Author Topic: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition  (Read 162921 times)

Online Euclid

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 4912
  • Total likes: 6144
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile

Offline yaakov35

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2019
  • Posts: 713
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: US

Offline Yo ssi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Aug 2019
  • Posts: 6658
  • Total likes: 2588
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 60
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #502 on: July 31, 2020, 01:31:57 PM »
Imagine it's the year 2033. Covid has changed America forever. People have not gathered in large groups for 13 years. All children go to school online. All parties are on Zoom. It has been this way for 13 years.

Now imagine that you're the parent of a bar-mitzvah boy. Your son has been preparing for a year to read the Torah to his friends and family over Zoom. The day arrives, you turn on Zoom, and he does his thing. Everyone is clapping and singing, congratulations are offered. Toasts are made. Your son, the bar mitzvah boy, is beaming. You've never seen him so happy. Nothing takes away from his joy on this day. And why shouldn't he jubilant? He has never known anything else.

He was raised in a Covid world, where everything is done online. He's been looking forward to his Zoom bar-mitzvah for years. This is how it's done. He has no memory of the world before Covid. But you, his parent, while proud and celebratory, find yourself hiding in the bathroom on this day, more than once, and quietly weeping for what once was. You cry not only because your son cannot have a 'normal' bar-mitzvah (your normal, not his), but also because your son does not even know that he is missing anything. So far removed is he from that reality, that he acts as if everything is as it should be; only you know that something is very wrong.

The tragedy of the day is not that your son cannot have a real bar mitzvah. The tragedy is that he doesn't even know what that is.

Guess what? We are that boy.

We were raised in the diaspora; we never had the Temple, the sacrifices, prophecy, the feeling of God's presence, never kept all the laws related to the land of Israel, etc. We go about our business as if this is Judaism, as if this is how it's supposed to be, as if this is how it's always been and how it always will be. But, the truth is, we've been in lockdown for 2000 years. For 2000 years our Judaism and our God has had to wear a mask. For 2000 years we have been socially distanced from Hashem. We are that happy bar-mitzvah boy who celebrates as if this is all there is; but, really, we have no idea what good is. We have no idea what God is.

Of course, I'm exaggerating a bit to make a point. We do know more than that boy in the story. Part of the genius of the Jewish people--and a key to our survival--is our memory.

We remember what we never even experienced. We even have memories of the future. (That's right! Through learning the Prophets, the future becomes a memory.) We have never become complacent. We have never forgotten that there is so much more than this.

How have we done this?

Through education, rituals, mitzvot, and through our prayers, which are filled with references to the Temple, the Redemption, and the yearning for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Am Yisrael is amazing. We've managed to live our lives in lockdown, but we never let ourselves accept lockdown. We never settled for lockdown. Every day we prayed for more. Every day we prayed for a return to normal. We rejoice. We make lavish bar-mitzvahs. But, always, in the midst of our joy, we remember Jerusalem. We never let ourselves forget that there is more than this. Only Am Yisrael can do this. Only Am Yisrael can dance in prison and still strive to get out of prison. We will do it, b'ezrat Hashem; because we know that this is not the way it's supposed to be.

May Am Yisrael be freed from its 2000-year lockdown soon in our days,
Have an easy fast!

Written by Rav Shais.

ETA: added social distancing thank you @ExGingi
« Last Edit: July 31, 2020, 02:54:37 PM by Yo ssi »
_    ,
' )  /
 /  / __   _   _   o
(__/_(_)  /_)_/_)_<_
 //
(/

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 15633
  • Total likes: 7720
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #503 on: July 31, 2020, 02:15:14 PM »
Imagine it's the year 2033. Covid has changed America forever. People have not gathered in large groups for 13 years. All children go to school online. All parties are on Zoom. It has been this way for 13 years.

Now imagine that you're the parent of a bar-mitzvah boy. Your son has been preparing for a year to read the Torah to his friends and family over Zoom. The day arrives, you turn on Zoom, and he does his thing. Everyone is clapping and singing, congratulations are offered. Toasts are made. Your son, the bar mitzvah boy, is beaming. You've never seen him so happy. Nothing takes away from his joy on this day. And why shouldn't he jubilant? He has never known anything else.

He was raised in a Covid world, where everything is done online. He's been looking forward to his Zoom bar-mitzvah for years. This is how it's done. He has no memory of the world before Covid. But you, his parent, while proud and celebratory, find yourself hiding in the bathroom on this day, more than once, and quietly weeping for what once was. You cry not only because your son cannot have a 'normal' bar-mitzvah (your normal, not his), but also because your son does not even know that he is missing anything. So far removed is he from that reality, that he acts as if everything is as it should be; only you know that something is very wrong.

The tragedy of the day is not that your son cannot have a real bar mitzvah. The tragedy is that he doesn't even know what that is.

Guess what? We are that boy.

We were raised in the diaspora; we never had the Temple, the sacrifices, prophecy, the feeling of God's presence, never kept all the laws related to the land of Israel, etc. We go about our business as if this is Judaism, as if this is how it's supposed to be, as if this is how it's always been and how it always will be. But, the truth is, we've been in lockdown for 2000 years. For 2000 years our Judaism and our God has had to wear a mask. For 2000 years we have been socially distanced from Hashem. We are that happy bar-mitzvah boy who celebrates as if this is all there is; but, really, we have no idea what good is. We have no idea what God is.

Of course, I'm exaggerating a bit to make a point. We do know more than that boy in the story. Part of the genius of the Jewish people--and a key to our survival--is our memory.

We remember what we never even experienced. We even have memories of the future. (That's right! Through learning the Prophets, the future becomes a memory.) We have never become complacent. We have never forgotten that there is so much more than this.

How have we done this?

