On the level of derech hateva, the self-doubts and recriminations are excessive
Last Erev Shabbos, a major American Torah figure called me and began the conversation, “You have no idea [sitting in Israel] what is going on here.” Not only has the Torah community been subject to intense criticism from without because of the disproportionate casualties suffered, he explained, but even more importantly the high toll has caused many within the community itself to wonder whether there is something wrong with us that we have suffered such horrendous losses.
I cannot answer those self-doubts on the spiritual level. That is the task of gedolei Torah. But on the level of derech hateva, the self-doubts and recriminations are excessive.
Although the failure to adhere to social distancing guidelines resulted in many individual tragedies, it is not the main reason for the disproportionate blow to our community. Neither in the United States nor Israel were the social distancing guidelines introduced prior to Purim. Once the large Purim seudos and high level of social interactions went forward as usual, the die was cast to a large extent. The Telshe Stone suburb of Jerusalem, for instance, was an early epicenter of the coronavirus simply because one infected person from outside the community joined in a Purim seudah. Large Torah families living in high-density apartment buildings further ensured the rapid spread of the disease. In minority communities in New York City, which are also characterized by high-population density, there has also been a disproportionate number of fatalities. The difference is that the media attributes the latter disproportionate impact to racism, whereas that of the Torah community is attributed to negligence.
In addition, the very virtues of our community have contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. The elderly in our community are likely to have many descendants and to be in frequent personal contact with them, rather than living lonely and isolated lives. That too made it more likely that they would be infected before the distancing requirements went into force.
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