QUESTION:
1) I am considered high-risk (according to the Health Ministry). I saw the Rav’s response that people who are at high-risk (from the virus) should take the vaccine, and that those who aren’t in danger are not obligated to take the vaccine (unless our Gedolim obligate everyone to take it), but those who are at high-risk should take the vaccine because the danger for them is worse than any of the possible dangers in taking the vaccine. I don’t understand the Rav’s response. Even if there is a small chance of the vaccine being physically harmful, the government might use it as a way to control people robotically through it, and, as the Rav himself said, the vaccines in our generation are all dangerous, causing premature deaths to many people. So why is this not a concern??
ANSWER:
Every vaccine contains its dangers. But in this case, it is not clear how dangerous it is to take the vaccine, because it hasn’t gone through enough testing to prove that it’s dangerous. Therefore, if someone is in likely danger from the virus, it is worth it for him to take a small risk [by taking the vaccine] rather than the likelihood of endangering himself [by not taking the vaccine and getting the virus]. That is the only concern of danger about this vaccine, and the concern here is not about the vaccine controlling people, manipulating DNA, and etc.
The generation today is on the level of a “stillborn” [those who die prematurely], meaning that we have an inner avodas Hashem upon us, as a result of being in the generation we are in. One who does the inner avodas Hashem of today’s generation will not have to be concerned of the possible dangers of vaccines causing premature death.
QUESTION
2) Why are people at high-risk “close to danger” from the vaccine? Aren’t we supposed to have emunah? Are we supposed to completely trust our doctors with such blind faith? And, we know that Hashem sends us difficulties and diseases not because He wants to kill us, but so that we will feel how much we need to rely on Him, so that we can grow closer to Him and live with Him more in our lives, and when He punishes us, it is only out of His love for us. Hashem is not looking to torment us. So why are people in the high-risk category in danger from the virus? What about the fact that Hashem takes care of us??
ANSWER
There are halachic parameters of what goes under the category of “danger” or “close to danger”. When it comes to how we need to act practically, we need to act according to the parameters of halachah, because that is what Hashem wants from us – to act according to the parameters and definitions of halachah. But besides for this, there is also the “inner” will of Hashem, which is that we should strengthen our emunah in Him and daven to Him, but it should all be along with keeping the parameters of halachah. Sometimes it is the will of Hashem that a person should be placed in a situation of danger, so that the person will become closer to Him through the danger. And sometimes, a person is placed in a dangerous situation that results in death, because he will become closer to Hashem through dying in such a manner.
QUESTION
3) The Rav said that if the Gedolim would say that everyone should take the vaccine for the betterment of the communities at large, then we would be obligated to take it. Is that true even if the vaccine can possibly control us and manipulate our DNA?
ANSWER
If the government’s interest in people taking the vaccine is so that they can control people mechanically, they already have many ways to do it, not only through the vaccine. All of your questions are really coming from your concerns about the vaccine being able to control people and manipulate them mechanically. But from the view of halachah, this concern is a far-fetched concern. I understand that you have done a lot of research on the theories which make this concern seem so real and imminent, but I will repeat again that from the parameters of halachah, this concern is a distant, far-fetched concern.
QUESTION
4) And if we would still be obligated to listen to the Gedolim to take the vaccine even if it can control our DNA, how can we know if it’s really the Gedolim who are saying it or if it’s just askanim (laymen) who are saying it in the name of the Gedolim? How can we be certain that our Gedolim are even telling us to take it [if they would say to take it]?
ANSWER
As long as a person follows the will of Hashem [as conveyed to us by our Gedolim] with unquestioning temimus (earnestness), he will not be harmed, because he will be protected by Hashem. It is not possible for us to ever be clear about everything using our own logic, and we would need reliable Ruach HaKodesh or special protection from Heaven, to totally clarify a matter.
QUESTION
5) Finally, is taking the corona vaccine a recommendation or a chiyuv (obligation)?
ANSWER
If someone is at high-risk danger from the virus - if he does not have a high level of bitachon (faith in Hashem), then it is obligatory for him to take the vaccine. Otherwise, it is just recommended to take the vaccine.
The generation today is on the level of a “stillborn” [those who die prematurely], meaning that we have an inner avodas Hashem upon us, as a result of being in the generation we are in. One who does the inner avodas Hashem of today’s generation will not have to be concerned of the possible dangers of vaccines causing premature death.
QUESTION
2) Why are people at high-risk “close to danger” from the vaccine? Aren’t we supposed to have emunah? Are we supposed to completely trust our doctors with such blind faith? And, we know that Hashem sends us difficulties and diseases not because He wants to kill us, but so that we will feel how much we need to rely on Him, so that we can grow closer to Him and live with Him more in our lives, and when He punishes us, it is only out of His love for us. Hashem is not looking to torment us. So why are people in the high-risk category in danger from the virus? What about the fact that Hashem takes care of us??
ANSWER
There are halachic parameters of what goes under the category of “danger” or “close to danger”. When it comes to how we need to act practically, we need to act according to the parameters of halachah, because that is what Hashem wants from us – to act according to the parameters and definitions of halachah. But besides for this, there is also the “inner” will of Hashem, which is that we should strengthen our emunah in Him and daven to Him, but it should all be along with keeping the parameters of halachah. Sometimes it is the will of Hashem that a person should be placed in a situation of danger, so that the person will become closer to Him through the danger. And sometimes, a person is placed in a dangerous situation that results in death, because he will become closer to Hashem through dying in such a manner.
QUESTION
3) The Rav said that if the Gedolim would say that everyone should take the vaccine for the betterment of the communities at large, then we would be obligated to take it. Is that true even if the vaccine can possibly control us and manipulate our DNA?
ANSWER
If the government’s interest in people taking the vaccine is so that they can control people mechanically, they already have many ways to do it, not only through the vaccine. All of your questions are really coming from your concerns about the vaccine being able to control people and manipulate them mechanically. But from the view of halachah, this concern is a far-fetched concern. I understand that you have done a lot of research on the theories which make this concern seem so real and imminent, but I will repeat again that from the parameters of halachah, this concern is a distant, far-fetched concern.
QUESTION
4) And if we would still be obligated to listen to the Gedolim to take the vaccine even if it can control our DNA, how can we know if it’s really the Gedolim who are saying it or if it’s just askanim (laymen) who are saying it in the name of the Gedolim? How can we be certain that our Gedolim are even telling us to take it [if they would say to take it]?
ANSWER
As long as a person follows the will of Hashem [as conveyed to us by our Gedolim] with unquestioning temimus (earnestness), he will not be harmed, because he will be protected by Hashem. It is not possible for us to ever be clear about everything using our own logic, and we would need reliable Ruach HaKodesh or special protection from Heaven, to totally clarify a matter.
QUESTION
5) Finally, is taking the corona vaccine a recommendation or a chiyuv (obligation)?
ANSWER
If someone is at high-risk danger from the virus - if he does not have a high level of bitachon (faith in Hashem), then it is obligatory for him to take the vaccine. Otherwise, it is just recommended to take the vaccine.
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