Hashem Is the Healer: Why Ask Him to Be Healed?

### Why Ask Hashem to Be Healed?

Q: If everything is in the hands of Hashem, why should we pray to Him to be healed?

A: “Refa’einu Hashem v’neirafei — Heal us, Hashem, and we shall be healed” (Shemoneh Esrei). This introduces the element of bitachon, of confidence that Hashem is the source of all wellbeing, which means only by His means can we be healed.

Now, the Torah states if someone wounds his fellow man, “V’rapo y’rapei — He must heal him” (Shemos 21:19). And the Gemara says, “From here we learn that the physician has permission to heal” (Berachos 60a). Although it states that we have permission to seek a physician, it’s more than mere permission. It’s our duty to seek healing. It’s our duty to seek remedies. It’s our duty to live by the dictates of good sense to maintain our health. Nevertheless, we should never lose sight of the fundamental intention — that Hashem should grant success to our effort, meaning that He is the healer.

When you take a medicine, even putting antiseptic on a little wound, it’s advisable to think that Hashem is the One healing you. Some say you should say these words, Yehi ratzon mil’fanecha shey’hei eisek zeh li lirefuah (“May it be Your will that this action leads to healing”). We don’t trust in the antiseptic. We have to do it, but we don’t put our trust in it.

The farmer has to plow to get bread, but we bless Hashem as “the One Who brings forth bread from the earth.” It’s Hashem, not the plow. The same is true with every endeavor. It must be accompanied by the fundamental awareness that we’re not doing anything except our duty. Only Hashem performs the outcome. We must go to the physician, but only Hashem is the One Who is healing.

That’s easy to say but not easy to do. Some people spend a great deal of time guarding their health, so it drives out of their heads any other consideration. After a while it seems to them that only their efforts are giving them success. That’s why it’s so important to always accompany every effort to heal yourself with the thought: “Refa’einu Hashem v’neirafei — Heal us, Hashem, and only because of You will we be healed.”

### On the Words “He Heals All Flesh”

1) He alone is able to heal, and 2) He desires to heal. All remedies are created and are made available by Him, all procedures of healing and of preventing illness are His, and all the automatic self-healing of the body is provided by Him and is manipulated by Him.

The health of the mind is included here, for the functioning of the intellect and emotions and instincts is among the chief miracles. “He heals all flesh” actually means: He maintains the health of all; and in all their organs and limbs.

### “He Must Surely Heal”

The double expression V’rapo y’rapei is for emphasis: “He must surely heal (him)” (Shemos 21:19). “From here we learn that the physician is permitted to heal” (Berachos 60a). Healing is a wondrous process beyond human understanding, and it would seem presumptuous to permit a bungling human to attempt to participate in the performance of the healing-miracle. When a complicated mechanical computer breaks down, we would not permit a simple handyman to tinker with it; and even the most competent physician knows less of the true healing-process than does the handyman who approaches the computer. But Hashem wishes that men earn the merit of attempting to heal. Even in days gone by when men knew much less, and in some instances might do more harm than good, nevertheless Hashem desires men to attempt according to their ability, and they are rewarded by Him. The true Healer is Hashem, yet “permission is given” to the physician; and he is even commanded to heal: V’rapo y’rapei.