10 Commandments During These Trying Times

Ten Commandments and Five Tips

The Ten Commandments for Believers During these Trying Times 
by Rav Haggai Londin, translated by Hillel Fendel

10 Commandments

1. "I am the Lord thy G-d" – G-d exists! This means that the good always wins out in the end, no matter what challenge it faces.
2. "Do not have other gods before Me" – Do not switch and replace your values and beliefs at moments of crisis.
3. "Do not bear the Name of G-d in vain" – Do not decide, in G-d's Name, what the reason is for the breaking out of this plague. The lessons that humanity will learn and take from this crisis will yet be learned and clarified over the course of years. At present, we are doing our best, with the wisdom and logic that we have been granted, to deal with the situation – and this most concretely includes prayer, repentance, and good deeds.
4. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" – Make sure to find, within this cycle of time, a daily or periodic moment in which you "return to the beginning," and in which you remember that this world, and you within it, has a function and mission – one that has truly not yet come to an end.
5. "Honor your father and mother" – Remember that we are waging this battle chiefly to protect the elder generation, which brought us into this world in the first place. [Alternatively, children of any age at home in quarantine with their parents should make sure to make things easier for them, especially during these difficult times. – ed.]
6. "Do not murder" – Don't "kill" your hopes; on the contrary, this is the time to bring forth new life within you.
7. "Do not commit adultery" – Do not shatter your circles of mutual loyalty and trust: Family, friends, and humanity in general. Do not betray them. Stay at home, follow the rules, be stable and faithful to your function.
8. "Do not steal" – It is at these times that public order is required. Do your share to ensure that society not deteriorate into chaos and anarchy.
9. "Do not bear false witness against your fellow" – Do not disperse among your friends and community deceptive or mystical ideas. Spread only optimism and to-the-point truth, for this is what is needed today.
10. "Do not covet" – Do not covet a life that is different than that in which we now find ourselves. The current situation is precisely what G-d wants for us, and this is where He wants us to be. This means that we will grow and flourish precisely via this route by which He is taking us.

Remember: The bad will pass from the world, and the good will remain –with G-d's help.

"Five Tips: How to Get Through Quarantine"
by Natan Sharansky (who spent 9 years in Soviet prison, including 4.5 years in solitary confinement), translated by Hillel Fendel

Natan Sharansky

1. Remember your mission: You are a soldier in the war against Corona.
2. Don't rely on false illusions that it will end on this or that date. It's not up to you when it will end; it's up to you to remain a free person. Make plans to complete projects that you can do, such as reading a particular book that you always wanted to read.
3. Don't ever lose your sense of humor.
4. Get involved a hobby that you like: Dance, sing, knit, or other. This is your chance to enjoy life.
5. Always remember that we are One Nation. Feel your connection with every Jew around you, in Zion or elsewhere. Together, we will get through this!

Am Yisrael Chai!