The world in Quarantine. So many questions. Why? What is this all about? Is it a message from G-d? What can we do? Where can I find clarity?

Finding clarity will help you push away the non-essential and focus on the important.

Finding Clarity

The First thing a person should do to find clarity – is to pray to Hash-m / G-d to help you find clarity. We receive mixed messages – what we think is good  may be the opposite and vice versa. What we are told to avoid may be beneficial and vice versa. Where can we find truth?

Hash-m Wants us to Improve Our ways

Hash-m / the G-d of the Jews is Truth. If you want to find truth – pray to Him to help you find truth. G-d is obviously sending us a message to improve our ways – to become better people.

Most people want to become better. Self-help books are the best sellers in many bookstores.

A Simple Starting Point

So where to start? A simple place to start is the 7 or 10 commandments. For Non-Jews – G-d gave 7 Noahide laws for all people. – which by following them will allow a gentile to receive a place in heaven. To the Jews He gave 10 commandments – that are the basis of our 613 commandments – that allow a Jew a place in Heaven. For a Jew it is good to start observing the Shabbat. Also it is good to avoid speaking Lashon HaRa / Negative Speech about others.

Seek Truth

That is the Starting point of the regiment is to Seek truth. One of the things that the quarantine has accomplished – is to help people put priorities into perspective. If G-d wants us to improve – he will help people who are sincerely seeking to better themselves survive.

Thus reading Jewish self-improvement works – like Pirkei Avot, avoiding speaking badly about others, avoiding negativity are all recommended.

The Regiment

1. Turn to Hash-m and try to improve a bit every day according to what He wants from us as it is stated in the Torah
2. Pray to Hash-m for good Health for You and others. We learned in the daf Yomi Gemara Shabbat* (32a) recently that it is more productive to pray for continued good health than to pray for Refuah / a person to be healed after the fact. Pray to Hashem for the continued well-being of those healthy and for the Refuah shelema for those in need.
3. Stay positive – by working on your Emuna (Faith) & Bitachon (Belief) in Hash-m – an excellent series is by Rabbi David Ashear – It’s called Living Emuna. It is published By Artscroll Publishers.
4. Stay Strong by eating meals with bread (Now – during Pesach / Passover – eat Matza) especially in the Morning. Eat hot meals and healthy meals.
5. Stay fit by doing exercise in the house.
6. Read & Learn Mussar – Jewish Self improvement works- like Mesilat Yesharim, Shaarei Teshuva,
7. Do positive activities that will keep you positive – There are many Jewish websites that will help you keep positive in these days of darkness. Think positive. Think it will be good and it will be good.
8. Try to remove negativity from your heart. Forgive others. Call the person that you might have had a tiff with. Make peace. Let go of grudges, hatred, fear and sadness.
9. Get enough Rest – Go to sleep on time. Get 8 hours of rest. A strong body resists viruses more than a weak one.
10. Work on the Spiritual & Physical actions to make you less susceptible to ailments.Just like in the original Pesach Hashem brought the redemption of the Jewish people, May He, in this Pesach, bring our nation’s, our personal and our loved ones redemption from all of our concerns.

==

• In a similar vein, Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, said: A person should always pray that he will not become ill, as if he becomes ill they say to him: Bring proof of your virtue and exempt yourself. It is preferable for a person not to be forced to prove that he merits staying alive, as he might not be able to prove it. Mar Ukva said: What is the verse that alludes to this? As it says: “When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you bring not blood upon your house, if the fallen falls mimenu” (Deuteronomy 22:8). He explains: Mimenu, from him proof must be brought. When one falls from his previous situation, it is his own responsibility to prove his innocence and emerge unharmed. (Talmud: Shabbat 32a)