Halachot Related to Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic

All rabbinim agree that one should be cautious with all the health guidelines and social distancing set up by the government and other local institutions in order to stay safe and help prevent getting others sick. Coronavirus, as it causes a serious health threat to some people, inhibits any social gatherings and semachot, and has severely damaged the economy and livelihood of certain people, poses a serious challenge to everyone. We all need to daven and take advantage of the circumstances in order to best serve Hashem. As a thoughtful Jew, it is incumbent upon a person to take to heart some important lessons of life and re-strengthen himself in his commitments. Additionally, on a practical level, COVID19 has many implications for people, and below is a small collection of the relevant halachot.

Tefillah

When davening at home one should be cognizant of the following ideas:

1. The best time to pray is Netz. According to many poskim this is equivalent to praying with a minyan.
2. A person should daven in a makom kavuah.
3. A person should daven in front of a wall so that there's no distractions in front of him.
4. A person can and should daven near a window that serves as a means of being inspired to look towards heaven.
5. A person can daven Shemona Esrei aloud if it helps his kavana. It also serves as a role model for children.
6. A person shouldn't daven in a room that is usually used for frivolity.
7. A person shouldn't daven in front of an open bathroom.
8. At a time of a plague such as our times it is advisable to say ketoret which has the power to end a plague.
9. According to some, at this time a person should recite Avinu Malkenu in Shacharit and Mincha, while others emphasize how one must focus on Teshuvah and reciting all parts of the regular seder haTefillah first. Avinu Malkenu should not be recited during Nissan.
10. Eating a meal before davening when the time comes to daven a certain tefillah should be avoided since generally we are lenient about this since we go to established minyanim but for when that isn't possible we should be more strict about this. See details here about eating and doing activities before davening.
11. When davening as a family, in a temporary fashion, some hold that it isn't necessary to have a mechitza and the men and women can simply daven on different sides of the room. See Mechitza for more details.
12. A person shouldn't forget to recite Birkat Halevana by themselves when they see the moon. It can be said from indoors. See Birkat Halevana page for details.

Parts of Davening to Skip

1. On Friday night an individual doesn't recite Magen Avot after Shemona Esrei of Maariv. However, one should recite Vayechulu.
2. One doesn't recite Baruch Shemey when praying by oneself since it is part of the activity of removing the Sefer Torah.

Minyan via Porches or Technology

1. It is forbidden to have a minyan in person whether it is in a shul, shteibel, home, or backyard.
2. If there ten people standing on their own porches and can see one another, some say that one can not create a minyan in such a manner, while others hold that one can.
3. You can't create a minyan with a video (e.g. zoom or skype) or phone call but one can join a minyan of ten men in one room with a video or phone call in order to answer dvarim shebekedusha.
4. It isn't considered a minyan for people to join together to daven on a video conference but it is still somewhat spiritually valuable.

Answering Amen

1. Even if there is a time delay between the person reciting the bracha and the one answering it that wouldn't be considered an Amen Yetoma.

Megillah

1. There is a major dispute if a person could fulfill their mitzvah of listening to the megillah on the phone or through watching a live streamed video. Some rabbanim advised this, while others hold that one can't fulfill one's mitzvah at all. See this topic explained more fully here: Brachot_Through_a_Microphone.

Netilat Yadayim

1. If a person wants to wash his hands with soap and wash Netilat Yadayim for a meal, one should first wash Netilat Yadyaim for the meal, dry the hands, recite the bracha, and then wash one's hands with soap and then recite the Hamotzei.

Friday Night

1. Although the reason for reciting Shalom Alechem on a Friday night is that the angels accompany you home from shul and you welcome them to your home, if one was unable to attend shul on a Friday night, he would still sing Shalom Alechem.

