The founder of Ezer Mizion, the pillar of chessed, Rav Chananya Chollak, was diagnosed with the coronavirus on Tuesday as well as another senior figure in the chessed organization. It is currently unknown how he contracted the virus.

Rav Chollak has recently met with many senior figures in the Chareidi community, including the mayor of Bnei Brak, Avraham Rubenstein, and a member of the Bnei Brak City Council, the Bnei Brak Police Station Chief of Staff and the Divisional Operations Officer and members of the Dan District Police Command.

Rav Chollak told Kikar H’Shabbos that he feels fine and doesn’t have a fever or cough, just a bit of a headache. He is self-quarantining at home.

“My secretaries went over my calendar from the last week and informed everyone I met,” Rav Chollak told Kikar H’Shabbos. “Everyone accepted it and entered self-quarantine. Anyone who was near me for 15 minutes needs to enter self-quarantine.”

Rav Chollak told B’Chadrei Chareidim: “The commandment of V’nishmartem is d’oraiyasa and it pushes off the entire Torah.” Rav Chollak added that regarding Pesach, the Torah says וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת and regarding health, it says ונִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם.

Rav Chollak also said that everyone who needs to self-quarantine “should be calm and take advantage of these days for positive things. During this period when people are at home with their children we should be b’simcha, learn more, and be makpid on chinuch yeladim.”

Regarding himself, he said: “We have so much to do in quarantine. It’s a time of closeness with Hashem, a time when a person can elevate himself – something that’s very difficult on a day to day basis.”

Rav Chollak also mentioned that there are currently many people in need of help. “There are people – elderly, sick, special children, special education children. We need to help them while ensuring that we’re diligent in adhering to the Health Ministry’s directives.”

Bnei Brak mayor Avraham Rubenstein announced to residents: “In accordance with Health Ministry directives, I’m entering self-quarantine due to possible contact with a diagnosed patient.”

“This is the moment to call to all of you, to every individual and all of us together. Adhere with the utmost diligence to the regulations intended to save lives and end this dangerous cycle.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)