Amulets, Coronavirus, & Election Day in Israel

When it’s a question of money, everybody is of the same religion. –Voltaire

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

CHULA VISTA, California — Whenever Election Day comes to Israel, you can always count upon the Haredi political parties to boost voter turnout in their cities. The religious politicians will often offer amulets and blessings to ensure their people will be blessed. This year, in particular, some of the Shas and United Torah Judaism political parties handed out amulets with prayers and excerpts from the Jewish liturgy, promising that their reelection would guarantee that the coronavirus would not affect the voters’ families.

But it does not stop there. Representatives of the Shas political party were reported handing out “protective” charms and Shabbat candles at polling stations across the country. Fortunately, the State of Israel is not a theocracy. Israeli election laws fined the Shas party about $2150. This fine is barely a slap on the wrist. Incidentally, the Shas Party is one of the backers of Benjamin Netanyahu’s voting bloc. And while I am certain Netanyahu does not believe in this cynical use of religion, I have yet to hear him condemn this practice.

But it hardly ends here. Some Haredi charitable institutions such as the Kupat Ha-Ir of Bnai Brak, promise immunity from the coronavirus to anyone who donates no less than 3000 shekels, which amounts to $836.[i] In the 2016, they promised their donors, “you can win the jackpot: Parnassah, children, nachas, Torah, wealth, shidduchim, good health and happiness! Don’t wait another 28 years for a yeshuah!” (“salvation”) [ii]

This is not chicken feed.

If Christopher Hitchens were alive today, I wonder what would he say about the pecuniary exploitation of the coronavirus? He would probably ask that if the pious rabbis possess the power to banish the coronavirus away, why don’t they do it for everyone—regardless whether they pay or not? And what happens if they cannot deliver upon their promises? Are they prepared to offer a refund? The truth is that rabbis are not spiritual supermen; nor are they psychics or prophets. Tragically, so many religious leaders pander to people’s superstitions. Jewish tradition has since the days of the Talmud taught us that we must not rely upon miracles.

Concerning those Haredi Jews who believe in the efficacy of amulets, their behavior may lead to them contracting the disease since they are apt to disregard the social-distancing protocols. This would expose them to the virus. And despite their belief in amulets, they will get sick and die.

When rabbis endorse this kind of superstition, they are putting a stumbling block before the blind. They will have to answer before God’s Heavenly Court for causing the death of innocents. And while one may believe in the power of prayer, we still have to do everything humanly possible if we wish to secure God’s blessings.

Orthodox Jews cannot afford to ignore this problem. They must hold their rabbis morally accountable. To see a crime being committed and failing to respond to it—either directly or indirectly—makes the observer complicit and ethically guilty.

The Israeli government must impose greater financial penalties that the religious perpetrators will feel in their pocketbooks.

In my opinion, these rabbis are doing a disservice to their followers; they behave like amoral atheists. The great Protestant theologian Paul Tillich in his book, Dynamics of Faith once defined religion as, “man’s ultimate concern.” For Tillich, people’s “religion” centers upon what people consider to be the meaning of life. Every individual has some concern that he considers “ultimate.” And it is in this sense, each person can be said to be “religious.” For some individuals, their “ultimate concern” might consist of things like success, money, political power, sexual pleasure, fame, or social concern. Whatever concerns a human being the most, that object becomes his god and religion.  And while God ought to be the focus of one’s religious passion and devotion, some people have replaced God with mammon and political power.

Our money says, “In God we trust.”

As a child, I used to enjoy watching the Jack Benny Show. He was a brilliant comic, blessed with a sharp wit.  In one comedy routine, a bandit with a gun came up to him and said, “This is a stickup!  Your money or your life!” When Benny doesn’t immediately answer, the bandit repeats: “Look, buddy, I said, ‘Your money or your life!” Benny says, “Hang on, I’m thinking it over. I’m thinking it over.”

For certain people, the accumulation of wealth is the sole focus of their existence. That is why Voltaire cleverly said, “When it comes to money, everybody is of the same religion.”

And the rest is commentary.