The Real Healer

A certain man who wasn’t feeling well asked his rabbi if he should go to see his doctor. The rabbi answered, “Why are you in such a hurry to see your doctor? Did he make you sick? Hashem made you sick! Instead ask Him to show you what you have done that resulted in your becoming sick. Once you figure it out, then with all your strength apply yourself to doing teshuva, make a soul redemption, and completely believe that Hashem will heal you without you taking any medicine. Really believe that, even when you make your due diligence by utilizing what medicine has to offer, the doctors and medicines are nothing more than Hashem’s messengers.

Well if that’s the case, you might ask, that healing comes exclusively from Hashem, and if Hashem desires that he should get well even without any medical intervention, then why even go to a doctor or a hospital?

The answer is that invariably medical intervention involves waiting, embarrassment, painful medical tests, and bitter pills to swallow, and all the more so in a hospital where a patient becomes more like an object and is subjected to even more pain, suffering, and humiliation. Why then, must a person be subjected to so much suffering? Because his suffering atones and cleanses him of his sins, and then Hashem heals him.

In Likutei Moharan (I:268), Rebbe Nachman brings yet another reason why people suffer and get sick — “Because a person doesn’t consider the meaning of life and why he’s alive! The soul always desires to do Hashem’s will, but when it sees that a person is not doing Hashem’s will, G-d forbid, it longs to return to its Source and it begins to draw itself away from the body’s physicality, weakening the body and causing it to become sick. The reason why medicine enables a person to get well is that the soul is able to see that this person can overcome his desires and habits. For example, previously he would be used to eating bread and whatever else he wanted, but now he’s willing to limit his diet and take bitter medicines to get himself well. For the soul knows that he’s able to suppress his desires for the right purpose, and therefore returns to the body in the hope that he will fulfill his ultimate purpose, to do the will of his beloved Creator.”

Therefore, all the bitterness that a person is willing to go through when he takes the Western biomedical route causes his soul to want to remain in his body and stay alive, in the hope that staying alive will be for a higher purpose. It is therefore prepared to relinquish its desires, just as it was prepared to endure the suffering of medical intervention. Furthermore, when the soul sees that this sick person is willing to do teshuva in order to get well, the soul strengthens its connection to the body to bring it health and keep it alive.

Let’s look a little closer at Rebbe Nachman’s words: “… previously, he would be used to eating bread and whatever else he would want, but now he’s willing to limit his diet and take bitter medicines in order to get himself well.” This means that even if he suppresses his desires and stops eating harmful foods and soft drinks and only eats healthy foods, this action also gives the soul the strength to remain in the body.

Therefore, only when one addresses the problem at its root, has done everything possible to nullify the harsh decree, and has requested of the ultimate Doctor to heal him, is he permitted to make efforts to heal his body by going to the doctor. For as we said earlier, treating the body is essentially treating his “exterior garments”. But, to go to the doctor without making an effort toward Hashem, this shows a lack of emuna and indicates he doesn’t believe that Hashem, Who made him sick, will heal him when He so decides.

Know, that however many years Hashem has decreed you will live, no doctor will be able to let you to live longer; all he can do is shorten your life. But the Holy One, Blessed Be He, Who brings eternal life, can add years to however many years you were predetermined to live. Doesn’t it make sense, therefore, to confront the One who gives life? As King Shlomo, of blessed memory, teaches us, “For I can increase your days and add years to your life!” When? When you attach yourself to Me and to my Torah and mitzvot, with prayer and giving thanks.