The fact that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky contracted coronavirus had many ultra-Orthodox Haredim worried for a few hours, but it did not cause any major jolt.
There was not one Haredi home in Israel who did not hear with great concern the illness of Rav Chaim, as he's called in the Orthodox world. Women read psalms for his wellbeing, and in synagogues, special prayers were intoned for his health. The Haredi world exhaled in relief when on Saturday and Sunday, the updates on his health continued to be optimistic.
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Whoever thought that the fact Rav Chaim contracted the virus would jolt the Haredi sector, that it would instill fear and horror of the pandemic and make them adhere more strictly to the guidelines - is mistaken. The attitude of the Haredi sector is very much like that of the general public, but with a dose of great difficulty in adhering to guidelines.
It's difficult to say the Haredi sector is apathetic to the virus, but it's even more difficult to say that it is scared of it, and there are a few reasons for that. This is hard to write, but it's the truth: the fact that there are not masses of dead and critically ill in the Haredi sector blunts the fear of the virus. The spiritual price that the virus makes the Haredi sector pay, like yeshiva boys who aren't in yeshiva or veering off the path, and families being torn apart, is much more difficult.
Furthermore, politics has killed the fear. During the first lockdown, the Haredim made a supreme effort to stick to the guidelines, not a simple feat. This is a sector that lives in small, crowded homes, with many children locked inside for days on end with no television, computer, or smartphone, with family festivities canceled, and more.
Today, any Haredi asked about not adhering to the guidelines will immediately use the "and the protests at Balfour are OK?!" and "if they can protest we can pray" arguments. When the protests were allowed to go on - that's when the dam broke.
The Haredi sector has lost faith and feels persecuted. It sees that the pictures of tisch celebrations are the opening item on the news, but Arab weddings in Shfaram only get a weak reprimand. Dramatic break-ins of police to rebellious synagogues, versus live broadcasts and applause for the protests. The fact that the lockdown was pushed back from the Israeli August to the religious holidays also made them lose faith in whoever is managing the crisis.
In essence, the fact that Rabbi Kanievsky, despite him being in a high-risk group, is in good condition, could blunt even further the fear of the pandemic.
However, the biggest danger is still ahead - Simchat Torah. The boys who were stuck in yeshivas will go home, the short minyans of the adults will turn into long minyans with Second Hakafot (dancing with the Torah), prayers, food and kiddush. Even if all this takes place outside of the synagogues, it will be difficult to keep to the guidelines and social distancing.
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