| Monthly Update Telling Tales Torah Readings Dates to Remember |
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by Rabbi E. Tauger A Month of Healing Our Rabbis note that the name Iyar is an acronym for the phrase: ANI HASHEM ROFECHA, "I, G-d, am your Healer." This verse conveys a very cogent message in these days when breakthroughs in medical technology and gene science have revolutionized our approach to the treatment of disease. First of all, it is important to underscore that healing comes from G-d. After man has mapped the human genome, cloned mammals, and discovered cures to many diseases and undesirable physical conditions, there is a tendency to feel that we are the healers, that it is only a matter of finding the right drug or the right technique. Sooner or later, we tend to think, man will heal himself. Indeed, even staid business publications have sported headlines such as "A world without sickness" and "Discovering the fountain of youth." Together with the happiness that comes from knowing that such techniques are available, and indeed, becoming increasingly more common, we must take caution against becoming proud and over-confident in our ability to heal. On the contrary, as many doctors attest, bringing about a cure to illness is a humbling experience, as the healer becomes conscious that he has tapped into a power that is much greater than himself. Through using one technique or another, he appreciates that he can become a catalyst for G-d's healing power. He sees himself as a medium, but no more than that. G-d has granted the potential to heal, but it is not a cut and dry matter. A technique or a drug that is effective for one person will not necessarily work for another. Instead of feeling assured that he knows exactly how to bring about healing, a doctor must humbly experiment with all the techniques and treatments available until he discovers one which is able to serve as a conduit for the blessings of healing for this particular patient. A Pressing Need for a Code of Ethics The challenges facing us, however, go far beyond the treatment of a particular patient or condition. There is not a major scientific journal that has not printed an article warning against an Orwellian approach to medicine and technology. After all, when we can design precisely the types of crops we desire to grow, change an embryo's genetic code, and control many other matters that in previous generations were thought to be only in G-d's hand, we must step back and think. Should we do everything we can? Judaism approaches this question in the context of a more encompassing perspective on human behavior. Mortal wisdom can never define morality. Because of the fundamental subjectivity and self-interest that controls our thinking processes, we cannot define what is right or wrong. For that, G-d has given us the Torah. Within its teachings, there is guidance governing not only our ritual obligations, but also the entire sphere of human behavior. The Torah does not tell us only how to pray and study, but how to conduct our every dimension of our lives. And this holds true in the twenty-first century to the same degree that it applied in the generation of the Talmud- about two thousand years ago. Instead of relying on man's subjective definitions of what is right, the Torah gives us an eternally relevant objective Divine standard. Within it are guidelines that govern all the questions that modern science raises. What is necessary is a creative dialogue between scientists and Torah experts, explaining the new situations that modern science can introduce and discovering the Torah's position on these issues. Glimmers of Greater Good The words of caution above, however, should not reduce the enthusiasm with which we welcome the advances science and technology are providing us. On the contrary, we should appreciate the immediate and future benefits with which they provide us. Moreover, we should understand that these benefits foreshadow advances of a far more encompassing nature and indeed, point to the greatest blessings mankind will receive. Our Rabbis teach that the era of the Redemption will be characterized by health and well-being; there will be no more illness. Now when a Rabbi makes such a statement, it is often dismissed as wishful thinking. But as mentioned above, today these statements are being made not by Rabbis, but by professionals, and not only by doctors, but by businessmen seeking investments in companies that are working to these goals. Are these goals attainable in the near future? It would be ridiculous for us to offer an opinion. But the very fact that they are being spoken about publicly serves as one more indication that the backdrop for the Redemption is being fashioned. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe would frequently emphasize, the Redemption is not a dream of the future, but a reality that is surging toward manifestation. If we open our eyes, we will see that the breakthroughs in science and technology are not only improving our lives at present, but are also showing us that we are on the threshold of the Redemption. What in the past was prophecy is now becoming fact. Miracles and Nature The above concepts provide us with a resolution of a concept debated by our Rabbis throughout the centuries. Maimonides states that the natural order that prevails at present will continue in the era of the Redemption. Our fundamental reality will remain the same. The Raavad differs, citing Scriptural and Talmudic prophecies of miracles that will take place in that age. In the present generation, we can appreciate how the two approaches can be fused: The natural will be become miraculous. What our ordinary mindset will now view as beyond nature's limits will then be considered as part of every day experience. Indeed, in many instances, we need not look to the future; these miracles are happening now. For example, the Talmud states that in the future, Eretz Yisrael will produce ready-made garments and delicacies. Miraculous; not really. Even today, scientists are producing tubers which are a better and less expensive source for fibers for garments than synthetic products. And popcorn seeds are being produced with a genetically engineered buttered flavor. The flavor of fruits are being altered, as agriculture is manipulated to suit the fancies of our tastebuds. Furthermore, it is stated that in the era of the Redemption, trees that do not bear fruit will be laden with produce. That is already happening, as branches from certain fruit trees are being grafted onto other species. We can go on and on; but it is almost unnecessary. Go back ten - or at the most twenty - years in time and think about the way we live today. Wouldn't we have considered it miraculous? And the future will be even more miraculous, for the rate of change is increasing at a rapidly advancing pace. G-d's World The fusion of the natural and miraculous points to the true nature of our world. Why did G-d create our framework of existence? Because, as our Sages explain, "He desired a dwelling in the lower realms." "A dwelling" implies a home, a place where He expresses Himself without inhibition as a person acts naturally and without restraint in his own home. "The lower realms" implies a realm that has a framework of its own, what we call nature, that appears apart from G-d. "A dwelling in the lower realms" implies the fusion of the natural and the miraculous, that we will be able to perceive unlimited G-dliness within the context of the natural order.
