On Wednesday, March 25th,2020, deep in the Covid-19 crisis, I posted a video in which I propose that social cooperation is a powerful tool we can leverage to overcome the challenge of Covid-19.
Covid-19 Background:
Human antibodies infusion from a person who recovered is being researched as a possible antidote the the virus. In this way, a person who was a carrier is transformed into a healer.
Covid-19 mandates physical distancing from others offering a challenge to our ability to socialize, connect with others, create loving relationships and unique accomplishments towards a brighter and more prosperous world.
Personal Reflections:
This is parallel to the Jewish understanding of personal redemption and atonement from sin. Repentance is not a simple process of wishing your burden be released, and whoosh! All your sins washed away. Rather, it is a process of acknowledgement of what you have done wrong, and whom you have harmed; inextricably linked to the consequent steps of self-improvement. Holding yourself back when temptation knocks again and pursuing opportunities to fix that which you have broken.
Analogous to a rope that becomes shorter when cut and retied; a repentant soul achieves a closer connection to God. Repentance is also a process through which creativity and a greater good can be achieved; for the individual, and for the world.
Redemption through Repentance is a supernatural gift. This wonderful world was created imperfect, to give us human beings the awesome joy and privilege of being a part of creation. A world of justice, created my a merciful God. Repentance is mercy, which inherently contradicts justice. Therefore, it was created in the "twilight hour", just as the doors of creation closed and shabbat entered the world.
The iconic story of sin and Repentance is told of קין, first word murderer - he killed his own brother, הבל. There seems to be no sin more destructive to the world than that of murder. Specifically with regard to the fate of humanity and social justice. In a tit for tat, קין was destined to roam the earth in painful solitude with a scarlet letter on his forehead. Condemned for all to see. Where was God's mercy for קין? Even if Repentance could give him salvation, akin to the Christian belief, this would only be salvation of the soul - in the afterlife? What about the supernatural gift God infused in this world? Was קין stripped of that possibility unable to redeem himself in all his journey on this earth? Rabbi Daniel Lopian answers, that yes, קין did redeem himself. He built the first city and revolutionized the manner in which humans interact. He thought he had to eliminate his brother for his own advantage and instead he taught us all that social interaction improves the lot of each person who takes a part.
Torah Wisdom on Teshuva:
At a shabbat table, I recently heard a דבר תורה about parah aduma, that it makes a tamei person טהור, and the person doing the sprinkling becomes contaminated - טמא and has to immerse in a mikva, special pool of water, to purify himself.
A critical point mentioned was מקוה vs פרה אדומה that when one seeks to purify himself by immersing in a מקוה, the whole body must be immersed, every inch on skin must be in physical contact with the water, whereas פרה אדומה only a sprinkle of ashes touching a small patch of skin, minimal contact, and purification is achieved.
There is a pasuk about teshuva that refers to both these processes of purification, in which the word טהור, pure is said twice, hinting at the reference to the two pathways.
אמר רבי עקיבא: אאריכם ישראל, לפני מי אתם מטהרים, ומי מטהר אתכם - אביכם שבשמים. מה מקוה מטהר את הטמאים, אף הקב"ה מטהר אתכם.
Rabbi Akiva said:
How fortunate you are Israel! Before whom you purify yourselves and who purifies you. Just as a mikva purifies the impure, so too, God purifies you.
The פסוק verse Says מטהר twice as a hint to the 2 types of טהרה.
One way is by a yom Kippur style of preparation, fasting, כולו לשם, every inch of our body connected to spirituality, while Hashem gives us a gift of a sprinkle of פרה אדומה which just needs one drop. This Torah insight was shared shabbat after Purim, a holiday that has greater power for atonement, salvation, purity and closeness to God than even "Yom Kippur(im)" the day of atonement. On purim we are engrossed in physicality, costumes, feasts, parties, drinking, and on this day, through this pathway, just a minutia of spirituality, a mere sprinkle, can bring us to this place of complete atonement and connection to God.
Thoughts and ideas:
When I was doing research about the breakthrough treatment for covid-19, human antibodies taken from the blood of people who recovered from the virus, I was thinking how the same person can have been the vector for the virus - the carrier - the reason others became sick, but then he can turn it around and his recovery, his "atonement" can be the very thing that makes people better, how תשובה in Judaism (in comparison to "salvation" in Christianity, that merely wipes the slate clean) , is actually a catalyst for positivity, inspiration to others, תיקון עולם and bringing the world closer to ביאת המשיח, and greater closeness to g-d.
I wasn't sure if I would succeed in my project or how this draft would be incorporated, after all, it was just an idea - my small way of educating people in options that are out there, inspiring efforts towards a cure and possibly bring some hope to an end to this difficult period and a brighter future.