Kriyat Hatorah

1. A person who is at home and can't be at shul should nonetheless read the parsha from a chumash between Shacharit and Mussaf as a way of remembering the concept of kriyat hatorah. He can use that reading as part of his reading of Shenayim Mikra Vechad Targum. Some think this doesn't accomplish anything.
2. When the congregation misses a kriyat hatorah they can make it up by reading two parshiyot next week in Shul. However, if they miss multiple weeks there is a discussion if they should or could make up all of the parshiyot that they missed.
3. A person should not move a sefer torah out of a Shul for a home minyan. See Respecting_a_Sefer_Torah#Transporting_a_Sefer_Torah for more details.
4. There still is an obligation of Shenayim Mikra Vechad Targum when the there is no congregation doing the Kriyat Hatorah in shul.

Hagomel

1. A person who was quarantined and got out of quarantine doesn't recite Hagomel since they were in no danger.
2. A person needs to recite hagomel in front of a minyan of ten men. Some suggest that this can be recited before ten people listening on a video or phone call and can answer amen. Even though they aren't present, the minyan in this context is purely to publicize the idea so it is permissible. Others disagree and as long as the minyan isn't in the same room one can not recite hagomel.
3. According to Ashkenazim, if a person is ill with a sickness to the point that he is a choleh sheyesh bo sakana, a concern of mortal danger, he should recite Hagomel, but if he less sick than that there is no need to recite Hagomel. Sephardic tradition is to recite Hagomel anytime someone was sick in bed such as with a flu or bad cold even for a short period of time.

Bedikat Chametz and Biur Chametz

1. A person should do bedikat chametz after praying by oneself at Tzet Hakochavim and then immediately begin the bedika. They should not have a meal within a half hour of the bedika.
2. Because one can't do a large communal Chametz burning because gatherings aren't safe and even doing it with a few people at a time can look to non-Jews as unsafe. Rather one should just do biur chametz with a Kezayit by flushing it down the toilet.
3. A person should sell chametz in the house or office if he left there before he had the chance to do a bedikat chametz. By selling the chametz there he is absolving himself of having to do bedikat chametz.

Selling Chametz

1. If a person doesn't usually sell chametz and is afraid that if he doesn't sell chametz one year he isn't going to have food afterwards he can sell his chametz. He wouldn't require a hatarat nedarim.
2. A person can sell his chametz on the phone or online and if possible a kinyan can be made virtually in order to appoint the rabbi to sell the chametz. The kinyan would take place as follows: the rabbi would ask if there's someone standing next to the one who wants to appoint the rabbi and if there is then that person can give a pen or a utensil to the one who wants to appoint the rabbi as his shaliach. This is considered a valid kinyan between the person standing there and the one who wants to appoint the rabbi on behalf of the rabbi to be appointed. If that isn't feasible it isn't necessary. Nonetheless, one could stipulate in the document that this appointment of the rabbi is done with the full knowledge of its legal ramifications and it is accepted completely.
3. There is no issue with the selling of Chametz even though the Chametz is in a locked building or in a place that isn't accessible to the non-Jew because of the coronavirus situation.
4. Some poskim allow ordering chametz on Pesach if one is certain that it will only be delivered after pesach.

Buying for Pesach

1. If you have raw chicken or raw meat you don't have to worry that it is chametz even if it was processed in a place where there was chametz. You can simply wash it off to solve any question.

Kitniyot

1. Out of a concern of the coronavirus, this year some poskim permit taking vitamins which have additives of kitniyot in order to stay healthy and to strength one's immune system.
2. Someone with Crohn's disease and needs to drink an enriched milk with kiniyot additives for his health can do so on Pesach. Also, he can do so within 6 hours after eating meat (see Waiting between Meat and Milk).

Kashering for Pesach

1. Some poskim allow kashering a dishwasher for Pesach even though there are plastic and other materials in there that are questionable to kosher. One should wait 24 hours without using it and then use with just hot water and no soap. According to Ashkenazim this should be used to kosher it from Chametz but not from meat to parve or milk or vice versa.
2. Some hold that one can kasher plastic, while others disagree. See on the Kashering_the_Kitchen_for_Pesach#Which_materials_can_be_kashered.3F page.

