Israel – Coronavirus Alert!

If you live in Mogadishu, Somalia, Lima, Peru, or even Damascus, Syria, you are less likely to get COVID-19 than if you are in Tel Aviv, Herzliya, or Bnei Brak. 

Over 8% of our population has gotten the virus, a higher rate than 190 countries on earth.  

Among the population of Israel, the Torah community has been struck with  this  plague   the   hardest.  Over 23% of all religious Jews in Israel have been stricken with Corona.  

Why is the Jewish State getting pummeled with this plague? Why are the greatest among us getting hit the worst? 

Forget Wuhan Virus. Forget British Mutation. We still refuse to recognize the obvious: This is Hashem’s plague.  

Hashem has His reasons for unleashing it onto us at this time.  

Maybe He is infecting the religious so much because His Torah community is the most likely to answer sickness with repentance and G-d wants more teshuva in His world. Maybe it is to cancel as many sins from the religious community to give them even more merit for the days ahead.  

Maybe this is happening so all of us, Chareidi, National-Religious, and secular alike will recognize the Creator of our world, and the Creator of ourselves.  

Why is This Happening to Us? 

The problem is: We are not getting the message.  

We trust in vaccines, in treatments, in hospitals, governments, masks, lock-downs, and social distancing. I have yet to hear a loud voice coming from the top of mainstream society to repent and ask Hashem to have mercy on us by ending this plague.  

Our technology has failed us. Our policies have failed us. Even our vaccination has failed us. Nothing we have tried so far has produced the results we expected and hoped for. 

We are still in some form of lock-down. Our skies are still closed to all. Millions of Jews haven’t seen their holy Land in over a year. Parents, brothers, sisters, friends, even children of Jews living in Israel haven’t been able to embrace their loved ones for even longer.  

We also must admit the reality: Nothing is working the way we expected, or according to any semblance of sense! 

As Rabbi Arush recently commented, “We see people who did everything to protect themselves, and still got Corona. And we also see people who didn’t do even the minimum required of them, and stayed healthy. There are even people who took the vaccine and got Corona…” 

When will we admit the truth: Corona is a plague sent from Hashem to bring us to repentance.  

We, the chosen nation of G-d, have a responsibility to each other to tell the truth. We, the Jewish People, have a responsibility to all mankind to shout this to the four corners of the earth.  

Not a peep from anyone with a microphone. Not a statement from any major figure asking us to do teshuva and return to G-d, and turn away from the evil of our ways. 

Can’t just a single candidate for Prime Minister say something? Inside all these “brilliant” plans to get us “out of this,” where is national repentance? 

What Do We Do? 

Those who know Hashem must speak up. That means us.  

Every day, we must all post on our social media that this comes from G-d.  

We need to ask everyone connected to us to do something.  

We need to demand repentance of ourselves as well. Every day, we should recite  Tikkun  HaKlali   with the complete intention of asking G-d to end the pandemic and bring the Redemption now with mercy. It’s a great idea – the Tikkun Klali is a segula for just about everything we need right now – healing and health, wealth, children, finding a spouse, Divine protection, and teshuva. Rabbi Arush recently discussed the incredible benefits that come to someone who says it, and especially those who say it every day. 

We should open up these prayers by confessing to Hashem that YES: This comes from Him. YES: This is so we will return to Him. YES: G-d and only G-d can heal His world and us, all His children. And simply to say: “Hashem, I want to live according to Your will! I want to be good and do good! I want to get Your messages! Please help me!” 

G-d Performs Miracles 

Hashem can save us in the blink of an eye.  

Inexplicably, recent cases in India plummeted 90%. Past diseases like SARS,  or  swine  flu,  also  disappeared  overnight without any explanation.  

Top experts estimate that the world might get back on track by the end of the year. Hashem can make it happen right now if we would all just get the message and just want to change our ways and do better. 

To ask that He end the nightmare so we can serve Him in better times.  

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David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his wife and children. Since moving to Israel in 2002, David has discovered Torah, writing hi-tech, hiking, coding ReactJS Apps, and hearing stories about the Land of Israel from anyone excited to tell them. Check him out on Highway 60 or email him your favorite story at: david.ben.horin@spreadyourenthusiasm.com.