The question of what to do when one is ill has been, and always will be, with us. In biblical times physicians were often looked on as magicians. Thus, if one were ill it was God’s will alone which would bring one back to health. In post biblical Jewish thought, hospitals and doctors began to be looked at as partnering with God to heal the ill, still with the understanding that God was the primary partner. Judaism sees that illness encompasses both mental and physical disorders. A person who is ill can not fulfill the mitzvot . Thus, good health becomes necessary to living a fulfilling Jewish life and Misheberach prayers for healing became a part of our liturgy.

During the weekday Amidah the 8th blessing is a general prayer for health, followed by time for personal prayer for one who is ill. By the eighteenth century an extensive body of healing liturgy was compiled by European Jews. Although it is not customary to have petitionary prayers on Shabbat , asking God’s blessings on those who struggle against illness and the healers who help them, has come to be a part of Shabbat services. Today most Reform congregations include healing prayers in the Shabbat liturgy, and many offer special services of healing for those in need.

Commentary:

Judaism recognizes that the human body is a very complicated organism, and that its continued health requires that all the many parts of the body work together properly. Thus, one of the first blessings of the day that is traditionally said upon awakening is:

Blessed are You, our Eternal God, Creator of the Universe, who has made our bodies in wisdom, creating openings, arteries, glands, and organs marvelous in structure, intricate in design. Should but one of them, by being blocked or opened, fail to function, it would be difficult to stand before You. Wondrous Fashioner and Sustainer of life, Source of our health and our strength, we give you thanks and praise.

Prayers for healing, then, come when one of those body parts no longer works correctly. The traditional blessing in the weekday Amidah is:

R’-fa-ei-nu Adonai, v-’nei-ra-fei, ho-shi-ei-nu v’-ni-va-shi-ah, kee t-’hi-la-tei-nu, a-ta,

v’-ha-lei r’-fu-ah sh’-lei-mah l’-chol ma-ko-tei-nu. Kee El Me-lech ro-fei ne-ah-man

v’-rach-man a-ta.

Ba-ruch a-ta Adonai, ro-fei cho-lei amo Yis-ra-el.

Heal us, Adonai, that we shall be healed. Save us that we shall be saved, for You are our praise. Bring complete healing to all of our wounds.
[If praying for a specific person, the following may be added here: May it find favor before You, my God and my ancestors’ God, that You speedily send complete healing from the heavens, spiritual healing and physical healing to ____________ who is sick, along with others who are sick among Israel.]

For You are our sovereign, steadfast, merciful healing God. Praised are You, Adonai, who heals the sick among his People Israel.

In biblical and rabbinic times, the causes of illnesses were not clearly understood. Therefore, illness was often regarded as a sign that one had been cursed by God, implying that if one were ill it was one’s own fault. Reform prayer books, however, express instead the concept that sickness is a normal part of life, and that God does not make us sick, but can participate in our healing. Many Reform services have added a Misheibeirach for healing near the Torah service or sermon.

Personal Commentary

I have chosen the Misheibeirach prayer to consider here, because it is a very personal prayer. It is the one time in the service where we are specifically invited to embed the names of our ailing selves or loved ones within the midst of the prayer. It is, I think, interesting to note that we don’t say the names before the prayer begins, as we do with the Mourner’s Kaddish, but part way through the prayer, thus having the prayer surround and enfold the spoken and unspoken names. At the same time, when we are sitting in the sanctuary with those who know us we may as well be enfolded literally with a hug, or the squeeze of a hand.

Beth Am began inserting the Mishebeirach into our services approximately ten years ago. Those of us attending the UAHC Kallah in Santa Cruz brought the prayer/song back with us and encouraged the leadership to embed it in our services. I was a part of those who wanted the prayer inserted as I saw the impact the prayer had on close friends who were ill. Although I always participated in the prayer, it was not until three years ago when my family experienced major illness that I fully felt its emotional power. It is a time when we give ourselves consent to open the floodgates of our emotions. We are praying for strength to deal with the burdens of illness; we are asking for courage to daily do what must be done and to face whatever will come. And in doing this we are asking support from those around us. Many of us feel we can cope by ourselves. This prayer allows us to admit that we do need help and encourages us to reach out to those around us to help us bear whatever we have to bear.

Prayer Text:

Unlike most of the prayers in our Beth Am liturgy, our prayer for healing differs significantly from the traditional version. Our Shabbat prayerbook has the following commentary along with the Misheibeirach for healing:

May the One who blesses all life, bless and heal those who struggle against illness. May their pain be eased; may they be strengthened with faith, love, and caring. May they know sustenance from their friends and families. May those who seek ways of healing through medical knowledge and those who care for the sick be blessed with courage, stamina and communal support. And let us say: Amen.

We have two modern songs of healing that we sing at Beth Am.

Mishebeirach
(D. Friedman)

Mi she-bei-rach a-vo-tei-nu m’-kor ha-b’-ra-cha l’-i-mo-tei-nu
May the source of strength who blessed the ones before us
Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing
And let us say: Amen.

Mi she-bei-rach i-mo-tei-nu m’-kor ha-b’-ra-cha l’-a-vo-tei-nu
Bless those in need of healing with r’-fu-a sh’-lei-ma
The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit
And let us say: Amen

and

Bless Us With the Power of Your Healing
(L. Levine)

Mi sheh-bei-rach avoteinu
Avraham, Yitzhak v'Ya'akov
Mi sheh-bei-rach imoteinu
Sarah, Rivka, Leah v'Rachel
May the One who blessed our mothers,
May the One who blessed our fathers
Hear our prayer (hear our prayer)
Hear our prayer (hear our prayer)
Hear our prayer (hear our prayer)
And bless us as well.

Bless us with the power of Your healing
Bless us witih the power of Your hope
May our hearts be filled with understanding
And strengthened by the power of Your love.