Pesach Davening

Hallel Pesach Night

1. There is a custom of Sephardic and some Ashkenazic communities to recite Hallel Pesach night in Shul. However, being that the current situation demands that a person needs to remain inside there is no way to fulfill this minhag and should not recite Hallel after davening. Rather one should only recite it at the Seder.
2. According to Sephardim, one should recite Hallel the night of the seder after davening with a bracha even though one is davening at home.

Shir Hashirim on Chol Hamoed

1. Ashkenazim generally have the custom to read Shir Hashirim on Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach. This year since there is no minyanim available, when one davens at home individually, there is no obligation to read Shir Hashirim. One may do so but it isn't in fulfillment of the minhag.

Machine Matza

1. It is permitted under extenuating circumstances to use machine matza for the mitzvah of eating matzah on the seder night.
2. Some say that there's no concern to have the hand baked matzot this year.

Eruv Tavshilin and Eruv Chatzerot

1. A rabbi should establish an eruv tavshilin on behalf of his whole community. Even though usually he acquires it to another person who isn't a family member on behalf of the community, this year because of social distancing one can acquire it to one's wife.
2. An eruv tavshilin works to allow cooking from Yom Tov to Shabbat even though it isn't possible to have guests in most cases.
3. The communal eruv chatzerot continues to be effective even though the communal box of matzah's might not be accessible.

Tefillat HaTal

1. One can recite the piyut for tal on Pesach was only instituted for a congregation, however if one wants to recite it one may do so.
2. In Mussaf everyone should stop saying Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hageshem and instead recite Morid Hatal. After Mussaf, starting with Mincha, one should follow their regular minhag if they usually recite Morid Hatal or not.

Birchat Ha'ilanot

1. One can recite birkat hailanot from indoors if one can see the trees but one may not recite them by seeing the trees on a video. See the Birchat HaIlanot for more details and sources.

Tanit Bechorot

1. A person should try to finish a short masecheta to make his own siyum but if he can't he can rely on a siyum over the phone.

Birkat Halevana

1. Ideally one should recite birkat halevana outdoors. If one can not do so one can recite Birkat Halevana from inside but initially one should open the window. See the Birkat HaLevana page.

Chol Hamoed

1. One can't buy stocks or sell them on Chol Hamoed, however, if not selling them could lead to a loss of one's original capital that one invested one can sell it.

See Chol Hamoed for many details.

Using Zoom for the Seder

1. Although a minority of rabbis allow using Zoom for this emergency situation in a very extenuating circumstance where an elderly single person is alone for the seder away from family because of the quarantines to use technology to leave a video conference going for Yom Tov to join with a family seder, most rabbis consider this to be a breach of halacha. There is a discussion if the firstgroup of rabbis retracted.
2. It is suggested to perform a pre-pesach zoom seder for people who you can't invite to your seder in order to share divrei torah, songs, and the experience of the seder before Yom Tov.
3. For someone who is clinically depressed to the point that there is a concern of suicide or just losing one's mind it is permitted to use a phone to call him to cheer him up and check on him. However, if there's a way to check the patient before Pesach one should do so. A person should check with his rabbi in each case.
4. A person should recite Ha lachma anya this year as one would any other year, even though that phrase is a call for inviting guests and this year that is impossible.

Sefirat Haomer

1. If someone couldn't get a hair cut because the barbers were all closed before Pesach, then if one reached the point when it very noticeably long and people would tell him to get a haircut he can take a haircut during Sefira. Today it can be estimated that if it has been more than 2 months since his last haircut he can take a haircut during the Sefira.

