(By: Sandy Eller)
As the uncertainty regarding COVID-19 continues to swirl amid an uptick in confirmed cases in recent days and fear of a second wave of the virus and schools reopening, Rav Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva of the Mirrer Yeshiva, delivered a strong directive as to the need to remain vigilant about masks and personal safety as the pandemic continues.
Speaking at an August 30th event hosted by Relief Resources, the leading Orthodox mental health referral agency, Rabbi Brudny addressed the need to send a clear chinuch message to our children by observing the Torah commandment of shielding ourselves from danger, and complying with laws even when doing so may seem inconvenient, as we are a nation of rule followers.
“Conceptually we’re mask wearers,” said Rabbi Brudny, adding. “The Ribono Shel Olamo sent COVID. It’s his shaliach and he’s testing us with COVID and he wants us to respond to it in a Torahdike way.” He pointed out that we must understand that COVID is not an entity of its own, rather it is Hashem Himself.
Emphasizing the importance of teaching children by example, Rabbi Brudny noted that seeing adults flouting rules and considering themselves to be above the law is damaging and sending the wrong message to our children. “That’s, I believe, poisonous in a child’s growing up,” said Rabbi Brudny.
The Rosh Yeshiva’s words came during a 100 minute long event addressing potential problems that may arise as children return to yeshiva after a nearly six month long absence. Nearly 13,000 people tuned in live online to hear Rabbi Brudny and Dr. Shmuel Mandelman, an expert in the field of child development, psychology and education.
Dr. Mandelman addressed mental health issues that may emerge in the days and weeks ahead.
Reviewing the upheaval that children faced during this time, Dr. Mandelman addressed COVID’s emotional, social and academic impact that the pandemic and school closures have had. He highlighted the challenges of social reintegration, related emotional challenges and addressed the effects of the disrupted learning process as well as the behavioral issues that may be seen. He implored schools to not ignore what the children have been through and to construct and implement a reintegration plan. He also offered perspective as to how parents should approach this upcoming school year and support their children.
A half hour long question and answer period had Rabbi Brudny and Dr. Mandelman fielding inquiries on topics including weaning children off technology, reevaluating the length of the school day and addressing educational gaps created by the lockdown.
“It is important to remember that while our children are going back to school, things are not back to normal,” explained Duvie Kessner, director of operations at Relief Resources. “We hope that this event gave parents a better idea of what to expect as we enter the next phase of the pandemic.”
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(Sandy Eller – YWN)
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4 Responses
First, we were told that wearing masks would do more harm than good, which is what the science still supports. But now even as the COVID-19 pandemic is turning out to be less harmful than the seasonal flu, we are being told to wear the mask. Austin, Texas has threatened a 2,000 dollar fine for those not wearing the mask and has even suggested wearing the mask at home. Science tells us that these masks are doing nothing but hurting our natural immune system. So why is it so important that we wear the mask? If one were to look at what is happening as if it were a massive initiation ritual, then things may begin to make more sense. The initiation ritual can be found throughout all of human history. We find it in ancient tribes and religions all the way up to modern games, fraternities, and in the military. Psychological studies have taught us how initiation rituals work. Primary, how they increase a person’s desire to conform to the group they are being initiated into. The ritual is almost always the same. First, the initiates are isolated. Their familiar every day routines are disrupted, and their normal rules of living are altered. The initiates are made to look the same. Their heads may be shaved, they may be given matching outfits, or they may be instructed to wear a mask. These acts symbolically strip the wearer of his identity, so he ceases to see himself as an individual but as part of the group. The wearer of the mask loses his previous identity and assumes a new one. The initiates are given just enough trauma to put them in a mild state of cognitive dissonance. This dissonance puts the initiates into a state of confusion and anxiety. They are now ready to be transformed into a member of the initiating group. In their isolation, thoughts they have ignored or buried for years suddenly become unavoidable. Emotions are triggered and a new window of thought is opened within the initiate’s mind. And in this state, the new normal is introduced. This worldwide initiation ritual is creating a mass of separation in humanity. The obedient and defiant are being drawn apart like a chemistry purification experiment. And it would seem that the obedient ones are being drawn into something, the new normal, the new age, the new world order, a world where science no longer matters, a world where blind obedience is all that is respected.
Thank you, PleaseStayCalm!
This explanation is the most cogent one I have ever heard!
I am a dialysis patient. I do NOT have diabetes and I not overweight. My kidney failure came from a blood problem which weakened my kidneys and then a car accident, which caused my blood pressure to rise significantly for just a few minutes, that pressure “blew out” my kidneys remaining tubes.
I am FORCED to wear a mask from entering into the dialysis at 6 am until I leave at 10:30. I come in regularly feeling fine. By 2 hours in to my treatment, I get strong pain across my chest. (from breathing in my own carbon dioxide, imho).
I am in pain for the rest of the day. Although normally I am ready to go at noontime!
Finally after a month of this or more I pulled down my mask to expose my nose. The nurse of the day went berserk! “You cannot!”
This, despite the fact that chairs are from 5 to 10 feet apart (left to right) and 20 feet across the room, with a large set of huge desks across the middle which is the storage area for the various accoutrements that are needed for dialysis.
And no one can move during dialysis. So social distancing is present at all times.
I responded, “I cannot breathe!”
She came running over to me and said, “Okay, we will give you oxygen.” She gave me extra oxygen directly into my nostrils, under my mask, and I finally was able to withstand it with little side effects.
We are breathing in our own STALE AIR. How can that be good? The Surgeon General said as much five months ago. Then Dr Fauci played his games with a mask (when people were watching…) and suddenly, the science has CHANGED! Really? I don’t believe it!
Anyway, I asked my mother’s doctor if she could be prescribed Hydroxychloroquine and zinc for a preventative. I wanted to take her to my son’s Vort and she has memory issues and there was no way that i could assure that she kept social distancing and a mask.
He scoffed at me. “The most prestigious medical journal, “The Lancet” from England, published an article that it is worthless.”
I did not go to my son’s Vort.
A few days later, the most prestigious journal Lancet RETRACTED the study admitting that it was FAKE. 96,000 patients and the authors could not produce ONE actual record!
He finally agreed and I was able to give the preventative dose to both of us and we went to the chasunah without masks, with 250 people almost four weeks ago, and BH we are both healthy.
Btw, my brother got very sick and I had just heard Dr. Zelenko so I insisted that he get HDQ+zinc+zpac and he did (after going to FIVE doctors and then to FIVE pharmacies in Monsey which all refused to fill the scrip. Finally he got it in NJ, took it, improved with ZERO complications and HE CAME to the chasunah as well! BH!
Refuah sheleimah to Dr Zelenko!
I plead with everyone, please wear a mask when you leave your house!
Context is missing. He clearly said “conceptually”. He was also clear that it is not always practically possible.