Halachot Related to Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic

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Tefillah

When davening at home one should be cognizant of the following ideas:[1]

  1. A person should daven in a makom kavuah.
  2. A person should daven in front of a wall so that there's no distractions in front of him.
  3. A person can and should daven near a window that serves as a means of being inspired to look towards heaven.
  4. A person can daven Shemona Esrei aloud if it helps his kavana. It also serves as a role model for children.
  5. A person shouldn't daven in a room that is usually used for frivolity.
  6. A person shouldn't daven in front of an open bathroom.
  7. At a time of a plague such as our times it is advisable to say ketoret which has the power to end a plague.
  8. At this time a person should recite Avinu Malkenu in Shacharit and Mincha.

Video Conferences for Tefillah

  1. 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. 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.[2]
  2. It isn't considered a minyan for people to join together to daven on a video conference but it is still somewhat spiritually valuable.[3]

Kriyat Hatorah

  1. A person who is at home and can't be at shul should nonetheless read the parsha 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.[4]
  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.[5]

Hagomel

  1. 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.[6] Others disagree and as long as the minyan isn't in the same room one can not recite hagomel.[7]

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.[8]
  2. A person can sell his chametz on the phone 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.[9]

Machine Matza

  1. It is permitted under extenuating circumstances to use machine matza for the mitzvah of eating matzah on the seder night.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

Weddings

  1. A rabbi should not officiate at a wedding that isn't abiding by the CDC guidelines of health because he is furthering unsafe practices.[13]

Sources

  1. ↑ Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz
  2. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards middle)
  3. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards middle)
  4. ↑ Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz quoting Rabbi Willig
  5. ↑ Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz based on Rama and Magen Avraham
  6. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards middle)
  7. ↑ Divrei Dovid 4:3
  8. ↑ Rav Schachter (min 20)
  9. ↑ Rav Schachter (min 1-5) explained that the minhag is to make a kinyan to appoint a someone to sell something for you. This is classically done with a handing of a handkerchief from the rabbi to the one selling chametz. However, when they call on the phone that isn't possible. The Steipler held in such a case it isn't necessary to be careful about that minhag and simply have the person orally declare that he appoints the rabbi. However, Rav Soloveitchik felt that we should try to fulfill the minhag in any event. How can it be fulfilled? One can have someone standing in the room next to the person on the phone give something to the person on the phone on behalf of the rabbi. That is an effective halachic kinyan on behalf of the rabbi (see Kiddushin 7a).
  10. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards beginning). This is acceptable for Sephardim as well even with a bracha as described by Rav Ovadia Yosef in Yachava Daat 1:14 and Chazon Ovadia (Pesach Hilchot Leil Haseder 5763 Edition p. 76)
  11. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards beginning)
  12. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards end)
  13. ↑ Rav Schachter (towards beginning)
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