Vice President Pence on Thursday confirmed that the coronavirus is more lethal than the flu and predicted that the United States can expect “thousands of more cases.”
NBC News’s Savannah Guthrie asked Pence during an appearance on “Today” to confirm that “this is much more lethal than the seasonal flu.”
“It is, Savannah,” Pence responded.
Pence added that global data indicates the virus is a “threat of very serious consequences” for senior citizens with underlying health conditions but not for younger Americans, “particularly children under the age of 15.”
Read more at The Hill.
{Matzav.com}
From Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, shlita:
People are afraid of what’s going on but what’s going on is predicted as chevlei Mashiach. And Mashiach is very close.
The Rambam was a doctor for the king. Everyone was jealous of him and asked the king to appoint an Arab doctor instead of the Jew. The king loved the Rambam, but he had no choice so he decided to make a test. Both doctors would have to drink poison and the one who survived would be his doctor.
The Rambam had to drink first. As the Arab prepared the poison, the Rambam prepared medicine. He told his students that as soon as he drank the poison, they should lie him down so the poison would not spread in his body. The Rambam drank his medicine. He then drank the Arab’s poison and his students immediately laid him down and took him home. He felt terrible for a few days, but then it passed.
Then he went back to the King’s palace. Now it was his turn to prepare poison to try to kill the Arab doctor. He went to the kitchen, ground up vegetables, and gave it to the Arab doctor to drink. The Arab drank it and was filled with fear. He felt fine but kept taking different medications to protect himself. He felt ok but then drank milk as a protection because milk cleanses the body. He still felt fine but was shaking from fear. Days passed but his fear grew and grew. He saw the Rambam a few days later and the Rambam asked him, “Did you drink milk?” When the Arab heard that, he instantaneously dropped dead on the floor.
The king was so happy to keep the Rambam as his doctor. He asked the Rambam, “How did you kill him? What was your poison?” The Rambam answered, “Nothing. It wasn’t poison. It was just some vegetables.” The Rambam told the king that it wasn’t the drink that killed him, but rather the Arab’s fears and thoughts had killed him!
When people strengthen fear, it gives power. The fear harms more than the issue itself. It’s sins that kill and nothing else has power. Yes, take precautions, but put all fear to the side. Fill your mind with thoughts of happiness, Strengthen with emunah. Attach strongly to Hashem. And be happy that Mashiach is coming.
We have a tradition that we will be redeemed in the month of Pesach, Nissan. Purim passed and Nissan is coming. It is our time to strengthen our emunah, to strengthen our deveikut to Hashem, to cling to Hashem, to strengthen our happiness, to strengthen our thoughts that the Geulah is coming! People used to sleep with their clothes on in case Mashiach would come. Rabbi Meir baal Haness was buried standing up instead of lying flat, so that when Mashiach would arrive he would be ready to run to greet Mashiach. Instead of fear, push that all away, and instead let’s all fill our minds with thoughts of Mashiach, let’s fill our mouths with prayers asking for Mashiach, let’s actively wait for Mashiach and look forward to his arrival, which can be any minute. If we ask for Mashiach he will come. If we don’t ask, he won’t.
Hashem wants us to ask and beg and plead and scream out that we want Mashiach. We have to prove we want him! That’s our share. That’s our job. And now is the time! We don’t want to, chas v’shalom, lose this opportunity. So let’s ask for Mashiach and let’s all actively show that we are really, really waiting for him. Let’s open our hearts and strengthen our desires for Mashiach! May Mashiach come this Nissan. May Mashiach come speedily and with great mercy and great happiness, amen v’amen!
Please forward to everyone you know.
OK, Mr Pence, how soon can we expect a global curfew? Think in 30 days it should be all over and the world will be a nicer place to live in?