A 20 Month Wait and a Trip to Walgreens
Reflecting on the last week, Monday was a big day in my house. Our youngest son, Ezra, age 11, received his first vaccination against the Covid vaccine. We had been waiting for this moment for 20 months and hoping for the vaccination for Ezra, so our whole home would be vaccinated. The vaccination gave us peace of mind and, hopefully, will make us comfortable doing a little more outside our home. It will especially give us peace of mind when Ezra interacts with older family members, those more vulnerable to severe Covid. Having Ezra vaccinated, we believe, is a community responsibility and will offer that more protection to his classmates at his elementary school. We hope that other parents feel likewise and many of Ezra’s classmates will get the vaccine also.
In Deuteronomy 4:9 we read, “Take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously.” The sages in our tradition understand this verse as meaning to look after your physical body. Then, in Deuteronomy 22:8, we read, “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet (fence) for your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it.” You might ask: What does a roof have to do with a vaccine? Back in ancient Israel and even today in Israel, many people utilize the flat roofs of their homes as patios. It was important to fence the roof for the safety of all. The parapet or fence has been expanded in Jewish thought to include all simple, preventive measures that preserve health and safety. Vaccines fall into this category.
I know that the majority, if not all, of the adults and older children at Beth Chai are vaccinated. I am thankful to belong to a community and live in an area that respects science. And, I suspect that Ezra is not alone, among the younger members, in getting vaccinated this past week. When we were at Walgreens this week for the vaccination, there were several elementary school students also waiting for their vaccination. I know that vaccinations can be scary, for kids and adults, but all children waiting for vaccines agreed that it was “no big deal” after getting their shot. It helped that the gathered crowd clapped for each. So, I commend and clap for each young Beth Chai member who gets the vaccine. You are doing your part to protect yourself, your family and our community.
Rabbi Cohen