Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller reiterates: Do Not Make Minyanim [LETTER]

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17 COMMENTS

  1. R’ Shlomo is very shtark and even more shtark in person – he is of the opinion that the Aiva concerns are massive too – note that the government of Canada has placed “ghetto walls” quarantine around the Tosh Kehilla, see the Montreal Gazette and search there for Boisbriand community. In Eretz Yisroel the government too has done the same around all the Chariedishe neighborhoods. This is unprecedented with long term consequences for us as frum Yidden – to be defined as carriers of disease would turn back the clock on our freedoms by centuries. NY did the same around the New Rochelle Kehilla, using the Army National Guard, and NJ certainly has considered the same for us.

    This return of the Ghetto walls, even on a one time and temporary basis would create sakanah for us for the immediate and the long term that should give pause to any thinking person.

    • Chill! It’s not ghetto walls. New Jersey never considered doing anything special for Lakewood. Also the lock down wasn.t of the New Rochelle kehilla, it was of A full area.

    • You’re wrong on that. Generally, it’s been the yeshiva crowd that’s benn making the illegal/assur minyanim. (I’ve been in a few different yeshivish neighborhoods throughout town, and they’ve all had one excuse or another why not to listen to our gedolei hador). THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY MAKES THEM, OR THAT THE NON-YESHIVISH CROWD IS 100% COMPLIANT.
      We NEED rachmei shamayim, now more than ever, and we MUST follow our gedolim for guidance, now more than ever.

    • significant rabbonim have said that even if each person can only see one other person, if there is chain of ten its good even from different houses through windows. furthermore, significant rabbonim have said porch minyanim are ok. some rabbonim have even said that if the minyan is legal, i.e. less than 10 ppl in yard (some on porches) and 6 ft apart, its also good, if done inconspicously. today i watched my neighbor davening outside, in freezing wind, getting drenched and almost bowled over, and there is something about that that i just cant belittle, even if i think its not the right thing to do

  2. The time to question is ABSOLUTELY NOT NOW!!! We are very happy that you question our motives AFTER the sakanah goes away בב”א. At a time when people are nebach dropping and we are all in sakana r”l, it would do you a lot better to shut your mouth instead of casting aspersions on a hanhaga that was put in place al pi the doctors, rabbanim and community leaders – a hanhaga which its sole purpose is to do everything in our power to save lives!

  3. Trying to understand…

    So the Minyonim were being held in accordance to the Governor’s order with proper social distancing, yet because there’s Aivah we shouldn’t do it. If that’s an answer, why do we eat Matzah, Shake Lulav, etc., the Goyim hate us regardless. Where is there a Heter in Halacha not to do a Mitzva because we’re going to be hated?

    • Last I checked, davening btzibur is not a chiyuv like shaking a lulav.
      In addition, if there was a clear link between Jews eating matzah and other Jews not receiving critical care in hospitals – I think that would be grounds for not eating matzah!

Comments are closed.