‘Ultra-Orthodox suffering in COVID-19 pandemic due to sins of community'

In New York City, the ultra-Orthodox community has had both high infection rates and high mortality rates, with reports of over 300 deaths in the community.

By JEREMY SHARON
Rabbi Gershon Edelstein (photo credit: COURTESY OF OFFICE OF RABBI GERSHON EDELSTEIN)
Rabbi Gershon Edelstein
(photo credit: COURTESY OF OFFICE OF RABBI GERSHON EDELSTEIN)
One of the two most senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel Rabbi Gershon Edelstein has said that the high rate of ultra-Orthodox infection rates in Israel and the high death rate in the community abroad, is due to sins committed by the ultra-Orthodox community itself.
In Israel, ultra-Orthodox cities and neighborhoods have suffered from the highest rate of COVID-19 infections, although the mortality rate in the community is reportedly not much higher than the general population.
In New York City, the ultra-Orthodox community has had both high infection rates and high mortality rates, with reports of over 300 deaths in the community.
Edelstein explained, during a lesson he delivered by video, that when secular Jews transgress a religious commandment or law, it is a result of a lack of knowledge about Judaism and Jewish law, and are therefore deemed to be unintentional.
The rabbi likened the status of secular people to the concept in Jewish law of an “infant that is kidnapped,” in reference to a situation in which Jewish children were kidnapped and raised without knowledge of Judaism and whose liability in Jewish law when transgressing a commandment is less than someone who is familiar with the religious precepts.
Ultra-Orthodox people however do know Jewish law and therefore when they transgress religious laws, it is seen as an intentional act for which divine punishment is more severe.
“The ultra-Orthodox who sin do not do so unintentionally and therefore [God’s] attribute of justice harms the ultra-Orthodox much more,” reasoned Edelstein.
The ultra-Orthodox community and leadership was criticized for not conforming with social-distancing orders in the beginning of the COVID-19 health crisis, which is thought to be one of the reasons it spread at a higher rate in the community.
Other reasons include the high population density in ultra-Orthodox communities and the high number of people per household, as well as social factors such as frequent communal gatherings for prayer services and religious celebrations.
Edelstein, together with the other leader of the ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, did not order educational institutions in the community to close down immediately following government orders, although Edelstein did close down the Ponovizeh Yeshiva which he heads and other institutions at an earlier stage than some of the other yeshivas in the community.
During his address Tuesday night, Edelstein said that the ultra-Orthodox community should remain vigilant in observing social-distancing measures and said one should “not be lenient on them whatsoever, God forbid, this is about saving lives.