#0202_Haredi_Jerusalem
Rabbis Dispute Whether Wearing a Mask is a Sacred Obligation
“The Gra [1] [Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua] Against Making The Mask into a Sacred Obligation
A cartoon which appeared in the Lithuanian newspaper angered the Head of the Brisk Yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Soloveichik, ‘Making everyone wear a mask is one thing but turning it into a sacred obligation is something else, what have we come to?’
During a Chumash [bible] class given last Saturday night by Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Soloveichi to a number of Yeshiva students, he attacked the 'Yated Ne’eman’ [2] on the issue of turning the mask into a sacred obligation.
I saw in Der Blat von Bnei Brak [the newspaper of Bnei Brak, referring to 'Yated Ne’eman'] a drawing that expressed the obligation to wear a mask. In the drawing there was a Haredi man walking without a mask and an explosive belt with Corona written on it.
‘I am unable to understand them', expressed the head of the Yeshiva. ‘Is it the case that anyone who doesn’t share your opinion is a 'martyr', that anyone who has an opinion that differs from your own is worthless, so much so that you can call him a terrorist?’
The Head of the Yeshiva added, 'And in general, what is this claim that wearing a mask is a sacred obligation. The need to wear a mask is one thing, but from there to turn it into a sacred obligation and for the Great Rabbis to support it, what have we come to'?
During his remark, the Gra Soloveichik added that he had in the past seen a letter signed by great scholars of Torah, and in his opinion the letter expressed thing in opposite of the ways of the Torah. The Head of the Yeshiva added, ' I met with one of the Rabbis that signed that letter and asked him why he is signed something which goes against the ways of the Torah. He answered that he doesn’t really agree with what is written in the letter, but they asked him to sign it, so he just signed.’
The Rosh Yeshiva then sharply attacked this practice, ‘Who knows, maybe all the signatures that were signed were done in this same way, that the Rabbis don’t actually believe in this, but they were asked to sign it so they signed.’
It should be noted that every Saturday night this class was usually given to 150 people but now due to the Coronvirus it is held in the Rabbi’s residence for only 40 people and only for Yeshiva students.
The Yeshiva noted that the Head of the Yeshiva himself is very careful about wearing a mask but is annoyed by the claim that is should be made into a 'sacred obligation’. In the Yeshiva he doesn't make the boys wear masks but he does ensure that the windows are open so that there is ventilation.”
▶️Source : Hadrei Hadarim
—-
0202 Editor’s Notes:
[1] Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Halevi Soloveitchik is the head of the Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem. The rabbi was born in 1949.
[2] Yated Ne’eman is an ultra-Orthodox-Lithuanian Newspaper affiliated with the Degel HaTorah party.
#Brisk #Corona #Yeted_Neeman #Mask
Picture Source: The cartoon published in Yated Ne’eman
https://did.li/EOx5q
https://www.facebook.com/1675349376080655/posts/2728415804107335/