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In the context of this month's emphasis on healing, we would like to share the following story: One Friday, a package of X-rays arrived at the office of Rabbi Moshe Feller, the Rebbe's shliach in Minneapolis-S. Paul. Together with it came a letter from Rabbi Groner asking Rabbi Feller to take the X-rays to Dr. John Moe, a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. A chassid had sustained a back injury. All the doctors he had seen had recom-mended surgery, but before undergoing the operation, the chassid wanted the Rebbe's advice and blessing. The Rebbe, however, hesitated. He wanted to hear the opinion of Dr. Moe, an internationally renowned expert on the spine. Rabbi Feller had heard of Dr. Moe. Indeed, most people in Minneapolis had; his reputation had attracted patients from around the world. How could one get in touch with such a sought-after physician? But a chassid does not ask too many questions. Rabbi Feller drove to the University of Minnesota campus and tried to see Dr. Moe. "There is a world-famous Rabbi in New York who respects Dr. Moe's opinion," Rabbi Feller told the receptionist. "Although he has recommendations from other doctors, this Rabbi wants Dr. Moe's advice. Can I show him these X-rays?" Rabbi Feller's insistence got him past the receptionist, but not beyond Dr. Moe's personal secretary. "The doctor isn't in right now," she told him, "but even if he was, I couldn't sched-ule an appointment; he's booked for weeks." Rabbi Feller tried to explain who the Rebbe was, and that the future of a man with a serious back injury was involved. "Look at all this mail," she replied, pointing to her desk, "and look at my appointment book. What do you want me to do?" After discussing the options, she asked Rabbi Feller to leave the X-rays with her. She would mention the matter to the doctor and get back to Rabbi Feller when she could. It was Friday afternoon - and a short Priday at that. Rabbi Feller did not see any alternative and so agreed to her suggestion, putting the matter out of his mind After all, he had a busy Shabbos coming up, and did not know when - if ever - he would receive an answer. It was indeed a busy Shabbos, and he was up late with his students on Saturday night. So Rabbi Feller was somewhat dazed when his phone rang at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. "Hello. This is John Moe," said the voice at the other end. "John who?" mumbled Rabbi Feller, wondering who would be calling him so early on Sunday morning. "John Moe." "Who? " "Dr. John Moe. You left X-rays for me and a message from the Rebbi in New York." Rabbi Feller was stunned. Dr. Moe himself! He quickly apologized and shook himself awake. Dr. Moe explained that he could not render an opinion merely by looking at X-rays; he would have to see the patient for himself. "When could that be?" Rabbi Feller asked. "Well, if you get him here at the end of next week," the doctor responded, "I can get him a bed at the hospital, and we'll take it from there." The injured chassid flew to Minnesota, and Dr. Moe gave him a thorough examination. Instead of surgery, the doctor recommended a diet to lose weight, whirlpool baths and a brace. Nine weeks later, the chassid left Minnesota walking erect, and within months, there was no sign of his injury. "In 85% of the cases with such an injury, I too would have recommended surgery," Dr. Moe wrote in his report. "In this particular instance, however, somehow I saw a way of avoiding it." "So what's so unique about this story?" Rabbi Feller was asked when he related the incident to a group of chassidim. "It is quite an uncommon story. Dr. Moe was at the top of his field, consulted by doctors from every part of the world. Normally, even getting to speak to him took weeks, and waiting for an examination was a matter of months. And here, on his own initiative, he hurried the case through all the red tape and showed a personal interest in the patient's rehabilita-tion. Ask Dr. Moe's secretary whether or not this was unique!" |
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Parshas Kedoshim This Torah reading begins with the charge "Be holy," but it continues with a variety of commandments including prohibitions against theft, lying, gossip, crossbreeding species of animals, eating produce before the plants which bear it mature, and giving the guidelines for marital relations and the foods we eat. Implied is that the holiness the Torah asks of us is not otherworldly, but instead anchored in the day-to-day routines of life. Judaism does not want us to be angels, but rather holy men and women, people who live in touch with material reality and control their involvement with it, rather than letting it control them. Within every element of existence, there is a G-dly spark. Being holy means seeking to tap that G-dly energy instead of becoming involved with the entity's material nature. Parshas Emor This Torah reading contains the command to count the Omer, a mitzvah