Rabbi Batzri
Rabbi BatzriMiriam Tzach

The period between historical calamities referred to as "the Three Weeks" this year under the coronavirus crisis evokes much thought and soul-searching which is a little different from each year.

Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Batzri spoke about this difference in a conversation with Arutz Sheva: "We're all in mourning, besides the regular yearly one, each in his own private devastation. We cannot leave the Land of Israel for the most part and closeness between people is also prevented from them. There are no handshakes, no visits; as if a person's an outcast.

"In halakhah, someone defined as an outcast cannot pray with the community, cannot approach other people. We're in a situation where there are people who are afraid to say Shalom on the street for fear of contracting the virus," adds Rabbi Batzri.

He says these days should be taken advantage of to gathered at home. "We all feel it and ask: What's really required of us? These days are for soul-searching every year and now we, who thought come summer and it would all be over, discover that not only is the virus here but it won't go away any time soon.

"The soul-searching should first of all put the family at the center. G-d has steered us into the home, to be with the children, to spend less time on nonsense and to engage in important things, to understand the importance of family life.

"Today we clearly discern how 'it is not good that man be alone.' If we're being led to the home and family, we need to invest more there, in the wife, the children, life together and its enrichment," said Rabbi Batzri.

He adds that "we need to work on ourselves on the issue of arrogance. To think about how everyone felt that their success, their livelihood is being undermined. That he's no longer the man of the big world, because we have all returned to our little world where we have to live.

"Perhaps the insight to be gained is that the Creator wanted us to not be running around in the big world, but to gather back into our world and understand that our purpose is to connect with it. This time period was a spiritual ascent for many people. It's a difficult time, a great many people lost their livelihoods, but each of us needs to find and connect to who he really is - and when he is disconnected from the big world, it happens. We start from scratch, pray, and approach the Creator of the Universe," concludes Rabbi Batzri.