Through education, rituals, mitzvot, and through our prayers, which are filled with references to the Temple, the Redemption, and the yearning for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Am Yisrael is amazing. We've managed to live our lives in lockdown, but we never let ourselves accept lockdown. We never settled for lockdown. Every day we prayed for more. Every day we prayed for a return to normal. We rejoice. We make lavish bar-mitzvahs. But, always, in the midst of our joy, we remember Jerusalem. We never let ourselves forget that there is more than this. Only Am Yisrael can do this. Only Am Yisrael can dance in prison and still strive to get out of prison. We will do it, b'ezrat Hashem; because we know that this is not the way it's supposed to be.

May Am Yisrael be freed from its 2000-year lockdown soon in our days,
Have an easy fast!

Written by Rav Shais.

Beautiful.

Added some social distancing for readability.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 15633
  • Total likes: 7720
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #504 on: July 31, 2020, 06:13:04 PM »
ETA: added social distancing thank you @ExGingi

Now that you've done that, whoever didn't see it before the edit might not understand what the SD is about.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline Yo ssi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Aug 2019
  • Posts: 6658
  • Total likes: 2588
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 60
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #505 on: July 31, 2020, 06:20:10 PM »
Now that you've done that, whoever didn't see it before the edit might not understand what the SD is about.
At least they won't have to read it twice ;)
_    ,
' )  /
 /  / __   _   _   o
(__/_(_)  /_)_/_)_<_
 //
(/

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 15633
  • Total likes: 7720
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline yaakov35

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2019
  • Posts: 713
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: US

Offline yuneeq

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2013
  • Posts: 8611
  • Total likes: 4000
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 10
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: NJ
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #508 on: August 02, 2020, 09:38:57 PM »
https://fortune.com/2020/07/29/no-point-in-wearing-mask-sweden-covid/

Click bait

“ The one exception outside of the medical frontline has been on public transport, where masks are mandatory on the basis it is difficult to stay apart on crowded buses, ferries and trains.”

In other words, masks are useful when social distancing isn’t possible. Sounds like the policy in many countries.
Visibly Jewish

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 15633
  • Total likes: 7720
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #509 on: August 02, 2020, 10:18:16 PM »
Click bait

“ The one exception outside of the medical frontline has been on public transport, where masks are mandatory on the basis it is difficult to stay apart on crowded buses, ferries and trains.”

In other words, masks are useful when social distancing isn’t possible. Sounds like the policy in many countries.
A far cry from the craziness and senseless mandates and fines we see elsewhere.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 15633
  • Total likes: 7720
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline stooges44

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 6454
  • Total likes: 2750
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 269
    • View Profile
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline NTorch

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 2209
  • Total likes: 1024
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 68
    • View Profile
  • Location: West Hempstead
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #512 on: August 05, 2020, 02:55:08 PM »
https://vosizneias.com/2020/08/05/the-peak-of-insensitivity-israeli-police-close-weddings-fine-choson-in-the-middle-of-his-wedding/

So, here is the flip side from Monsey. I have redacted the names of the chosson and kallah and their families, but I can't believe that anyone would have the audacity to ask people to "respect" the simcha by not wearing a mask




Offline grodnoking

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 5847
  • Total likes: 767
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
I'm not who you think I am.

Offline yaakov35

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2019
  • Posts: 713
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: US
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #514 on: August 05, 2020, 03:08:50 PM »
So, here is the flip side from Monsey. I have redacted the names of the chosson and kallah and their families, but I can't believe that anyone would have the audacity to ask people to "respect" the simcha by not wearing a mask



I'm not sure what the problem is?..

Offline Lurker

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2019
  • Posts: 5054
  • Total likes: 6390
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: As always, silence is NOT an admission of agreement on DDF. It just means that people lack the stamina to keep on arguing with made up "facts", illogical arguments, deceiving statements, nasty and degrading comments, and fuzzy math. - @yelped
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #515 on: August 05, 2020, 03:11:42 PM »
I'm not sure what the problem is?..

Shocker.
Failing at maintaining Lurker status.

Offline yaakov35

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2019
  • Posts: 713
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: US
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #516 on: August 05, 2020, 03:13:36 PM »
Shocker.
Your a real class act. Spoken like a true liberal. Be nasty and hateful for the sake of inclusion. Your personal attacks need to stop.

Offline Yehudaa

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Mar 2018
  • Posts: 3605
  • Total likes: 2405
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 111
    • View Profile
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #517 on: August 05, 2020, 03:15:27 PM »
So, here is the flip side from Monsey. I have redacted the names of the chosson and kallah and their families, but I can't believe that anyone would have the audacity to ask people to "respect" the simcha by not wearing a mask


That's nuts. Besides, how is it offensive to the baalei simcha if someone wants to wear a mask?

Offline NTorch

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 2209
  • Total likes: 1024
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 68
    • View Profile
  • Location: West Hempstead
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #518 on: August 05, 2020, 03:16:39 PM »
I'm not sure what the problem is?..

The problem is you are asking people to violate NY law as well potentially put their lives in danger, all in the name of "respecting the simcha."

Offline Lurker

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2019
  • Posts: 5054
  • Total likes: 6390
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: As always, silence is NOT an admission of agreement on DDF. It just means that people lack the stamina to keep on arguing with made up "facts", illogical arguments, deceiving statements, nasty and degrading comments, and fuzzy math. - @yelped
Re: Interesting Articles: COVID-19 Edition
« Reply #519 on: August 05, 2020, 03:18:06 PM »
Your a real class act. Spoken like a true liberal. Be nasty and hateful for the sake of inclusion. Your personal attacks need to stop.

I think it's funny you think I'm a liberal. And if you think "shocker" is a nasty, hateful, personal attack, you lose your right to call liberals snowflakes.
Failing at maintaining Lurker status.