Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch (1704-1772) said. “When a person is suffering, he should never say, “I have it bad”, because from the Creator no evil comes. He can express himself and say, “things are bitter”, because sometimes, the cure can (actually) be bitter.”
When a person brands an event as bad and evil, they place a certain reality, truth and stigma on the event that it should actually become one that is without virtue, one that is forced within the parameters of the one looking at the experience, as being one that is no good and perhaps even bad.
A woman once came to Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor of Kovno (1817 -1896) and she cried bitter tears, the Doctor gave her husband only three days to live!
Let me divert a moment from the story.
We say in our morning prayers and praises, “ ….G-d creates cures (healing), He is awesome in praise, master of wonders……”. First, we mention the cures G-d creates and has allowed Doctors to discover. When a person is not well, Torah instructs us to go to a Doctor to be cured, and follow up on his advice.
If the sickness did not go away after all the professional consultations --- “He is awesome in praise”, we should intensify our prayers to G-d and mention His praise, specifically those that are in the book of Psalms. Reciting the prayer book of Psalms is a very powerful way to connect with, and draw blessings of healing and cure from Heaven.
If matters still have not improved and a person feels up against the wall --- “Master of wonders”. We never give up hope. This morning prayer reminds us, to strengthen our faith, wait and expect for a wonder and/or a miracle to take place, “for I am the (ultimate) healer.”
Back to our story.
The Rabbi was totally bewildered and said to the frantic wife. “Is that so, he said three more days?! I am not sure I will live out the rest of the day, (because) “nobody know his time” (when it will end) and he told you, your husband has three MORE days to live?? ”
Now that’s some lesson.
The Doctor cannot guarantee three days, no one has any kind of guarantee on even the next breath, and equally he/she has no right to limit the person’s life in any way whatsoever. Our attitudes, towards events that take place in our lives have a very significant and real impact on those events taking place. If we see them as limiting and evil, we help make that a reality. If we see them as a bitter cure but on its way to improvement with G-ds help it becomes so.
The healthy way to live for ALL people, is in gratitude and appreciation for the gift of every breath of air. As King David expresses in his book of Psalms “ for every breath I praise and thank G-d.” No one knows his time and therefore the healthy attitude for every single person is never to take for granted the next moment, to value every second of time.
Once, Rebbetzin Rivkah (1833 – 1914) wife of Rebbe Shmuel contracted some pulmonary disease and the professor overlooking her case gave up on finding her a cure. Her father law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel told her. “The Torah (G-ds word) is the one that grants a Doctor, “permission to cure” and to be
G-ds messenger in the field of healing. From these words it is clear, the permission granted the Doctor in the field of medicine ends with being able to cure. A Doctor does not represent his profession and mandate when he expresses despair on the patient. “
No comments:
Post a Comment