“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This African proverb is one of my favorites because it speaks to all of us — families, communities, and countries. It tells us that it takes slowing down to stay together. To wait for the stragglers behind. When the Israelites left Egypt, the stragglers behind were attacked by the Amalekites. Moses and the Israelite camp fought fiercely to defend them and keep them within the camp. They were part of the community.

Slowing down during Covid months provided us an opportunity to reconnect with those with whom we dwell. But when we look at our country today, we face the same choice as in the African proverb. The race to develop the Covid-19 vaccine and to administer it as widely as possible left many people straggling behind, people who are not vaccinated for various reasons. Do we go fast and leave the stragglers, or do we take more time for an explanation, a conversation?

Why are so many vaccine resistant? Some people have real fears and phobias, others religious or political reasons. In the past, vaccines did not seem to raise this much resistance. But this is a new situation within a bigger, unprecedented global episode. We have to recognize it as such, and give room for people to ask questions and decide for themselves. Science is not perfect, and the vaccine is not divine.

Of course, we must exercise social responsibility. Success will be measured by the number of people protected and healthy. Healthy in body and spirit. Healthy mentally and healthy members of society. Mental and spiritual health is primary in Jewish practice. A good example is the issue of abortion. If the fetus threatens the life of the mother, physically or mentally, it is aborted. Similarly, when we recite the Mi-Sheberach prayer for healing, we pray for the spirit and the body. However, in the current debate regarding vaccination, the mental and spiritual aspects seem to be secondary. Naturally, the public square cannot remain silent, but I’m worried about the current conversation, and the seeming imbalance between corporal and spiritual.

How do we then treat people who disagree with us? As Psalm 81 says, God tests us in our conflicts. We can apply pressure on others to comply, as has been done throughout history. If we were to freeze in place at this moment in history, would we find ourselves duplicating scenes in paintings of past wars, like “The Battle of San Romano” by the Florentine painter Paolo Uccello, with bloody bodies and daggered horses all around? Would we look around when it’s all over and see the tearing of families and friendships?

In some cases around the world, dealing with the virus has resulted in taking away fundamental human rights. Although forced vaccination stopped with the Nuremberg Codes, societies can still mandate vaccination in many ways. In Australia, for instance, people are being sent to camps for noncompliance. Recently in Israel, one of the ministers proposed that nonvaccinated people be required to wear a special bracelet. This should ring a bell — the bell of liberty.

A healthy conversation is a Jewish mandate. The two Cherubs on top of the Ark of the Covenant are positioned to face each other, and God speaks from between them. Likewise, the word Messiah in Hebrew — Mashiach — can be read as Masiach, which means “from a conversation.” Healing the conversation is as important as curing the virus.

So, if we want to go far, we need to go together. We may need to slow down, so that when we get to the other side, we are still together with our family, friends, and neighbors who may seem to us as straggling behind. In our effort to create herd immunity, let’s beware of herd mentality. In the process of boostering ourselves against the virus, let’s make sure to always keep boosting our conversations.

Happy and peaceful New Year.

—Rabbi Gadi Capela