13 Jun REVITALIZING OUR PRAYERS – PART TWELVE

We now focus on the
eighth bracha of the
Shemone Esrei which
starts out with the
request Refa’einu, “Heal
us Hashem and we will
be healed.” The Gemora
teaches us in Mashechtas
Shabbos [32a], “Amar Rav Yitzchak b’rei
d’Rav Yehudah, ‘L’olam y’vakeish adam
rachamim shelo yecheleh – A person should
always pray not to become sick.’ ” The Gemora
goes on to explain why is it wise to pray in
anticipation: If one is already sick, he then has
to produce sufficient merit to get healthy again.
Thus, this would seem to be the blessing to ask
Hashem for continued good health. However,
the Chofetz Chaim, zt”l, zy”a, in the Mishnah
Berurah [119:1], quotes the Pri Megadim, that
in the blessing of Refa’einu, we should only
pray to get cured. It is only in Shema Koleinu
or even better before the Yehui l’ratzon before
the end of the Shemone Esrei, that we should
pray for the future, not to become sick.
However, Rabbeinu Bachya, zt”l, zy”a,
writes that Refa’einu can mean-prevent us
from becoming sick. He cites as proof to this
meaning the verse in Shmos, “Kol hamachalah
asher samti b’Mitzrayim lo asim alecha, ki Ani
Hashem Rofecha – All the sicknesses which
I placed on Egypt, I won’t place upon you,
for I am Hashem your Doctor.” Continues
Rabbeinu Bachya, if we’re not sick, why do
we need a doctor? It must be, he concludes,
that we’re referring to a Doctor of prevention.
Thus, according to Rabbeinu Bachya, the
request of Refa’einu is consistent with the
Gemora in Shabbos, “Please Hashem, prevent
us from becoming sick.”
We can add to this, what the Dirshu Mishnah
Berurah Writes in the beginning of Orach
Chaim [119], citing the Responsa of the Shevet
HaLevi [Chelek 8], that, if one prays for the
future in order to stimulate more concentration
in his prayers, he may do so. Shevet HaLevi
cites the Sefer Chassidim who says that praying
for our needs is a great way to generate more
sincere devotion.
It would seem to me, therefore, that most of
us who always need extra assistance in keeping
our minds upon our prayer, can rely on this
to use this blessing to pray in anticipation
never to get cancer, blood diseases, dementia,
Parkinson’s, and even the more relatively
common maladies such as back, hip and knee
pains. We should be praying to be spared
from clogging of the arteries, atrial fibrillation,
glaucoma, macular degeneration, hardness
of hearing and insomnia. If we have elderly
parents or grandparents, this is a great place to
pray for them.
In general, the smarter way to pray, is in
anticipation,-before we have a problem. As
the three close friends of Iyov asked him,
“Hayaroch she’acha shelo batzor? – Did you
arrange your prayers before you had trouble?”
The Yesod V’Shoresh HaAvodah reminds us
to have in mind all of Klal Yisroel when we

ask to be healed. For, as we know, all Jews
are considered a nefesh achas, like one soul.
In chemotherapy labs all around the world,
Jews are receiving difficult treatments and
are hoping beyond hope that the next blood
test will show that the cancer markers are
going down, that the next scan will show that
the tumor is shrinking. Let’s have them in
mind. All around the globe there are people
who are hoping for a kidney transplant, who
are desperately in need of a bone marrow
transplant. Let’s have them in mind.
Remember the Talmudic advice, “Kol
hamispallel b’ad chaveiro v’hu tzorich l’oso
davar, hu ne’eneh techilah – Whoever prays
for his friend and he needs the same thing,
he will be answered first.” So, let’s energize
ourselves to pray for the health and wellbeing
of all our fellow Jews and we will be afforded
this luxury for ourselves.
The Yaros Devash says that we should
pray even for our enemies. He cites Dovid
HaMelech who says, “V’ani bechalosam
levushi sak – And I when they become sick
(my enemies) I wear sackcloth (in prayer for
them).” The Yaros Devash continues that
we should pray even for the recovery of the
wicked. Firstly, that they shouldn’t die before
having a chance to repent. Secondly, because
if they are being actively punished by Hashem,
that means there is rischa, Divine anger in
the world which can spill over and hurt even
us. As Dovid HaMelech says, “Al b’apcha
tochicheini – Don’t, in Your anger (when there
is rischa in the world), rebuke me.”
Finally, the Yaros Devash recommends that
we also have in mind for the health and vitality
of those who study Torah. As the Gemora
recommends in Nedarim [49b], we should pray
for the wellbeing of the Torah scholars who are
weakened by their intense Torah study. We
have their interest in mind, for the Talmud says
that the Torah scholars are the builders of the
world.
In the merit of our regular prayers for global
good health, may Hashem bless us with long
life, good health, and everything wonderful.
To Be Continued.