Contrary to government directives, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky approved to leave the yeshivot open • Due to the Corona: Rishon Lezion approved leaving cellphones open on Saturday
Haredi Seder yeshiva in Gan Yavne (photographed has no connection to the article) // Photo: Yehoshua Yosef
Despite the decree issued by the Ministry of Health, Rabbi Haim Kanievsky, the great ultra-Orthodox, ordered the meetings to remain open. His associates said in a conversation with Israel Today: "He has ordered to keep the rules of the Ministry of Health in their own language, including study in only ten groups, but the meetings will remain open."
Earlier today, the Ministry of Health demanded that all educational institutions in the ultra-Orthodox sector be closed immediately. In a mandatory order issued today by the attorney general of the Ministry of Health, Uri Schwartz, the directors of the institutions are obliged to follow state decisions, as made public in Israel earlier this week, and do not unnecessarily jeopardize public health.
"In light of the rapid spread of the Corona virus," Schwartz opened his letter to Minister Yaakov Litzman, "the State of Israel is taking various steps, with the main purpose of preventing the spread of the disease caused by the virus in Israel. "White and white kindergartens, Torah students, Beit Ya'akov network institutions, white seminars, large yeshivas, small yeshivas and the Hederkim. All of these institutions must stop their activities immediately."
As is well known, so far there have been many ultra-Orthodox educational institutions that have not closed their doors, despite the explicit instruction of the Ministry of Health. Now, it seems, things will change, due to the fact that the managers of the ultra-Orthodox sector understand that they risk a fine, and even imprisonment.
In the meantime, halakhic rulers are at the forefront of the Corona struggle. Rishon Lezion, Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, publishes a halachic ruling this evening that states, "Surely anyone who has checked into Corona should leave a cell phone available on Saturday, who can update his situation and where to vacate it. In the vicinity of a verified patient and must stay in solitary confinement, they can be notified as soon as possible. "