which we fulfill every day in the month of Iyar. The Omer is a barley offering brought on the second day of the holiday of Pesach. From the day of that offering, for seven weeks, we count the days one by one until the holiday of Shavuos. A pattern is involved. Pesach commemorates G-d taking the Jews out of Egypt, lifting them beyond the bounds of their own limitations. Each year, this pattern is repeated, for the exodus is not only a chronicle of history, but a year-to-year experience. Our redemption from Egypt, however, comes from above, without relating to us in the context of our own experience. We are lifted out of Egypt, but Egypt is not taken out of us. That is accomplished through the Counting of the Omer. Each of the days of Counting the Omer is associated with the refinement of a different dimension of our emotional makeup. Step by step, we advance, preparing ourselves to receive the Torah, making ourselves fit for it to be integrated into the fabric of our individual personalities. Parshas Behar This Torah reading focuses on the laws of Shemitah, the Sabbatical year when the land of Eretz Yisrael is left fallow and no agricultural work is permitted. These laws indicate how time is structured in cycles of seven. There are seven days in the week. And the seventh day, the Sabbath, is holy, a day of rest and G-dly consciousness. The years are structured in a pattern of seven. And the seventh year is holy, a time when agricultural work is not permitted and our people's energies were focused on the spiritual. The same pattern follows with regard to millennia. We are in the midst of the sixth millennium from creation. The seventh millennium will be characterized by rest and holiness. Now just as it is common to accept the Sabbath a little bit before its commencement and that certain laws of the Sabbatical year became applicable before the year began; so, too, the seventh millennium will be initiated before its beginning. In other words, in terms of the world's history, it's now Friday afternoon, well past mid-day. The Sabbath is almost here. Parshas Bechukosai This Torah reading contains a description of the blessings G-d will give for observance and the misfortunes He will visit on those who are lax. Any mature adult has a question: We're not in kindergarten and we want a G-d who is not into checks and minuses. Maimonides elaborates on this concept, explaining that we are not speaking about reward and punishment in a simple sense. Instead, the intent is that when G-d sees a person dedicating himself to Divine service, He makes that task easier. He gives him material blessings that prevent him from experiencing hardship and enable him to devote his attention to spiritual matters. Simultaneously, if he is not concerned with the spiritual and makes material existence the focus of his concern, G-d gives him material matters to be concerned about, afflicting him with hardship and difficulty. And the experience of this difficulty will make him look up and call for spiritual assistance. Parshas Bamidbar This Torah reading describes the census G-d commanded Moses to take of the Jewish people before the dedication of the Sanctuary. A census conveys an important message. Every person counts the same. Regardless of the person's achievements and potentials, there is no difference between one individual and another. This is an important lesson before beginning the service of G-d. For too often, as people begin taking steps forward in Divine service, they try to build themselves up by looking at the shortcomings of others. Instead of seeking the areas where they need to grow and focusing on the faults within themselves that they have to correct, their attention is directed to others; he is lacking this and he needs that. This is not the way to begin serving in G-d's Sanctuary. G-d views every person as an only child. He appreciates the unique qualities and challenges every individual was granted and loves him or her in a consummate manner. For Him, no person is better than another. It is absurd to think that if one is more successful than another in overcoming the challenges he faces in his task of personal refinement, G-d will love him more. When a father has two children, one successful and one struggling, he will not love one more than the other. There is no question, his heart will go out for the one who is struggling. This is the approach we must take, considering all the members of our people as equals and offering them any and all assistance necessary to meet their personal challenges. This approach will lead to the tenth census, the census to be conducted by Mashiach, who will introduce our people to Divine service in the Holy Temple; may this take place speedily in our days.
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Iyar 2 - The Birthday of the Rebbe Maharash - 4th Lubavitcher Rebbe Iyar 13 - The Yahrzeit of the Rebbe's brother, Reb Yisroel Aryeh Leib Iyar 14 - Pesach Sheni Iyar 18 - Lag B'Omer
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