268 years ago a terrible disease spread like wildfire through the city where the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement lived.
Thousands of people were dying. With no help in sight, the Baal Shem Tov asked the Jews in his town , to join together in sponsoring the writing of a Sefer Torah IMMEDIATELY.
The Baal Shem Tov said that in the merit of this mitzva that shows the achdut - the unity of the Jewish people ,the Jews would be protected.
Sure enough as soon as they began writing the Sefer Torah, the plague stopped . This Sefer Torah became known as “ the Miracle Sefer Torah “
Since then there has been a tradition that writing a Sefer torah during a time of illness can help keep the Jewish people safe.
Today, we are separated from our beloved family members, our friends and communities.
Our synagogues and Torah scrolls are left alone. Our shuls, schools, and yeshivos have been shuttered. Celebrations that were once the lifeblood of the Jewish community--weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvot, communal gatherings--have been reduced to online interactions that are a pale imitation of the warmth of human touch. Funerals are being conducted with a minyan, and the mourners mourn alone. This is not the way G-d meant for life to be lived.
However , the mitzva of pikuach nefesh is the call of the day ! Saving even ONE Jewish life is the most important mitzva of all and we know that by practicing social distancing we are saving lives , the biggest mitzva of all! We must continue to have faith in Hashem, and spread positive energy amongst our family at home ,and to whomever we speak to.
The corona virus ,COVID-19 , has separated us . Let us UNITE through joining together to write a Sefer Torah. We have just begun the writing of a brand new Sefer Torah the day before Pesach.
Let us, all Jews living in the communities of Fresh Meadows, Jamaica Estates, Holliswood, Hollis Hills, and Windsor Park .. the Jewish community of Eastern Queens, join together in the writing of this special Sefer Torah ! Buy a letter, a word , a column or a Parasha !
This Torah of achdut and healing will belong to all of us . It will rotate between all the different shuls in our community ,reminding us of our faith in Hashem and the incredible unity between us during this difficult time.
Nothing , not even the corona virus , will destroy the bond between all Jews, and between the Jews and Hashem !!
ישראל בטח בה׳
The Jewish people , will always trust in Hashem and his Torah !
עם ישראל חי
