By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com

Last night, the Poskim of Lakewood’s Beth Midrash Gavoha released protocols as to how Lakewood residents should conduct themselves in light of the Corona virus, and Rabbis and other residents of the Five Towns have reacted to the guidelines.

The protocols were in minyanim, shopping, family visits and children.

The four Poskim who signed the guidelines are Rav Shmuel Yitzchok Felder, Rav Asher Chaim Lieberman, Rav Ephraim Forsheimer and Rav Shmuel Meir Katz.

In terms of minyanim, the Poskim made 4 points:

• Minyanim are prohibited and you are not allowed to participate in a minyan in any way. This includes, but is not limited to, minyanim in courtyards, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, or on porches.
• While originally some porch minyanim may have been approved by some Rabbanim under very specific criteria from health experts, experience has shown that they lead to serious Aiva, and other major problems and therefore those approvals are no longer valid.
• This issur is in effect until we provide new guidance which we hope to do once, in our opinion, the situation improves. Until then all minyanim in any form are prohibited.
• Reports of oral guidance that may differ from the above should be disregarded.

Rabbi Heshy Billet of the Young Israel of Woodmere stated, “The protocols of the Lakewood Poskim are very responsible and should be applied beyond Lakewood and everywhere else – in all of our communities.  This is a time where everyone is on the same page.  It is ikvasa d’meshicha.”

Rabbi Kenny Hain, of Congregation Beth Shalom, remarked that he, of course, fully endorsed the guidelines of the Lakewood poskim to be applied in the Five Towns as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Trump of Young Israel of Lawrence/Cedarhurst, remarked, “The Rabbis of the Five Towns issued similar guidelines a week after Purim to those of the BMG Poskim – it is refreshing to see that all of Klal Yisroel is on the same page in terms of being machmir for safek pikuach nefesh.”

Larry Gordon, publisher of the Five Towns Jewish Times said, “Creating even a fraction of the impression that we do not care about anything is a cause of even more anti-Semitism.
If the Rabbinic leadership says don’t have a minyan – and you do the opposite – then you are the one bucking the system. Rabbi Witkin in North Woodmere – his shul all had the virus, and now they have the antibodies. They want to donate antibodies to help save lives and they are doing that. They want to open a responsible minyan of only those that have the antibodies. Yet, the local Rabbonim are still saying that they should not open because it will still create a chillul Hashem and cause possible aiva. You can’t have a minyan that will raise a pogrom. The Lakewood Poskim are considering all of this in their statement. They have a very broad perspective on it all and that’s a very good thing.”

The other guidelines issued by the Poskim were:

SHOPPING
Stores may only be opened when allowed by the authorities. All workers and customers must abide by strict State of New Jersey guidelines as to social distancing etc. If you are infectious or suspect that you are you may not shop in stores.
FAMILY VISITS
You may not visit family or friends, even within Lakewood, unless under the direct and specific advice of a qualified medical professional. This applies to old and young, to those who are healthy, ill, or recovered. One may not travel to spend Shabbos or Yom tov, whether in Lakewood or in other communities.
CHILDREN
Children from one household may not play with children from a different household, even if both households were or are infected.

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