If health is at stake.
Wiener Zeitung, March 16, 2020
German original: https://www.wienerzeitung.at/meinung/blogs/juedisch-leben/2054506-Rituelle-Vorschriften-ausser-Kraft.html
A country – and the world, respectively – in a state of emergency: the limitations of everyday life due the Corona virus also affect common practice of the religious communities. In Vienna, all Synagogues and places of worship meanwhile have been closed. However, those living observantly are required to pray in the Synagogue three times a day. Therefore, I asked the Rabbi of Vienna’s Community, Schlomo Hofmeister, (via telephone) what the Halacha has to say about this.
“The respect and safeguarding of health is one of the most important commandments of the Tora,” emphasizes Rabbi Hofmeister. And this is not just about protecting one’s own health - the Talmud specifies that not endangering the health of others is even more important. In the current situation this means: do not infect older people and persons with preexisting conditions with Covid-19.
Synagogues would not be closed in case of an arbitrary order by politics. But Rabbinical authorities have always been including medical and scientific findings in their decision-making worldwide, Rabbi Hofmeister emphasized. Those indicate that the Corona virus can only be contained by limiting social contacts. And this advice thus has to be followed. Containment of the virus currently has priority over the ritual of joint prayer in a Synagogue or a house of prayer, the Rabbi said.
Praying alone is ok, too
The possibility to pray in a private apartment instead of a Synagogue in groups of ten (so there is a Minyan) should no longer be utilized, the Rabbi emphasized. He therefore recommends that everybody prays by themselves – and that is considered halachic. If someone prays by themselves in the apartment it doesn’t mean that the provisions of the Halacha are followed in a less strict manner because one follows the rule to protect one’s health and the health of others.
It also does not take a Minyan to conduct circumcisions or funeral services. However, even in current conditions, those two events must happen either right away (the funeral) or on the eight day of the birth of a boy (circumcision). A bris can also be conducted with a small number of people in the apartment of the baby, emphasizes Rabbi Hofmeister, who performs circumcisions himself. Things are different in the case of marriages or Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations. Those now must be postponed, says the Rabbi.
Kosher shops are open
Meanwhile, education and support at Jewish schools has also been shut down for the most part. And while kosher groceries are still open for shoppers, the Community leadership has also made a rule for this area: depending on the size of the store, only up to 25 people can shop at the same time. Customers must sanitize their hands upon entering the store and keep a two meter distance to other persons. In addition, a shopping service for older people and persons with preexisting conditions is currently in the works.
Other than that, the President of the Jewish Community Vienna (IKG) Oskar Deutsch appeals to Community members: please stay at home. In addition, the governmental ban on going to the playground with children must be observed. Visits to the Maimonides Center, the senior living facility of the Jewish Community, are taboo. Only relatives of palliative patients are granted entry.