Hashem had arranged that Purim for us

A

bout the same time that Covid was still a strange, new virus emerging from China, it was Purim.

Most of us proceeded with our plans to celebrate this most welcome of Yamim Tovim — the one that doesn’t involve cleaning for weeks, or building structures outdoors, or planning eight days of Yom Tov meals. Yes, it’s intense, but it’s condensed. Twenty-four hours of nonstop action — Megillah, costumes, mishloach manos, the seudah… alcohol content left to personal discretion.

It had become the norm for my son, Saadya z”l, who had Down syndrome, to travel to Lakewood on Purim with family friends with whom he had a very close relationship. Their son-in-law was a rebbi there, and his talmidim came for the seudah, a rollicking event that Saadya, who enjoyed singing and dancing, was very much a part of.

But just before Purim, one of the students at Yeshiva University where Saadya was a student had been exposed to this new “coronavirus.” Though Saadya hadn’t been anywhere near this student, my friend’s daughter said she preferred that Saadya not join them, as many talmidim came and went all day on Purim. She felt responsible to make sure they weren’t exposed to the virus. I felt bad for Saadya, but there was nothing to be done. He’d stay home and spend Purim with us.