06 Jun THE SUPER-SPECIALIST

Parshas Beha’aloscha, 1991. The Shabbos
of my son’s Bar Mitzvah. Family and
friends joined together for a memorable
simcha. We had the honor and merit of
having my father, HaRav Meshulem ben
HaRav Asher Anshel HaLevi zt”l, grace
this special occasion.
Abba was a big believer in visual aids. He
was very artistic, and would often make
posters to illustrate his Torah teachings.
This was years before the advent of
computer graphics that are currently
common. He began his dvar Torah by
telling us all that he wouldn’t be speaking
very long. Abba then held up an oak tag
with the words found at the very end of
this week’s parsha. It was Moshe’s prayer
on behalf of his sister Miriam who was
afflicted with tzara’as. “Keil nah refah nah
lah – Please, HaShem, heal her now.”
(Bamidbar 12:13)
Five words. Eleven letters in all. A short
prayer, but ever so powerful.

With his poster, my father left us with an
everlasting message. A sincere prayer – or
for that matter, a speech delivered at a Bar
Mitzvah—need not be wordy to be
meaningful.
My father taught us another important
lesson. Each word should be carefully
thought out. Each word should be essential.
Listen to Moshe’s words: Please – HaShem
– Heal – Her – Now. Short. Concise. To the
point. And powerful.
The Talmud teaches that “Shaarei Demaos
lo ninalu, the Gates of Tears are never
closed”. (Bava Metzia 59a) When one
cries out to HaShem, his prayers pierce the
Heavenly gates. It’s not the length of one’s
prayer but the kavannah – the feelings and
emotions. The sincerity and genuineness
of the prayer.
To pray from the heart. To really mean it.
When we concentrate and listen to the
words, they become part of our very being.
My mother, the Rebbetzin a”h would say
that what sweat is to a good workout, tears
are to a heartfelt prayer.

Over the course of the past several
months of weekly Torah portions,
we have learned about Moshe, the
leader of the Jewish nation. How he
felt the pain of the people and
actually joined them on the working
fields of Egypt. Moshe, who stood
before Pharaoh, pleading for his
people’s freedom. Moshe crossing
the sea and leading the nation
through the desert. Moshe bringing
the Torah to Am Yisroel at Mount Sinai,
and being there for them to study, teach
and judge. And it was Moshe who
beseeched HaShem to forgive the nation
after the episode of the Golden Calf.
We now meet Moshe, the brother. Moshe
who prayed from his heart, begging
HaShem to send a speedy recovery to his
sister Miriam. Moshe, who as the leader of
the nation bore an enormous responsibility,
and who could have easily begged off,
delegating the saying of prayers to
someone else. But the Torah tells us
otherwise. He loved and cared for his
sister. He prayed for her with all of his
heart and soul.
“HaShem, please heal her.” Moshe’s
prayer teaches us that HaShem is the
best doctor, the ultimate healer. Every
day in our morning prayers, we thank
HaShem for being the “Rofeh kol bassar,
the Healer of all mankind.”
HaShem has the power to not only heal
us physically, but emotionally and
spiritually as well. As Dovid HaMelech
tells us in Tehillim, “Harofeh l’shvurei
lev, u’mechabeish l’atzvosam, He is the
Healer of the brokenhearted, and the
One Who binds up their sorrows.”
(Tehillim 147:3)
A story is told of Reb Mordechai of
Neshchiz, a descendant of the famed
Maharal of Prague. “Yankel” approached
the Rebbe, sharing with him a long list
of his ailments. He told the Rebbe that
he went from doctor to doctor, but it was
of no avail.
The Rebbe suggested that Yankel travel
to Anipoli, (the Yiddish name
of Hannopil, Ukraine) and see the top
specialist there.
Filled with hope, Yankel hired a wagon
driver and set out to Anipoli. As soon as
he arrived to the small shtetl, Yankel
began asking as to where could he find
the great specialist. The townspeople
were all bewildered, for Anipoli didn’t

even have a doctor – let alone, the specialist
that Yankel was looking for.
A disappointed Yankel turned around,
making the journey back home. He made
his way to Reb Mordechai and shared his
experience. The Rebbe asked Yankel if he
inquired from the townspeople as to what
they did when they became sick.
“Of course, I asked”, Yankel replied. “The
people told me that they turned to HaShem
in prayer.”
“Ahh” said the Rebbe, “the people of
Anipoli go to the greatest specialist of all”.
A story with a meaningful message. While
we should, and must turn to doctors and
medical professionals when necessary, at
the same time we mustn’t forget who the
“doctor’s doctor” is – the super-specialist,
HaShem above.
Rav Nachman of Breslov has many
teachings on tefillah.
He suggested that we make time every day
to speak to HaShem, as a child who speaks
to a loving parent, able to ask for anything.
To reach out to HaShem with our own
words, composing our personal tefillos.
We can talk to HaShem at special times, as
at candle lighting or at life-cycle occasions,
such as a chuppah. To speak to HaShem
before undergoing medical procedures,
and for guidance and wisdom in making
important life decisions. For success in
business, for safe travels, and of course,
for the good health of family and friends.
We must also remember that prayer is not
just for asking, but is also to express
gratitude and words of thanks. To take time
out and say thank you HaShem.
We should all take a lesson from Moshe.
It’s not about how long the prayer is, it’s all
about how sincere and heartfelt it is. To
pray with intense devotion. To daven and
connect to HaShem, the specialist who is
always available, whose appointment book
is always open. To whom no request is too
large or too small. We just must turn to
Him with all our heart.