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“The bottom line is that God is in control. All the yelling and worrying won’t change that.”

No, but washing your hands more frequently might. God gave us brains for a reason - to be used.

You want to invoke God in this thing. OK, I’m game.

You ever hear the phrase “God helps those who help themselves”? Well, it is Biblically based. The Sea of Reeds (NOT the Red Sea) didn’t split just because Moses lifted his staff (like in the Charleton Heston movie), but because one Nachshon ben Aminadav went into the sea up to his neck in a display of not just faith, but of doing everything that he, as a mere human, could do. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2199147/jewish/Nachshon-ben-Aminadav-The-Man-Who-Jumped-Into-the-Sea.htm Sitting around on a couch and praying for a miracle isn’t going to get you one - God only grants those to people/societies that deserve them, and not a small part of that is that said person or society has done all that they could to help themselves.

That said, I’m not going around with my hair on fire, claiming that The End is Nigh. Sooner or later we’re GOING to have a massive and highly lethal pandemic - but it isn’t necessarily going to be THIS time and THIS virus. But we’d be rather stupid if we were complacent and didn’t take common sense precautions like washing hands frequently, quarantining people coming from areas known to have the corona virus, and researching this disease like crazy to find either a vaccine or a cure. Being complacent and, worse, making fun of those trying to introduce some “common sense disease control” (which, unlike gun control, I’m in favor of) into our world isn’t very smart.

We go through these E.L.E. events every year in the press. Excuse me while I yawn. I expect the Media to yell fire in any theater, That is their nature. As for me, I am a prepper, and I have done everything in my power to be prepared. I just don't prepare for the media's relentless scare tactics to make money. As I said, G-d is in control. All you can do is to prepare for everything that you can, and since you quote Chabad, that is a good place to start to understand what Hashem wants you to do. I attend Chabad as well, and study Torah. Your insight into the "Sea of Reeds" is admirable. Since the current Parshat are focusing on the Exodus, even timely. As you probably know as well, the plague of blood was a red tide, that is happening even today (like in Florida as well as Egypt). The plague of frogs was probably the plague of toads (צְפַרְדֵעַ), or in hebrew, which were toxic. The plagues that Cecil B. DeMille sensationalized could be explained in modern terms, so people don't see the plagues that they expect to see. We have always had plagues. We should take the example that Exodus gave us. Va'aira and Bo are excellent Parshat that give us a good example of the message - get out of Egypt. In most regards, we are still in Egypt, if you believe that Egypt is a symbol of the pagan world and our desires to hold on to it. So, yes, your statement "Sitting around on a couch and praying for a miracle isn’t going to get you one - God only grants those to people/societies that deserve them, and not a small part of that is that said person or society has done all that they could to help themselves" is good advice. You should know the signs of the times. You should prepare for them. But you shouldn't be too concerned with the false prophets that are spreading doom and gloom for their own purposes. Know that Hashem is in control. That is the miracle of Passover.

I don’t disagree with you that we need to take precautions. The scriptures are consistent with that, especially the references to the plague of leprosy, etc...

But the account you have referenced doesn’t match what the God of heaven wrote about the parting of the Red sea.

Who are you going to believe...the one who parted the Red sea Himself, or the ones He created, but who wrote about it long after?

It took quite a while for the waters to dry up, and it didn’t happen because someone jumped in: read the truth and learn -

Exodus 14
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 ¶ And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.