I remember learning at age 16, courtesy of one of my nursing friends, that it takes 4 days to develop a cold/virus and another 4 days to get over it. Since I began to feel lousy mid-evening yesterday, that would make Thursday the day when I got "infected".
Given the combination in Brooklyn congregations of a lack soap with a proclivity for wiping noses on hands (if at all), I'm not terribly surprised that Thursday happened to be the same day as Yizkor, aka the day that I made it to shul. In fact, I recall distinctly that the woman who came and dropped herself into the seat right next to me (there was, astonishingly, a few empty seats) coughed/sneezed on at least one very loud occasion. And I also recall wondering if that would translate into my falling ill.
Guess that mystery is solved. Isn't there some way that we can implement in the local shuls the same shtick that they have at Maimonides Medical Center: Ask Me If I've Washed My Hands? Because, my fellow Brooklynites, I sure as heck have the unshakable feeling that the answer is a most heartfelt NO...
It's high time that we seriously take the mitzvahs of "Guard your Soul very well" and "Love thy neighbor as yourself" along with derech eretz (courtesy). It is an act of kindness not to make others sick. Please let us change our ways and think of others. And let us have soap too.
ReplyDeleteI got sick once after going to shul, too. A girl was sniffing next to me for about an hour and I felt bad moving away from her.
ReplyDeleteI got a bad cold soon after. Now I don't care- if someone doesn't mind to spread germs/feel for others, I don't mind moving away from them/ be too concerned with their feelings.