav about your particular type. (c) After kashering, if the oven door has a glass window, preferably cover the entire inside of the door with aluminum foil. (d) If a closed oven insert is available, this would be preferable. In this case, only washing and cleaning are necessary. (e) Do not use the chometz-dik oven racks for Pesach. If this is difficult, then one can kasher the racks with the same procedure as for the oven, placing them as close as possible to the heating element.
If the oven is not going to be used: None of the above is necessary. Just make certain that there is no edible chometz inside, tape it closed well and see below #10.
10) POTS, PANS, DISHES, & SILVERWARE (CUTLERY): Whatever is not going to be used for Pesach should either be locked up, or put away and sealed in a manner which will remind you not to use them on Pesach. If there is a possibility of actual chometz in them, the chometz should be sold (see General Note C.). If you do not sell chometz, then they should be either washed or soaked in a household cleaner; it is not necessary to scrub them. (Concerning kashering utensils for Pesach consult a rav.)
11) FOOD PROCESSOR/MIXER: A rav should be consulted.
12) DISH TOWELS: If one does not have a Pesach’dik set of dish towels, then one’s regular dish towels may be used if they are washed with a detergent and no food remains attached to them. (It is customary to have a set of Pesach’dik dish towels.)
13) PESACH TABLECLOTHS: These can be ironed with the same iron as is used during the rest of the year.
14) CLOTHES, BLANKETS, POCKETS, ETC.: If they have been washed in detergent or dry cleaned, then there is no need for them to be checked (see General Note E). Otherwise they need to be cleaned and checked thoroughly by brushing or shaking them out well. However, if there is a possibility of crumbs between the stitches or in a hidden crevice which cannot be shaken out, then they must be wiped with a rag which has been soaked in a detergent. Clothes which will not be worn on Pesach do not have to be checked, but they should be put away and the chometz in them sold (see General Notes C. and Sec. 10 on Pots and Pans).
15) SIDDURIM, BENCHERS, SEFORIM, BOOKS: If there is a chance that they contain chometz, then they should either be put away and sold with other chometz utensils (see General Notes C.), or cleaned and checked well.
16) TOYS: If there is edible chometz, then it should be either removed, or rendered inedible (see General Notes E). There is no need to scrub them.
17) TECHINA & OTHER KITNIYOS (legumes): May be used after the house has been cleaned for Pesach. They should not be cooked in utensils that will be used on Pesach, and certainly not on Pesach itself (according to the Ashkenaz minhag).
20) LAST MINUTE PREPARATIONS: For example, setting the table, etc., should be completed early enough in the day, so that you will be able to rest a little bit. Be ready to start the seder immediately after ma’ariv, to ensure that the children won’t fall asleep at the Seder.
21) ENJOY PESACH! Try to make the Pesach chores easy for yourself. Don’t do unnecessary hard work. Don’t do unnecessary cleaning. You can be like a Queen and you must enjoy your Pesach!
