20 Jun REVITALIZING OUR DAVENING – PART THIRTEEN

In the eighth bracha of
the Shemone Esrei we
say, “Refa’einu Hashem
v’neirafei – Cure us
Hashem and we will be
cured.” This phrasing
contrasts Hashem’s
medicine and human
medicine. Often times, the
human healer will succeed
at taking away symptoms but not remove
the root cause of the sickness. On the other
hand, when Hashem heals, He takes away the
malady completely. The Zohar Chadosh adds
that when Hashem cures, it is a refuah nitzchi,
a lasting cure, unlike the doctor who might
succeed in a blessed remission but sadly the
disease might resurge again, sometimes even
in a more malignant way.
We then say, “Hoshi’einu v’nivashei’ah –
Save us and we will be saved.” Rabbi Mayer
Birnbaum, in his excellent sefer Pathways to
Prayer, explains this addition as a request to
save us from dangers that can cause sickness.
Examples include ticks, which can cause
lime disease, mosquitos which can carry Zika
or West Nile virus or even malaria. We ask
Hashem to protect us from catching Covid,
measles, strep, and other infectious diseases,
from feces contaminants that can cause

Hepatitis, and to shield us from the toxic
effects of second-hand smoke and vaping.
We add “Ki sihilaseinu Attah – For You
are our praise.” Rab Yechezkel Abramsky,
zt”l, zy”a, explains that we are clarifying
that we understand our deliverance from
sickness ultimately comes from Hashem. The
doctor is only His agent. Dovid HaMelech
recommends, “Al tivtichu bindivim, b’ven
adom she’ein lo seshuah – Don’t put your
trust in generous people; people who are not
the source of our salvation.” While the doctor
definitely deserves our gratitude for his skill
and dedication, our eyes should be mainly
focused on Hashem, the true Determinator of
our fate.
So too, we don’t put our trust in the Excedrin
or the penicillin, in the oxycodone or the
morphine or any other prescriptions, but in
Hashem Above. (It is for this reason that
before taking a pill we say, “Yehi ratzon
milfonecha, Hashem Elokai v’Elokei avosi,
she’yehei eisek zeh lir’fu’ah – May it be Your
will Hashem, my G-d and G-d of my fathers,
that this attempt should be a successful cure.)
As the Gemora in Bava Kamma [92b] tells us
wryly, “Chamrah l’moreih, tivusa l’shakyei –
The wine belongs to the host, but people show
appreciation to the butler who pours it.” As

Rashi there warns us, don’t make the mistake
of misplaced appreciation.
“Ki Keil Melech rofei ne’eman v’rachaman
Attah – For You, Almighty, are King, a trusted
and merciful Healer.” We refer to Hashem as
King to intimate that He can give a presidential
pardon even if the sick person is underserving.
The Siddur Meforesh says that the reason
we mention that ‘He is trustworthy’ alludes
back to what we said before, we trust that
with Hashem’s healing, the illness will never
return. We say that He is merciful so that we
can ask for His help, although we haven’t fully
repented from the sins that brought about the
sickness in the first place.
We conclude the blessing, “Rofei cholei
amo Yisroel – He heals the sick of the nation
Yisroel.” It is interesting that in the bracha
Asher Yotzar, we say “Rofei kol basar –He
heals all flesh,” while over here we restrict
it to the people of Israel. The discussion
of this subject is beyond the scope of this
article. Nevertheless, there are ample sources
in halacha that one may pray for a non-Jew,
especially if it generates a Kiddush Hashem or
if the non-Jew had done one a favor. Why it is
not included in the conclusion of this blessing
is a complexity which needs to be discussed at
a different time.

In the merit of our praying for the health and
wellbeing of all of our brethren, may Hashem
bless us with long life, good health, and
everything wonderful.