COVID RULES DESTROY PURIM: BMG Cancels Purim Mesibah for First Time in 80 Years

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Purim is the latest korban of Covid 19.

For the first time in 80 years, Beth Medrash Govoha will not host a mesibas Purim.

Each year, hundreds upon hundreds of people gather at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ, for a Purim mesibah on the first night of Purim, Motzoei Taanis Esther. Each year, the gathering is an uplifting one, with beautiful singing and divrei Torah from the roshei hayeshiva and mashgiach.

Previously, the annual gathering had been held in the Israel Henry Beren Hall dining room of the yeshiva. The past few years, the event has been held in the Bais Aron Bais Medrash of the yeshiva at the corner of Tenth Street and Madison Avenue.

But not this year.

Because of Covid fears and restrictions, the yeshiva has been compelled to cancel an event that has been called “the highlight of the year” for many attendees.

Covid-19 was still in its early stages in the U.S. at the time of Purim last year. Soon after, the community endured a difficult Covid stretch.

By now, virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated, but the decision was made to cancel the mesibah at the country’s largest yeshiva nevertheless.

Other local yeshivos and shuls have likewise cancelled their Purim events, at the advice of some rabbonim and doctors.

Purim,” which falls this year on Friday, “looks to be a dud,” said one resident.

Agudas Yisroel had previously release a statement published by Matzav.com stating that “We now do know, however, that Purim has the potential to be a ‘super-spreader’ of the terrible pandemic, and are required to think of our neighbors’ and family members’ health and safety with great gravity and concern, especially as more highly infectious strains of the COVID-19 virus are proliferating.”

{D. SteinMatzav.com}


35 COMMENTS

  1. While the avoda of Purim this year will surely be very different, the title and tochen of this article does not sound like it was written with proper Kavod HaTorah.
    These difficult decisions were not made by some shnook sitting bored by his computer.
    Maybe , we can spend time on Purim this year Davening and learning more than usual, and in that zechus, we should be zocheh to get out of this tzara and see Mashiach Bemheira!!

  2. Man. This post gets me mad.

    Let’s start with the headline. “COVID RULES DESTROY PURIM”
    If Purim is all about BMG’s Mesiba, than I guess Purim didn’t exist 80 years ago

    “By now, virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated, but the decision was made to cancel the mesibah at the country’s largest yeshiva nevertheless.”

    What inspired you to make up this piece of fake news?

    I guess some people feel that a Purim Mesiba is worth a few lives Chas Veshalom.
    You know a 37 year old lady in Lakewood died within the last month from covid and that many pregnant women (who never had covid before) are in serious condition?

    Post information, not your opinions. The tone of this post really disgusts me.
    (I challenge you to post this in the comments)

  3. What a bunch of babies. So to attend a packed chassuna in a Lakewood hall is okay. To attend a packed livaya r”l is okay. To fly on a packed airplane to Orlando is okay. But to have a little simcha in our lives on the happiest day of the Jewish calendar, creating much needed achdus, oh, that’s assur. Yeh, it’s a big inyan to capitulate to the erev rav naysayers and be all depressed. Why? In order to prove to those that already hate us, that, see, we’re just like you. We don’t believe in the Torah or in the Aibishter r”l. Masks are our diety. We believe in our government. They are all g-ds. We bow down to our governors, senators, congressmen, legislators. Eileh elokecha yosroel.

  4. FINALLY!!! BH BH something being done that shows AHAVAS YISROEL!!!
    To the author of this article … have you knocked on “virtually every Lakewood residents” door to take a count? How about the elderly who still won’t go out for fear bc ppl are not taking this seriously?!?
    To say “purim will be a dud” is ANTI PURIM!!! Think out of the box to make your Purim enjoyable don’t depend on others to make it happy for you! That is not inner Simcha that line is a cop out for being creative!!!

    Thank you BMG for taking a stand and doing the right thing I hope and pray that others will follow and we don’t suffer post Purim illness and fatalities like last year

  5. Allow me to correct your title – it is NOT “COVID Rules Destroy Purim” – it is “COVID Health Risks Impact Purim”! It is NOT because of “COVID fears and restrictions” that Purim events are being cancelled – it is because of the very real risk to health of all involved that, regretfully, the Roshei Yeshiva, Agudah, local yeshivos, and Lakewood doctors made the only responsible decision – to cancel large public events and to recommend limitations on other gatherings. The author is apparently not aware of the great number of Lakewood residents who are now seriously ill with COVID – several of them in the hospital! In addition, this is no longer a disease of “old men” – most of the people being severely affected are young, many of them women. It is also NOT true that “virtually every Lakewood resident either has had Covid or been vaccinated” – how irresponsible that the author can make up his own unsubstantiated and FALSE claims! Finally, who does this author think he is, when our heilige Roshe Yeshiva, the Agudah, Yeshiva rabbonim and administrators, and our well-respected local doctors are all saying that these gatherings are bad ideas? After the first wave, people made the same claims that Matzav is now making, and people became lax – and many people died! I hope that Matzav will strongly consider retracting and apologizing for this sensationalistic piece of yellow journalism and recognize that they have a responsibility to the frum community to provide honest information to help save lives.

