"God will support him on the bed of illness..." (Psalms 41:4)
In what way does God come to the aid of the sick?
There is a clear, direct connection between the powers of the soul and the body. Traits such as serenity, love, a sense of ultimate justice and fairness - all serve to fortify the body through the beneficial influence of the soul. Jealousy and greed, a lack of faith and trust, feelings of anger and resentment, on the other hand, have a detrimental impact on physical health.
At a time of illness, when the bodily forces are greatly weakened, we begin to feel that we are standing at death's doorstep. At precisely this point, our spiritual nature gains strength and renewed energy. Positive forces are awakened from within. A critical, jealous heart is transformed into a compassionate, benevolent one. Holy images become close to our heart, even though we were estranged from such sentiments when healthy, due to over-occupation with worldly pursuits. Reliance on God grows, hope and faith flower. With this renewal of spiritual strength, the sick person will find unexpected assistance in his weakened physical state.
The Talmud described this increase in spiritual powers with the phrase: "The Shechina (Holy Presence) is above the head of the sick." Our minds and thoughts are darkened according to the measure that we are ruled by physical passions and worldly distractions. But when the body is weak and ailing, material pursuits lose their all-absorbing allure. The pure mind is awakened, and our understanding becomes clear and refined. The ill person finds within his soul a love of God and a desire to follow His ways - and at a level unattainable by a healthy individual. The head, the place of thought and reason, thus becomes a receptacle for God's Holy Presence: "The Shechina is above the head of the sick."
In order to impress upon us the special holiness of those who are ill, the Sages instructed that those visiting a sick person should not sit on his bed. Rather, they should sit reverently before him, like a student sitting humbly in front of his master. (Shabbat 12)
This strengthening of spirit is the assistance God provides to the sick: "God will support him on the bed of illness." In fact, that is the very purpose of illness. Ill health allows us to rise above our lowly desires and free ourselves from worldly distractions. When the physical realm is fragile and inadequate, when we are confronted with our own physical mortality, we are forced to re-evaluate our lives and our priorities. As the Sages taught: "One does not recover from an illness unless he has been forgiven for all of his sins." (Nedarim 41a)
[Based on Ayn Aya III:32; cf. Orot HaKodesh II:435]
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Chanan Morrison, of Mitzpeh Yericho, runs a website (RavKook.n3.net) dedicated to presenting the Torah commentary of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook, first Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael, to the English-speaking community.
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Spend Passover with Arutz Sheva at a resort in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Kfar Pines (near Hadera). Click here for info.
In what way does God come to the aid of the sick?
There is a clear, direct connection between the powers of the soul and the body. Traits such as serenity, love, a sense of ultimate justice and fairness - all serve to fortify the body through the beneficial influence of the soul. Jealousy and greed, a lack of faith and trust, feelings of anger and resentment, on the other hand, have a detrimental impact on physical health.
At a time of illness, when the bodily forces are greatly weakened, we begin to feel that we are standing at death's doorstep. At precisely this point, our spiritual nature gains strength and renewed energy. Positive forces are awakened from within. A critical, jealous heart is transformed into a compassionate, benevolent one. Holy images become close to our heart, even though we were estranged from such sentiments when healthy, due to over-occupation with worldly pursuits. Reliance on God grows, hope and faith flower. With this renewal of spiritual strength, the sick person will find unexpected assistance in his weakened physical state.
The Talmud described this increase in spiritual powers with the phrase: "The Shechina (Holy Presence) is above the head of the sick." Our minds and thoughts are darkened according to the measure that we are ruled by physical passions and worldly distractions. But when the body is weak and ailing, material pursuits lose their all-absorbing allure. The pure mind is awakened, and our understanding becomes clear and refined. The ill person finds within his soul a love of God and a desire to follow His ways - and at a level unattainable by a healthy individual. The head, the place of thought and reason, thus becomes a receptacle for God's Holy Presence: "The Shechina is above the head of the sick."
In order to impress upon us the special holiness of those who are ill, the Sages instructed that those visiting a sick person should not sit on his bed. Rather, they should sit reverently before him, like a student sitting humbly in front of his master. (Shabbat 12)
This strengthening of spirit is the assistance God provides to the sick: "God will support him on the bed of illness." In fact, that is the very purpose of illness. Ill health allows us to rise above our lowly desires and free ourselves from worldly distractions. When the physical realm is fragile and inadequate, when we are confronted with our own physical mortality, we are forced to re-evaluate our lives and our priorities. As the Sages taught: "One does not recover from an illness unless he has been forgiven for all of his sins." (Nedarim 41a)
[Based on Ayn Aya III:32; cf. Orot HaKodesh II:435]
--------------------------------------------------------
Chanan Morrison, of Mitzpeh Yericho, runs a website (RavKook.n3.net) dedicated to presenting the Torah commentary of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook, first Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael, to the English-speaking community.
************
Spend Passover with Arutz Sheva at a resort in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Kfar Pines (near Hadera). Click here for info.