~ One Hundred Words on the Parsha - Acharei Mos / Kedoshim

As heard from R’ Reuvein Feinstein on Tuesday April 28,2020:

ואהבת לרעך כמוך. הלל said: “What you don’t like, don’t do to your friend.”

The reason הלל phrased his injunction this way is because when something is uncomfortable for you, you can readily understand that it shouldn’t be done to your friend. The concept of מדה כנגד מדה is similar. What you chose to do is being given back to you. This differs from standard punishment where the punishment is randomly chosen by the judge or judiciary.

The lesson for us now in the time of coronavirus is that shuls being closed must be מדה כנגד מדה, as are all punishments from ה' . Hashem closed down our place of prayer because we weren’t paying enough attention to our תפילה and according it the proper respect. We need to improve our davening!