We must be vigilant and obedient to the call of the `eyes of the flock`; our spiritual shepherds, to be careful and be vaccinated! Whoever takes lightly the directives of medicine, especially if he does so intentionally through idealism, can possibly be carrying the virus, spreading it throughout his environment, wreaking havoc and death.
Theoretically, if it were clear to all that he had in his possession a vial of bacteria or viruses and was circulating in our midst, threatening to release the stopper in a public place, like in even worse scenarios, wouldn't everyone closet himself in his home for protection? So how can it be that people continue to dance in mass events without internalizing the so obvious significance of their deeds, especially when sometimes they even delude themselves into thinking that they are performing a mitzvah?
Who sanctioned them to do this? Enough! Stop! Cease your evildoing! Be heedful [of your lives]! Do not be guilty of shedding your neighbors' blood. It is a terrible chillul Hashem!
The mishna compared the incident of the copper serpent to the war with Amolek: "And are the hands of Moshe waging the war? And does the snake kill or revive? Rather, at the time that Israel looks heavenward and subjugates their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they rallied." And that is how they were cured.
HaRav Eliyahu Milikovsky Samonov, one of the students of Volozhin and Rav of Greibe and Charkov, explains this idea very pointedly in his work, "Dvar Eliyahu."
Two dangers hovered over the Jews in the war with Amolek. The danger of extermination, for if Amolek were to have the upper hand and be victorious, he would kill and destroy. The greater danger, however, was that of chillul Hashem. After Hashem had liberated the Jews from Egypt through signs and miracles, split the sea and sent down the manna, and after the entire world had seen that Hashem was A-mighty and Israel was His people — if Israel were defeated in the war against Amolek, and Amolek would succeed in cooling off the boiling bath of bubbling emunah, as in "asher korcha baderech," it would diminish the impression of all the previous miraculous events. It would diminish the Kiddush Hashem and increase the opposite, profanation of His Name. For what would the nations say, those who had heard [of the miracles] and the residents of Ploshess who had been gripped with terror as were the princes of Edom terrified, and the strong ones of Moav had trembled?
What did Moshe do while he stood on the mountain top? He raised his hands heavenward, thus demonstrating to Israel, while in the midst of the battle, that they are not merely fighting for their physical salvation. They were fighting for a higher ideal, to offset chillul Hashem. They were meant to understand that if they were defeated in war, their banner, the flag of emunah in Hashem, would also fall.
If they were to understand that they would thus cause a great chillul Hashem, they would surely fight more vigorously and win the battle. It was not the hands of Moshe which carried on the war, but Israel, who looked heavenward and were prepared to sacrifice their lives so that Hashem's Name not be violated — and thus, they were victorious.
The same was true regarding the copper serpent. It was not the snake which healed or killed but sins. Teshuva revives. When there is sickness in our midst, it is not only dangerous; it is also a chillul Hashem.
HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, who was the epitome of a life totally dedicated to emunah, once had to have a cast put on him. He wept, saying that he was embarrassed to leave his home. "Everyone will point at me: there goes the sinner."
When a doctor was summoned to him when he didn't feel well, he said to him, "There is no need for your visit any longer. I have already done teshuva." And when an epidemic rages, this is a demand upon us!
