The deal the taxi driver in Jerusalem and I made before the Sabbath

‎I got in the taxi  in Jerusalem last Thursday and the driver didn’t have a mask.

With COVID-19 cases skyrocketing in Israel, masks are important to help stop the spread of the virus, and in fact, there are now laws around wearing one in public.

“Hi, could you put on a mask please?” I asked the driver, while making sure my mask fit snugly over my nose and mouth.

“God is with me and I’m not afraid,” he said, touching the decal or the Rebbe on his dashboard.

“Yeah well “Kol Yisrael arevim ze le ze — all of Israel is responsible for one another,” I said “and I’M afraid.”

“Ok, Kapara,” he said as he reached into his glove box and pulled out a mask, put it on his face – correctly, over the nose and mouth – and then handed me a small plastic bag with two votive candles and the blessings for lighting the Sabbath candles.

“I’ll wear this mask. You take these candles and light them before sundown Friday night. And together we will bring Moshiach soon in our days.”

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Shabbat Shalom – let’s look out for one other.

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