Mikveh

1. Each community rabbi needs to decide these sort of questions however in theory it is possible for the Mikva to remain open and allow women who aren't having symptoms or aren't quarantined to go to Mikva. They should be extra careful about hygiene and prepare completely at home, go to the Mikva where there is no contact with anyone besides a brief contact with the water which has chemicals for cleanliness. Then upon returning home there are poskim who allow the woman to take a shower when she gets home to clean herself off.
2. The OU has established health guidelines in order to allow a mikveh to remain open.
3. The RCBC also stated that Mikva's are remaining open for the time.
4. The men's mikveh's should be closed at this time. Even if a person is careful to go to mikveh each day he can fulfill this custom by taking a 5 minute shower. See Preparations_for_Davening#Going_to_Mikveh for details.

Tevilat Kelim

1. Each community should decide whether or not close the kli mikveh out of a safety concern. You can do the tevilat kelim in the ocean.
2. Alternatively, one can use tevilat kelim in the mikvah while wearing gloves, then throw out the gloves, wash off the kelim with soap and water. If the community has other procedures for safety one should observe them.
3. As a last resort one can avoid tevilat kelim by giving the pots to a non-Jew and borrowing them back. One can rely on this until the virus passes. If one can't sell or gift the pots to a non-Jew oneself one can do so online through Zomet.
4. Another option is for a person to declare the pots that need tevilat kelim to be ownerless (hefker) in front of 3 Jews. One has to have full intent that the pots are ownerless and if someone took them one would have no claim upon them. If these Jews can't be there in person it is sufficient if they are present through social media technology but they should be people who live in the neighborhood. They should then leave the pots outside their house for a few minutes so that if someone wanted to take them they could. Others disagree.
5. If there's are no solutions, some poskim would allow using the pots without tevilat kelim in this extenuating circumstance.
6. Regarding a seder plate and kos shel eliyahu requiring tevilah, see Tevilat Kelim page.

Brit Milah

1. A Brit Milah can be done without a minyan since gatherings aren't safe.
2. A grandfather or someone else involved in a brit milah via zoom can recite the naming of the baby but he should not recite the bracha of asher kidash yadid mbeten.

Naming a Girl

1. Although normally we try to name a baby girl at an aliya to the Torah, a person doesn't need a minyan in order to name a girl and under the circumstances should do so without delay.

Bar Mitzvah's

1. A message for Bar Mitzvah Boys in the Lockdown by Rabbi Pesach Krohn
2. A bar mitzvah boy who missed the opportunity to read his parsha in shul when he became bar mitzvah'ed when it is next possible to go to shul he can add his parsha as a hosafa and read it then. Additionally, the haftorah can follow that hosafa.
3. The father of a Bar Mitzvah boy who couldn't layn should wait until he can do something that shows he's Bar Mitzvah like layn or daven as Shaliach Tzibbur to make such a bracha.

Weddings

1. Ideally a wedding shouldn't be pushed off if both parties are ready even though it means having a tiny wedding.
2. A rabbi should not officiate at a wedding that isn't abiding by the CDC guidelines of health because he is furthering unsafe practices.
3. It has been asked whether or not the poskim are more lenient this year regarding weddings during Sefira but the answer is that it is not determined because the situation is still unclear. Some are lenient but it is best to schedule for Rosh Chodesh.
4. If in this dire situation it isn't possible to have a minyan, it is possible to have a wedding nonetheless without Sheva Brachot.
5. A minyan for sheva brachot can not be created via Zoom. Additionally, one can't recite a bracha of sheva brachot for the couple via Zoom.

Fast Days

1. If the rabbis declare a half fast day until Chatzot according to Ashkenazim an individual can recite Anenu in Mincha Shemona Esrei assuming he is still fasting when he prays Mincha. According to Sephardim one can only recite anenu if one fasts the entire day.
2. A person should accept the fast from the day before, as is traditionally done at mincha time. If one didn't do so, according to Sephardim one shouldn't recite anenu, but according to Ashkenazim one can recite anenu.

Mezuzah

1. A person should not kiss any mezuzah, or any siddur or chumash of a shul or a public area at this time because of concern of spreading COVID19.

