“God Saves…In Mysterious Ways”

 There’s the story of the man who refuses to leave his house during a hurricane, the worst one his community has ever seen. The waters are rising, and he climbs to the second floor, then the third floor of his house. Finally he gets on the roof, and time after time someone comes by to rescue him by rowboat. Our friend won’t get in the boat. He always says, “God will save me.” Finally, he is swept away and meets his Maker. “Why did you forsake me, God? I’m a deeply religious man. I told everyone You would save me!” God responds, “Idiot, who do you think sent you those rowboats?!”

  I think of that when I read about our ultraOrthodox co-religionists here and in Israel. Their insistence that they need not vaccinate against measles has resulted in huge numbers of their children suffering from measles. Now they refuse to heed the warnings about social distancing; they still gather close to each other in prayer. Guess what? Many of them are now the victims of Covid-19!

  God works/saves in mysterious ways…sending rowboats and sending Dr. Fauci (who, in my humble opinion, should be this year’s TIME “Person of the Year” in that he tells the truth when others do not!). 

   How the Orthodox can believe their davening (praying), their adherence to Halacha (Jewish law), their holier-than-thou attitude, is more life-saving than common sense is beyond me. Not only that but in the past – now as well – they say that not following Torah law has caused great catastrophes. 

  Many, many years ago there was a terrible massacre of school children in Ma’alot, Israel by terrorists. The brilliant sages back then said that was because the mezuzot of their parents’ homes weren’t kosher; OR it was because some of their parents were pig farmers (yes, there are those even in Israel). I don’t remember which, but time after time their absurd theology gets in the way of truth. For Heaven’s sake, they should look at themselves and get their act together! They should adhere to what the medical and scientific experts say and not believe that “God saves” through their ways. Yes, God saves, but as my father affirmed when his troop was surrounded by Nazis soldiers, “I believe in miracles…this kind: if God wants to help you, fine, but first you’ve got to do something yourself.