By Rabbi Boruch Wolf
I didn’t wish to share this publicly on my facebook, but after two events in a week of Jews being kicked off of a plane, I feel compelled to share my experience and thoughts.
Last week, I’m on a plane, seated at the window, and a double masked guy comes and sits beside me. I try to ask politely where he’s from and whatever small talk to break the ice.
Prior to takeoff, I remove my mask strap off of one ear, dangling for 60 seconds as I consume two cookies. Then I re-strap the loose end. He didn’t seem very into talking. That’s totally cool. 25 minutes after take off, he cranks his neck towards the back of the plane. Innerly, I’m excited that he may be getting up, allowing me to get my book from the overhead bin. Thus I ask if he’s angling to get up.
He says “no, actually, it’s an outrage that I need to sit next to an inconsiderate person, who cares not of the safety of those around him, coughs freely, wears the mask wrong, and even removes the mask to needlessly eat.” Mind you, I wore the mask over my nose and mouth at all times (minus those two cookies).
I tell him, first of all, my post nasal drip is a chronic condition and not contagious. However, if he feels unsafe sitting next to me, he can move or vice versa. He doesn’t pursue moving. It’s icy and I wish he would.
I can’t clear my throat as often as I otherwise needed to, as he is incredibly rude and icy. Finally, I ask him, are you Jewish, because the chasm between him and me must supersede a mask as I postulated that his disdain likely stems from my form of practice of Judaism that makes him cringe. Goyim (gentiles) are usually too apathetic to be so bent out of shape about the Jewish seat mate. He affirms that he’s part Jewish (didn’t ask him to explain).
Iciness persists. If you bump into the tense air, you may have received head trauma. It’s beyond thick. More lectures about how inconsiderate I am. I just stare out of the window. Been a long time since I felt so disdained.
Finally we are touching down at LGA, I look at him and just say, “of the 110 times that I’ve donated platelets, the 35 times that I’ve donated blood, and the time that I’ve donated a kidney, I don’t think that anyone thought that I was inconsiderate to other’s wellbeing.”
Too often, the mask is about dividing people. Not bringing about a greater good. Just an agent of social distancing. Quite literally.
This comment might no be popular , however is out of love because your are giving and kind and mean well. This is not the time to be friendly in public transportation and the “Jew” that scorned you is totally right, I will freaked out to see a nassal dripper even if is allergies or chronic , this is not the time to afford room for mistakes after so much suffering. I am sure you are hurt but you should know better ..
If he’s so afraid he should not be traveling! If he’s on the plane you have to chill out because obviously people will eat and some will cough. So don’t fly if he’s so afraid
Sometimes people must fly, not by choice! Not everyone who flies is choosing to go on a vacation.
He wanted to mistreat the rabbi and he did.
He would never have acted that way if it had been a non Jew with a nasal drip.
When it’s orthodox Jews who refuse to wear masks and take social distancing seriously, who fly their trump flags with no shame, it’s no wonder the rest of the world looks at us negatively. Take one look at Purim in crown heights this past weekend. It appears as though we’re living in a fantasy world where Covid doesn’t exist, when only one year ago we lost countless members of this community and people all over this country continue to die on a daily basis. We’ve lost track of what it means to be a Jew. We’re so concerned about following… Read more »
You mean the thousands of trump supporters? What makes you think the rest of the world has your mindset when it comes to which politician you support and wearing masks?
Just consider for one minute if your views of all African Americans were based on crime numbers. Or your view of any denomination was based on the behavior of part of a group you don’t appreciate. That would be called racism.
We are slowing converging on society wide mental illness and this comment is a harbinger.
I agreed with most of what you wrote, but what exactly does flying Trump flags have to do with anything? Sounds like Trump derangement syndrome.
what if sort of maybe masks dont work against corona? please to your deepest efforts try to note the sarcasm in the words you have just read
As if there is anything wrong with that.
You sound like you support the destruction of America being caused by Biden and his executive orders, each of which is designed for that purpose.
We need to keep a low profile in golus, but we must bear in mind that it is almost certain that the virus is man-made, and that even with that, virtually all deaths would not have been had they given Vitamins C, D, HCQ/quercetin and zinc. And the killing machines and starvations going on in the “caring” hospitals definitely did not help. One choshuve Yid spoke about ‘U’mordechi lo yichra v’lo yishtachaveh, on Purim. The billionaires of the world make much money off Big Pahrma, so they want shutdowns until the vaccine will “open up” the world. And that all… Read more »
I love how you waited until the end to say those impactful words. You handled this beautifully. Such self control and wisdom!
Thank you for representing your fellow Jews with such mentchlichkeit!
“Too often, the mask is about dividing people. Not bringing about a greater good.” Untrue. Wearing a mask means I care about you and you care about me. Simple. Wearing a mask does bring about the greater good, that’s literally why we wear it. It’s those who refuse to wear a mask, those who wear their masks incorrectly, or those who put it on inside a store but rip it off in the street who are dividing people. If we all just wore our masks and social distanced, then stories like this wouldn’t happen and wouldn’t be justified in their… Read more »
He was wearing a mask lol,it’s purely anti-semitic
You’re on the wrong website ur not inspiring anyone we’ve heard it all…
Relax my friend
The mask divides people. Quite literally. Let me be clear. I am pro mask! But it’s all coming down now to “oh no I passed by someone who was wearing it under their nose” or “did you see family T? The father didn’t wear a mask in shul. I can’t believe I’m friends with them” or “you’re endangering people, you are only wearing one mask”. What’s it gonna be next year? The people who don’t wear gas masks will be put down ? People with asthma who cough anyway will not be allowed in public with masks? I understand the… Read more »
“Those who put it on inside a store but rip it off in the street” are the problem for you?! When there’s no health reason, CDC reason, or WHO reason to wear a mask in an open street? How about those who don’t wear 2 masks? Or 3? What’s enough for you? What will be enough for us to be accepted as worthy members of society not deserving of hate or bias? Let me tell you, there are LOTS of times in history when the Jews thought “If we all just ABC and XYZ then stories like this wouldn’t happen… Read more »
wearing a mask means you hate society and are nothing but a sheep waiting to get slaughtered. this covid and mask wearing is for only 1 reason, to CONTROL
Good for you for sticking up for yourself!!
Him and his wife are some of the kindest, most patient, best quality people you can meet. The person had their own issues beyond a mask.
Thanks for posting
Besides that the mask doesn’t protect anyones health
terrifying that you believe that
not just that mask dont protect it actually is bad. even dr fauci the scam wrote that pandemics happen only cuz people wear masks. he was against it . and science( which means nothing) also proves that wearing masks and social distance doesn’t work. science already concluded such
Is wearing the mask(s) and judging and harassing those who don’t a religion or a cult?
Bad luck you had to sit near a miserable person
Ain mazel l’yisroel! Yidden do not have “good or bad luck”. Everything is hashgocha protis, part of the Divine Plan. See comments of Kop Doktar below. Hashen tests us and gives us opportunities. There is no “bad luck”!
First of all, he clearly says he wore the mask the entire time, only partly removed for eating something quickly. Second of all, don’t you think if ppl in CH were still dying the way it was happening last year they would all be wearing masks, isolating themselves etc etc? Obviously by the fact that they’re all open like that shows that they are doing ok. That while other parts of the country and world are getting it now, they all went thru it last year and are immune, and therefore nothings happening there. Use your brain instead of just… Read more »
To the commentators saying “if only the jewish community wire their masks….” Well first of all he was lol and second of all “if only all the self hating jews would be proudly jewish,there would be less hate
I am proudly Jewish, obviously it’s more and more difficult to feel proud when members of my own community refuse to wear masks and save human lives, but I will not allow the selfish among us to steal Gd away from me or speak on behalf of my religion.
Usually proudly Jewish people don’t find it hard to be proud of being Jewish just saying.
Well written…
There is no science behind masks other than that they are physically and psychologically harmful. It’s purely a divide and conquer tactic of the cabal. Take off the mind control mask!
Are you serious? There’s lots of science man
Saying there’s lots of science, really proves your point…not!
There’s actually some science there. I had been indoors for an extended period of time with a number of people who came down with Covid the next day. No social distancing. I happened to be wearing a good mask. I Bh didn’t come down with it. No guarantees of why, but That’s something!
In response to Truth Hurts, the reference to “flying Trump flags” has nothing to do with the article. By your interjecting Trump into the issue, it seems you have an animosity towards Trump. If that’s the case, keep in mind that it was Trump who got Shalom Rubaskin out of jail. Trump was the best American president in regards to Israel. Biden as you will quickly see, (or Harris as soon as the Dems will soon throw Biden under the bus because of his dementia) is no friend of Israel. His appointees to several position are blatant anti Semites. All… Read more »
Reb Boruch, Why didn’t you ask him to put on tefillin? You experienced negative attention from him. That is a cry for attention. He was hurting as a “part jew” and desperately needed ANY form of interaction with a visible Jew of faith. Respectfully, you misread the situation and squandered an opportunity. Admittedly, you felt very uncomfortable and didn’t feel capable of turning the misirable situation into a glorious one, but since when is it easy to be a chosid? It is not easy to have mesrias nefesh. It is not easy to get out of our comfort zone. But… Read more »
That is the most insightful comment I EVER saw!!!! The Baal Shem Tov approach to everything a yid sees and hears is a lesson in avodas Hashem, combined with a neshma is sent for 70-80 years to do a favor for another. Davka and Adaraba, BECAUSE Rabbi Woolf is such an amazing person, Hashem placed him in this situation. Like Avrohom Avinu was the paradigm of chesed, when tested with the Akeida. I agree with the psychoanalysis, particularly that his seatmate was seeking a spiritual hug. I think if the Rebbe would have been sitting in Rabbi Woolf’s seat, he… Read more »
A “spiritual hug”? Can’t we just let non observant Jews do their own thing? Being orthodox isn’t the only way to serve Gd.
Not every “spiritual hug” involves ramming mitzvos down someone’s throat! Sometimes a “spiritual hug” is simply letting another Jew know that he is your brother, that we are family, and that no matter the level of observance, we care and love each other.
Chssidim DO try to be mizakeh yidden with mitzvos starting with the rebbes mivtzoim
asking someone if they would like to put on tefillin is not coercing them in any way
Just like when a flight attendant asks if you would like a coffee and you decline they didn’t shove anything down your throat
I think if the guy already panicking re mask he is not going to share tefillin etc, with all the contact that involves… just saying
Every jew has a neshama that wants to do all the mitzvos of Hashem
Hashem doesn’t expect us to act the way the Rebbe would/might have acted. But He does expect us to act the way WE, as poshet yidden and chasidim, should/could act.
Kop Doktar, you must still be under the influence of ad d’lo yada. Are you still farbrenging? Read what you wrote after you sober up and then apologize.
What size were the cookies? Some cookies are “k’dei sevia”, enough to require bentching. But, did the rabbi offer to share his cookies?!
Dr Kop Doktar – you need a kop doctar. A hater is a hater and engaging with a hater would only enrage him. When a dog is menacingly barking at you, you don’t try to feed it, unless you want to get bitten.
If the hater recives some love he may just reciprocate…
Thank you Mr Kop Doktar for the valuable lesson.
Malka, when someone teaches you something, you should call them “Rabbi”, not “mister”. A little derech eretz goes a long way.
unfortunately, the way modern society works today, is it’s influenced by the deluge of social media we all choose to ingest. additionally, frum jews do, in fact, disproportionately, wear less masks than people who aren’t so easily identified. this person was presumably influenced by the media message (including publicized events where almost everyone wears no masks). and there’s the general extreme sensitivity prevalent about what others do regarding covid prevention. so what’s at play here is not pure anti-semitism. it’s fear coupled with the truth that bearded jews don’t do masks amongst themselves. it’s therefore almost understandable that in a… Read more »
In this time of a deadly global pandemic (which nobody has lived through before) everybody is meshuggah to some degree. The real solution is Geula, but that seems to be Hashem’s decision. Only extra compassion and humor (?) can reduce the damage of mass psychosis (delusions and Paranoia.) All we can do is acknowledge and ‘fargin’ the crazy in ourselves and others in this crazy pandemic time. Just my 2 cents.
perhaps this is a case of
תניא אמר רבי עקיבא
גדולה שנאה ששונאין עמי הארץ לתלמיד חכם