Shalom Bayit

1. It is critical to be mindful of other people when everyone is under stress and no one is completely comfortable. Dr. Pelcovitz discusses the implications quarantine can have Shalom Bayit.
2. It is forbidden for a couple to have tashmish at a night of famine since everyone is in distress it is incumbent on everyone to take upon himself an aspect of distress. The same is true for any time of societal distresses. Others disagree.
3. It is permitted to have tashmish on mikvah night.
4. It is permitted to have tashmish for a couple who didn't yet fulfill pru urevu. Once his wife is pregnant this leniency doesn't apply.
5. If he has a strong yetzer hara and there is a concern of hashchatat zera it is permitted.
6. There is what to rely upon to have tashmish at a time of war and there is no midat chasidut to be strict, especially for young couples even for someone who fulfilled pru urevu.
7. During the time then the plague of corona virus is rampant in the world there is a lot to rely upon to have tashmish. Someone who wants to be strict can do so.

Laid off Workers Because of Corona

1. If there's a employee that is unable to work because of a societal or national crisis the employees should continue to be paid by the employers according to many opinions or at least they should make a compromise.
2. This applies to contractors for cancelled events as well.
3. If someone rented out an apartment to someone and then he wants to retract because of a concern that the potential tenants have the virus, some say that it is forbidden to back out of the contract.

Bikur Cholim

1. A person doesn't have to and shouldn't visit someone who has a virus that contagious such as corona.
2. A person fulfills the mitzvah of bikur cholim on the phone according to many poskim.

Burial

1. Each place should follow the guidelines that are in place for safety. If a minyan isn't possible, then the next thing that is to try to have is Jews doing the burial. If they don't even let that, then afterwards a Jew should check that the burial by the non-Jews was done properly in the ground. It is forbidden to cremate and it is still considered not dangerous to properly do a burial with no tahara and minimal involvement of the fewest people or simply the cemetery workers.
2. At this time the chevra kadisha should not perform a tahara for the deceased since it could lead to danger.
3. The rabbi could do the Kriyah for the mourner with gloves and a mask or he can simply tell the mourner to do it.

Kibbud Av Vem

1. If one's parents ask him to do something which the department of health has deemed unsafe a person should not listen to his parents in such a case and that isn't a breach of Kibbud Av Vem.

Violating Shabbat for Pikuach Nefesh

1. It is a well established halacha that it is not only permitted but even a mitzvah to violate Shabbat in order to safe a life or to remove a situation that presents even a slight chance of danger. The question is how to define the threshold of danger.
2. In certain cases of emergency regarding corona virus it would be allowed to violate Shabbat. Obviously every single case is different and one should learn the laws of Pikuach Nefesh from a rabbi in advance.
3. If a person is discharged from the hospital on Shabbat and they need him to leave because of the lack of space that they have because of the numbers of people who are ill, his family member can drive to get him. They should do a Shinuy when turning on the car like turning the key with one's weaker hand, or pressing the button on the key with one's knuckle. Also, when turning off the car one should use a Shinuy.
4. Regarding the larger issue of halachic triage see Rav Schachter (Piskei Corona #15). Here is a relevant sourcesheet on Halachic Triage.

Mesira and Rodef

1. If your doctor actually ascertains that there is a sakanat nefashot, mortal danger, involved with a certain large gathering that someone is doing then it is permitted to tell the authorities. However, otherwise it is forbidden because of informing upon another Jew (mesira). This can be a very difficult measure to actually properly assess.
2. Some hold that if a person is supopsed to be in quarentine and they are not they are considered a rodef. However, obviously one should first speak to him and convince him to do what is safe.

Links

• Rav Nevinsal Q&A about Corona
• Transcription of Q&A with Rav Schachter by Rabbi Dunner
• RCBC letter calling for the closing of Shuls and Schools
• TorahWeb hosts many resources for Corona halacha including Rav Schachter's Teshuvot
• KolCorona.com a Torah resource, initiated by Rabbi Reuven Taragin, for those affected by Corona