  6. The notion that “virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated” is such (pardon my language) garbage. There are still people that it poses a danger to. To those that it does not pose a danger to who are upset, GROW UP!!!

  7. “Purim this year looks to be a dud” Really? This is all Purim means to you? Seudas Purim, mishloach manos, mikra megila, and being mesameach aniyim is by you a DUD?? It might not be as fun but to call Yom Tov Purim a dud? Shame

  8. In your article you state:
    “By now, virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated”.
    Really, from what source did you pull that out of. Please do share with us.
    Or is that just your baseless conjecture?

  9. Chas V’sholom. Purim is not destroyed by Covid. This Purim could be better than ever. It just may be different. Everyone should make an effort to have an awesome Purim with those that are close to them and support all those that need matonos l’evyonim and support from a distance. We can all make this a great Purim to remember.

  10. “Virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated”.
    FAKE NEWS. Many did. But many did not have covid and weren’t vaccinated. I know countless numbers of such people.
    I don’t personally have an opinion on what should or should not be done. However, I think that the letter put out about Purim in Lakewood is the first such letter on which every one of the Roshei Yeshiva and Poskim of BMG signed. I am happy to see that Matzav understands what the Roshei Yeshiva are really thinking. You must be real mind readers.

    Calm down and grow up.

  11. This is so incredibly hard to understand. There is so much mingling every night with multiple chasunos full of elderly people etc and no one gives a peep. But purim gatherings full of young energetic men who needs this outlet is a disastrous super spreader. Im convinced we’ve started drinking early this year

    • you want to have a fun time go to Disney land. no reason to put unnecessary people at risk. and also apparently you don’t understand younger people are fully capable of spreading it to older people unknowingly.

  12. Destroy is the wrong word.

    The rabbis are being resposible; that is something to celebrate! If only everyone in NY and NJ would copy them.

  13. How can a yid who understands Purim say that covid destroys Purim?! If n eunderstands the message of Purim than one can enjoy and gain from Purim under the circumstances Hashem created. Of course if Purim is just a day to go out and have fun and party, then the headline is correct.

  14. Why is it necessary to use such a negative word like “Destroy Purim” the Kol Korey does not say anything about Destroying Purim it says you should keep all the Halochos of Purim Pike Listening to the Megilla , Make a Purim Seuda in your Home , Daven , Learn Give Mesholach Manos and Matonos Levyonim Be Merry and Happy And drink wine etc etc look forward to a Day of Simcha And Aliya with your Family and Neighbors

  15. Chas V’Sholom! Is Purim dependent on the revelry, or is the revelry an expression of the joy of Purim? If it’s the former, then it’s probably Ossur as Holiloos and Leitzanus. If it’s the latter, then Purim will be as joyful as ever, if not more so!
    Purim is the one yomtov that will be celebrated in the time of Mashiach, so how can you say that it’s destroyed?
    In addition, the ‘destruction’ of Purim may be the result of ignoring the stringent regulations about Corona. So who are you going to blame?
    Purim is a time of Teshuva. So let’s contemplate our situation and do teshuva for our complacency.

  16. I understand that impressing your readership is key – but boots on the ground, the realities of what’s going on in Lakewood presently and this article don’t say the same thing…… speak to any askan – they guys who are dealing with the 30-40 year olds women in Lakewood who are on ventilators – not all of them pregnant women.
    Article sounds foolish! Come on

  17. Nothing and nobody can destroy Purim ch’v!!!

    The Megilah explicitly says that Klal Yisreol will NEVER stop keeping Purim !!!

    BMG is not having an mesibah because of Corona (and more accuratly the enormous amount of Aivah a mass Purim mesibah would cause.)

  18. In your article you state:
    “By now, virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated”.
    Really, from what source did you pull that out of. Please do share with us.
    Or is that just your baseless conjecture?

  19. Is it clear that they were forced to cancel it or did they decide to because they felt they should? Is there an official statement that the Rabbanei Lakewood put out?

    • it really doesn’t matter because once it was put to official letterhead its their recommendation attached to their names in public. so they approve of the message for people to see.

  20. “By now, virtually every Lakewood resident has either had Covid or been vaccinated, but the decision was made to cancel the mesibah at the country’s largest yeshiva nevertheless.” Your lack of seriousness for sakanas nefashos is quite disturbing.

  21. My minyan attendance has been destroyed.
    My comfort of not needing to wear a hot, damp mask when shopping has been destroyed.
    My ability to visit elderly relatives without worrying about getting them sick has been destroyed.

    …and all of the above are a price well worth paying to keep the elderly and the vulnerable alive and healthy. Iy”H, bekarov, we will achieve herd immunity to the extent that we can once again go to shul, make simchos, go to mesibos and otherwise return to the normalcy that we all took for granted just one short year ago.

  22. “Purim,” which falls this year on Friday, “looks to be a dud,” said one resident.

    Pathetic, shallow and unfortunate sentiment. The avodah of a real Purim, with the mitzvos and simcha of being a Jew, need not be impacted by BMG’s cancelling the mesiba, or by masks, or by an Erev Shabbos (ch”v). Ridiculous to include that line in this article, as though it were a valid point of view.

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