Most people know that newspapers have deadlines. It is for that reason that it is possible to pick up The Wall Street Journal early in the morning and note a headline that might have become old news by the time the paper hit the stands later in the day.
We at The Jewish Link also have deadlines. Our paper goes to print on Wednesday evening. Much scurrying is done to keep you, our readers, aware of the very latest news that is available for us to print. However, once the paper goes to the printer on Wednesday evening, there is nothing we can do to make the paper more current if new information becomes available to us between then and when you receive it on Friday morning.
Our article last week met its usual deadline. Prior to writing it, a conversation took place in our office about all of the hype regarding the coronavirus. Two of us asked each other where our faith in Hashem was and what had happened to the bitachon that we always based our lives on. We had no idea where the world was headed or the severe impact the virus was going to have on all of us. We do not need to remind anyone of how quickly news about the virus has been changing. Last Thursday the world exploded with updates and changes due to its severity. We learned that there would be no more minyanim or public events of any kind. Currently, there are new updates practically every hour. Had we known then what we know now, or even knew one day later, we never would have written our article last week in the vein that it was presented. We apologize to those who felt that it was inappropriate and, again, had we known what was coming only one day later we would have worded our ideas very differently and, in fact, we are sure our ideas would have themselves been very different.
In the meantime, here we are, all of us in this crisis together. Today, at 4 o’clock this afternoon, our grandson Hillel Eisenberg will be married in Lakewood. We will not be attending. As Nina’s fingers are typing these words tears are running down her face at the realization that this is the fact and she alone decided that we should not go. It was the words of our granddaughter Adina that permeated her mind. “Bubbie, I beg you not to come. I need to know that you will be at all of our other simchas. Please do not come.”
Appropriately, just a few minutes later we listened to the words of Naftali Bennett addressed to the Anglo population in Israel. His greatest concern was for the senior population and their grandchildren. He begged them not to have physical contact with each other. Bringing food? Leave it at the door. Call as many times a day as you wish. Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime, do whatever, but do not, as much as possible, be together in the same room or place. Of all days for us to hear this message! Was Hashem sending him to us as a shaliach as we were still struggling with whether or not we had made the right decision? Several minutes later we read the pasak of Rav Herschel Schachter. Ten people maximum for weddings is what he said.
The tears will continue to be shed from Nina’s eyes for most of the day but we know that we are making the correct decision. At four this afternoon we will become a part of the simcha by streaming it on our computer. We will make a l’chaim together towards the bright and wonderful future that is ahead for this young couple and with the wish that our belief in Hashem and all of our davening will bring this horrible makah (plague) to an end as quickly as possible.
By Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick
