By: Shaina Ponim
I’m a simple person. I ain’t no doctor. I ain’t no Rov.
I can’t tell you if masks will stop/slow the virus or if masks are killing more people than Aunt ‘Rona. (It is a bug, no? I ain’t no immunologist either.)
But, I’ve been wearing a mask. Why? Well, because as a simple person, I see things simply:
The community doctor asked us to wear a mask – so I wear a mask.
The community Rov asked us to wear a mask – so I wear a mask.
Are they in on some conspiracy? Are they compelled by government pressure? Maybe, maybe not. But, they asked – so I listen. Simple, no?
Do I get confounded, tzumished, and tzutumuled by conducting my own ‘independent’ research (-with Google, everyone is now a certified “researcher”!) to see what other white coats claim? Do I feel the need to consider every yenta’s concocted theory and point of view?
Nope. I lead a simple life: My doctor asked – I listen. My Rov asked – I listen.
You know, on Chol Ha’moed I took my family to the zoo. There were Frum Jews representing every community there as well. Remarkably, they were all wearing masks the entire time. Why? Because the zookeepers were walking around asking them to.
So:
When the zoo’s dung cleaners ask us to wear a mask – we listen.
When our local doctors and Rabbonim ask the same, we become an ‘Am Novoin’ – full of chochmas and dreidlach.
That is where a simple person like me gets confused about things.
[Did you notice the same? Did you go to the zoo or some other establishment – you know, the ones that still let Frum Jews in – and see more masks there than on our main streets or in our local grocery stores?]
Perhaps some will chide me for having a simple view. Perhaps I should be more ‘woke’ and ‘educated’ about how we are being controlled and manipulated by everyone who asks us to do something (government officials, police, doctors, Rabbonim, school administrators).
But, again, I see things simply: I am a “Tomim” – a “simple” person. I follow the advice – and pleadings – of my doctor and Rov.
Do you?
This is very true.
We listen to zookeepers, stores etc… out of respect for their policy but we don’t listen to doctors because doctors do make mistakes! For How long were we brainwashed to wear gloves?! (Me knowing its pointless) DID IT REALLY HELP?! If the government really wanted to save lives they would issue a vaccine or dr. Zelenko’s healing method ASAP! STOP PUTTING THE “RESPONSIBLITY” ON THE MASKS!
And why dont you listen to doctors out of respect for their policy? So maybe in the future we’ll learn more about masks but right now there is very little known about COVID-19
Out of respect for their policy, IN THEIR OFFICE: IF I chv need the doctors OFFICE, I’ll wear a mask. I ask you, why don’t you wear the mask in your house?! Out of respect for your policy of wearing masks and not to get it from one household member to the next chv wear it between you too! Common sense! Since this virus is not known why don’t people like you stay home and then for sure your safe – or maybe not because the droplets could come through your window too?! Honestly people! no common sense!
We know plenty on covid.
For starters the virus size is 0.1 micron. Tiny enough to travel freely through most masks.
We know early use of hydroxychloriquine and zinc as prevention or cure eliminates most covid complications, hospitalizations and death. Along with vitamins D, C.
We also know that kids/young adults are at no risk from this virus.
And that similar to the flu this virus goes away in the summer and surges in the fall.
And that lockdowns don’t solve covid
“We know plenty on covid.”
Who is “we”? You?? The yentas you are listening to? What does YOUR rov and doctor say?
The doctor I spoke to who agreed to discuss it with me agreed fully and then said please don’t say it in my name because I will be fired. He said that he never imagined he’d live to see this and he usually would never say this but the whole bit of masks, lockdowns, anti-hydroxy use is completely political and not based on science. That is what we are dealing with… medical censorship. The other doctors I asked said it’s become too political to discuss I would post proof of every claim I made above but can’t link screenshots or… Read more »
Its ONLY political in america. No other normal country is as upset as america is bc of masks. in america its political not in every other normal country on the planet
That’s correct, but the virus travels on particles that are significantly larger than that which will get caught by the mask. The mask also dampens air flow caused by breathing, talking, coughing, etc.
Who ever told us to wear gloves? I don’t recall that ever being a thing
When we didn’t know how the virus was spread. Until the scientists found that it wasn’t that prevalent on spreading on surfaces, the wise precaution was to touch nothing, to wear gloves. Now we know different, so gloves aren’t that necessary for everyone; but masks are!
So the next time you or your family needs medical care, go to a vet or the zoo! Dr Z has had some good ideas and results but his is not a cure all especially for someone who is very ill. There’s many articles posted here about people who have been in the hospital for months and have been on vents and have survived. Out of curiosity, ask them if they were satisfied with the care they got or if they would have preferred to be treated with Dr Z’s treatment. It may be very helpful in some cases as… Read more »
So if you don’t listen to doctors, why are you listening to him?
The answer is, because it’s what you want to hear.
Stop the nonsense.
You hear only what to want to. So How come you decided to “hear” my comment? If you wouldnt have then you wouldn’t have gotten aggravated! Dr. Zelenkos method cures, masks don’t! Big difference! Like I always say use your common sense!
HA vaccines usually take years to make, you them to create a vaccine in 2 months…????? are you nuts
They are doing it speedily, and as soon as they can
100% right. It’s unfortunate what has become of crown heights. No respect for the Rabonim and doctors. It disgusts me.
Very strong message dressed in a cute, cornishly funny article.
The author is no simpleton, rather an impressively clever individual and a gifted writer no less.
Well done.
Maybe you actually should start using your own mind for once and stop being a sheep cause next thing you know the government will make it illegal to practice basic precepts of judasim and by then it’ll be too late for all of us because of your nativity.
i think you mean naivete…but good point nonetheless
Don’t use your head.
Listen to Rabbonim, it is their job to use their heads. Which they do.
Our job is to listen
Let’s not get dellusional here
Listening to the Rav’s directives is called “being a sheep”?
“start using your own mind for once and stop being a sheep”
In opposition to your rov and doctor? What religion do you practice??
ahhh i was waiting for the “you’re a sheep” comment. and why am i not surprised that you don’t know the difference between naivete and nativity, hmmm?
Thank you for writing this. Why are we suddenly smarter and more informed than our rov and doctors. Even if masks do nothing… what did we lose by wearing them aside from clear skin and glasses that don’t fog
we lose nothing. and maybe we gain! Are we all doctors now?
We may very well be SPREADING the virus further according to many doctors based on reasons that can understood even by “temimim” such as yourself!!!
Well said!
Is that what we’re all about? Kabalas ol?
Anecdotally however I do not see that masks or distancing are effective. The only effective method for avoidance we have seen so far Has been is total isolation. Staying at home and letting no one in or out.
How in the world do YOU know what effective? We do what doctors and rabbonim tell us because Hashem tells us to. Take your own imrei beten out of the picture
Oh now you are the judge and jury as to the effectiveness of anything?
As far as I remember, the stats were saying the in the early months of this insanity, 66% of the hospitalizations in NYC were people coming from complete isolation.
Just my two cents.
That is exactly what we should all do and what we should all think. Since when do we not listen to doctors and Rabbonim? I have been amazed by this whole thing and our peculiar behavior since the beginning. I am with you all the way.
…and I’m not referring to the bottle of 96% proof.
Enough time elapsed since slichos, R”H, and even Y”K during which crowds of thousands davened together (total strangers standing shoulder to shoulder) in a windowless shul – majority without masks. B”H there hasn’t been a pandemic in CH since – there hasn’t even been an epidemic – there hasn’t even been an outbreak!
Get real people!!!
שומר פתאים ה׳
Being in those crowds was very risky and unnecessary. I hope you’re right that it won’t have caused an outbreak!
I hope you are right; we still have time to wait and see ..a few weeks till tishrei is over
You know how many people today walked across the street today with their eye closed? How many got hit and died? Try it – you’ll most likely be fine.
Does that mean it’s the SMART and RESPONSIBLE thing to do???
Can’t have it both ways. Either we should blindly follow what we are told by the politicians and department of health (and the rest that follow them blindly out of fear) or be smart. Being smart would means questioning what your told, digging for the independent data out there and taking all that science to discuss it over with your doctor for more insight and then your rov. I challenge you to do so
How many of those who were standing shoulder to shoulder got tested? Very few if any so there could very well be an epidemic in CH that is mostly asymptomatic and you wouldn’t know.
In the sand.
Doesnt mean we all have to.
Nope, I have a doctor and a Rov that I trust because I can actually ask them questions and they will look into it further before providing a response. They dont just tell me “have kabolas oil and do as I say whether it makes sense to you or not” they have a responsibility ti pasken once that have actually levelheadedly heard all sides.
When a Rov subscribes unilaterally to a doctors opinion for his psak, thats a problem right there.
And many hundreds of rabbonim ALL OVER THE WORLD are saying to follow the medical protocol laid out by scientists ALL OVER THE WORLD. Are they all conspiring to harm us? All those thousands of rabbonim and doctors and scientists?? Really, ‘we’ have to use our own ‘common sense’?? I’m just wondering, do you go to a mechanic for your car? Do you do your own root canal? Do you get prescriptions for your glasses? For just about every single thing in your life you trust the scientists? And, now suddenly the scientists who you trust for just about everything,… Read more »
In this case, I do believe that we are being misguided my the scientist.
Remember that there is a Board of Health which will certainly investigate ans suspend a doctor who does not follow the narrative.
And yes, there is a major political issue involving this virus.
By the way, have you seen the stats in the for the last couple of weeks?
Maybe 2-5 deaths/day in all NYC, how how many hospitalizations? How many got real sick in the last 2 weeks?
Bottom line; Scientists do NOT have our best interests in mind.
“Scientists do NOT have our best interests in mind.”
But the yentas on Youtube DO have your best interests in mind. Right?
Shaindle, good stuff!
If masks and social distancing is effective, why quarantine when coming from a different state/country/hot spot? And if it isn’t effective then why in the world are we meant to be wearing these things? I sorry to say but I disagree with following the government which is made up of a bunch of anti-semitic liberals who want complete compliance. Why should I have a pimply face and not be able to see or breathe because the pathetic man who calls himself the governor of NY decided so? Why do I know people who wore a mask 24/7 but got corona,… Read more »
If seatbelts are effective, why have an air bag? If air bags are effective, why follow traffic rules? Wearing a mask is a tiny inconvenience and is potentially saving lives. Even if we find out it wasn’t needed, it doesn’t hurt to wear it. And if it is needed, you not wearing one can cause someone to die. You want that responsibility?
So that means people are responsible for people’s lives? Not Hashem anymore chv?! Hashem decides who lives and who doesn’t. If a person is meant to live he will, because Hashem decided that! Not because a mask saved his life! And if people are SO responsible to care for someone’s life so why are people so NOT responsible and say Lashon hara that equals to avodah Zara, gelui arayos etc…? All of a sudden NO ONE is responsible!
people aren’t responsible, hashem is, but hashem also said we have to do our part to prevent deaths
B”H
People wear a mask at the zoo because they don’t want to be thrown out, but in their neighborhood, they know no one can do anything…
Shaina, you ain’t no simpleton! What a brilliantly elegant way of stating the obvious – we have lost our way. Love how you preempted every possible negative response. Like, what can even be said against this? Listen to your Rov and doctor!
You are like the ‘simple’ child who screams to the crowd that the emperor has no clothes (or mask!). Great work! Hopefully, it will make a dent in someone’s mind and get that person to reach for their mask.
Could not have said it better myself. Wear a mask! Listen to the rabbis and docs and dont outsmart yourself…
I hope the author’s tongue in cheek approach will be more effective than some of the other futile attempts at getting people to see the light. Wear a mask!
If Shayna is ‘tongue in cheek’, I don’t see it – probably since she’s wearing a mask! 😉
Love the clean and clear viewpoint.
100% of doctors will agree that obesity and being overweight are slow killers. All insurance companies know that the overweight have a shorter life span.
Where is the zeal in our community to obey the medical guidelines about how much and what we eat?
What about drinking and smoking??!!
gotta love a red herring fallacy!
Even Dr. Fauci said that there is no need to wear a mask UNLESS social distancing (of 6 feet) is not possible.
And. Isn’t he the “head honcho” of THE DOCTORS?
Is Dr. Fauci YOUR doctor? Is he YOUR rov?
What is so complicated/controversial about listening to YOUR doctor and YOUR rov?? Have we gone completely bonkers?
If you think your doctor and rov don’t know what they’re talking about, get a NEW doctor and NEW rov for yourself.
What a bizarre article to say the least. What happened to using adult critical thinking and decision making? My wake up moment that I started questioning the mask mandate was when mayor Deblasio showed up himself to break up a levaya where most were wearing masks but encouraged the massive black lives matter protest a week later where they weren’t, saying it overrides corona bc of it’s profound meaning?! Then add on the ban for early use of an FDA approved drug, the nursing home scandal, absolute disaster in the hospitals, threatening our leaders and doctors, cooking the covid death… Read more »
“Adult critical thinking and decision making” — in opposition to YOUR doctor and YOUR rov? Which religion do you practice?
Anyone not in favor of a mask, ask your doctor. If he agrees with you ask your rav, but only for yourself.
The mask method was proven and tested. As of now, it is the safest and easiest way to SAVE LIVES. It really is not that big a deal compared to the amount of lives that the world lost. So everyone stop making a big deal and suck it up and put on your masks.
Not just for the fact that the Rebbe over many years always advised “K’atzas Rofeh Yedid”, follow the advice of a Doctor who is a friend, (and our community doctors don’t have to prove to anyone that each of us is treated as a friend) but mainly because you will have peace of mind. With so much swirling information and misinformation assaulting us every day, how much better would our lives be if we could follow the directions of those we trust. Then we could spend less time debating which opinion is right, and spend more time on Torah, avodas… Read more »
I’ve been reading all these comments and have this to say:
I unfortunatly caught Covid at the beginning of April and was on a ventilator for nearly 5 weeks, the doctors called my family to get ready for the worst!
I BH survived and spent ten weeks in hospital and was able to walk in to the ambulance that took me home
for all of you who are lucky enough not to have had Covid please be careful