Today I read a letter from a rabbi of a neighborhood [in Israel this is called "רב שכונה"] where he tells people to make sure they daven in minyanim of only ten people. This is against
the strong recommendation PREVIOUSLY made by the health authorities and now is actually forbidden according to law because it endangers people's lives. I don't like to speak so harshly and it deeply pains me but who knows if he won't have the blood of other Jews on his hands if חס ושלום something happens. Even if we all get out of this alive, it is still אסור and foolish to have these minyanim. [This reminds me of the story told about Rav Soloveitchik who was asked if it is אסור to say Hallel with a Bracha on Yom Haatzmaut (or maybe it was having a special Krias Ha-Torah) and he said that it is stupid. But, he was asked again, is it אסור? "It is אסור because it stupid and it is stupid because it is אסור". Same thing here]. These minyanim are not pleasing to Hashem because they go against His Torah.
Painful!!!
The pasuk says [Mishlei 28-9]
מֵסִיר אָזְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹעַ תּוֹרָה גַּם תְּפִלָּתוֹ תּוֹעֵבָה
One who removes his ear from hearing Torah - even his tefilla is an abomination.
There are many explanations to this pasuk. I have a new one. If one doesn't listen to how the Torah tells one to daven, and davens even when it endangers lives - HIS TEFILLA IS AN ABOMINATION.
Homosexuality is called an abomination and THIS TEFILLA IS NO DIFFERENT.
No.
It is WORSE!!!
It is potentially killing oneself and others which is MURDER and the sixth of the 10 דברות.
I hope and pray that this Rabbi and all others make sure to tell people to STAY HOME [as many have already done ברוך השם].
The Tolna Rebbe Shlita sent a letter cancelling the minyan in his Beis Medrash and said that HE WILL BE DAVENING AT HOME.
May we all do the same.
UPDATE: I see that it is not just this Rav but many others paskened as well to daven in small minyanim. So maybe it is not a danger and I am missing something? I don't know. I DO KNOW that I mean no disrespect to any Rav and I am not coming to pasken shylos because I am not fitting to do so. But the fact is that many Rabbonim say to stay home and that is what I am doing because that is the "frummest" thing to do. חמירא סכנתא מאיסורא.
UPDATE: I see that it is not just this Rav but many others paskened as well to daven in small minyanim. So maybe it is not a danger and I am missing something? I don't know. I DO KNOW that I mean no disrespect to any Rav and I am not coming to pasken shylos because I am not fitting to do so. But the fact is that many Rabbonim say to stay home and that is what I am doing because that is the "frummest" thing to do. חמירא סכנתא מאיסורא.
