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1. I'm sure people have made the connection between #Corona and the Omer and more will do so after Passover is over in the US.
Still, it's an important message that bears repeating.
Still, it's an important message that bears repeating.
2. According to Shulchan Aruch section 493:1, the time between Passover and Lag Ba'omer is a time of mourning due to the death of R. Akiva's students
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Shulchan_Arukh%2C_Orach_Chayim.493?lang=bi
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Shulchan_Arukh%2C_Orach_Chayim.493?lang=bi
3. What happened with R. Akiva's students? According to the Talmud, 24,000 of R. Akiva's students (12k pairs) died at once because they didn't treat each other with respect (Yevamot 62a)
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Yevamot.62b.9?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Yevamot.62b.9?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
4. The Talmud continues saying that they died a "bad death" with R. Nahman specifically saying it was diphtheria.
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Yevamot.62b.11?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
https://www.sefaria.org.il/Yevamot.62b.11?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
5. I'm not the type of rabbi who attributes contemporary tragedies to Divine Punishment for specific sins. I don't read God's mind.
6. At the same time, observing mourning customs while there's an actual plague going around should be an even stronger reminder to treat each other with respect, *especially* when we disagree.
7. If the reactions to #Corona I've seen so far is any indication, we haven't been doing a great job with this respect thing (myself included).
Worse, I suspect that not respecting others may have led to needless suffering and even death.
Worse, I suspect that not respecting others may have led to needless suffering and even death.
8. Respect doesn't mean agreement, deference, or submission and it doesn't mean we refrain from criticizing.
But even with all of that, it's a basic baseline of how we view and treat others.
But even with all of that, it's a basic baseline of how we view and treat others.
