Community Magazine February 2021

18 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE RABBI DAVID ASHEAR The Only Healer Hashem created man with a complex and ingenious body. We have miracles taking place inside us every second of the day. One job our eyes do, in conjunction with the brain, is to visually discern features and objects in the world. Hashem gave us eyes in order to enjoy the beautiful world He created. There is no way we can ever thank Him enough for that gift alone. A woman who had vision problems for many years and then was healed told her children, “I get so much pleasure from just looking at the little soap bubbles in the air while I wash the dishes. What a blessing to be able to see that!” In Eretz Yisrael , a boy who had been born with a debilitating disease that took his sight, miraculously was healed shortly before his bar mitzvah. His name is Netanel Davush, and he has a beautiful voice. Now he composes songs of praise and sings them to Hashem for His abundant kindness. When our bodies are functioning properly, we have to be thankful to Hashem. We also must know, however, that if something, Heaven forbid, malfunctions, it is also being done with awesome Divine Providence. Hashem decides what goes wrong, when it should go wrong, and for how long the problem will last. From the smallest ache to a life- threatening disease, nothing ever happens randomly. It is all controlled by Hashem. If someone wakes up in the morning with a stiff neck, it is because Hashem decided that he needs a stiff neck now. Whether it is a backache, a knee problem, tooth pain – whatever it is – it was calculated, measured, and given by Hashem with love. Chazal tell us that before any sickness is given, Hashem decides everything about it: when it will come, when it will leave, and throughwhichmedicine itwill be cured. Thismeans that the doctor visit is Heaven decreed. The medication we end up taking is Heaven decreed. At times they are effective, Adapted from “Living Emunah,” by Rabbi David Ashear, with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll / Mesorah Publications, Ltd. and at times they are not. It all depends on Hashem, as the pasuk says (Shemot 15:26 ), “I am Hashem , your Healer.” Further, it says (Tehillim 107:20), “[When] Hashem dispatches His word, then we are cured .” We have to do our hishtadlut and go to the doctor only because Hashem seeks to remain concealed in this world. In truth, the doctor actually has no say as to whether the patient will be healed. When Hashem makes a decree that a person should have a certain ailment, the doctor is not able to change that decree. Medication is not able to change that decree. Our prayers and good deeds, however, can change the decree. The Tziz Eliezer writes that although Hashem decides how long a sickness will last, our prayers can bring the healing earlier than He initially decreed. Whenever a person has any type of illness, it is comforting to know that it came because that is what Hashemwanted. It was calculated and given for a great reason, and we have access to the only One Who can take it away. He loves to hear from us, and wants us to ask Him to remove it. Let us strengthen our emunah and see through the natural way of the world to realize Who is really in charge, and to understand that sickness and health are totally in the Hands of Hashem. As it says in Devarim (32:39 ), “ I struck down and I will heal .” May Hashem send all sick people a complete and quick recovery! Amen. “Medication is not able to change that decree. Our prayers and good deeds, however, can change the decree.”