Spiritual Vs. Physical Healing
In this week's Parshas the Torah tells us that Hashem blessed Avrahom with "everything". Among the many opinions brought in Bava Basra 15b what exactly is the verse referencing, Rav Shimon Bar Yochai says that Avrahom Avinu had a beautiful jewel around his neck and all those who needed to be healed would look at it and be cured.
Rav Moshe Sofer ZT"L, also known as the Chasam Sofer, quotes earlier sources[1], that there was no actual stone and the idea is to be taken metaphorically. In the language of Chazal an eloquent speaker is known as a פה מפיק מרגליות, "a mouth who breeds pearls''. The Chasam Sofer, the Gemara is telling us, is that anyone who needed to be healed they would go to Avrahom Avinu and he would inspire the sick to pray and to become closer to Hashem and in this merit they were healed.
This idea that it is not the physical intervention that cures the sick is a central Jewish belief found explicitly in the Torah. In Bamidbar (21:4–9). We find the episode of the epidemic of venomous snakes afflicting the Bnei Yisroel in the desert. Hashem commanded Moshe to make a copper snake and to place it on a staff and “whoever is bitten look at it and live". In Rosh Hashana 29 asks "is it (looking at) the snake that heals rather when the Jewish people looked heavenward and subjected their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would be healed”
In a similar vein, we find in Sefer Melachim (20:3) King Chizkiyahu took ill and offered a prayer, in which he says והטוב בעיניך עשיתי, and I did the good in your (Hashem’s) eyes. In Brachos 10B Rav Levi says this is referring to that King Chizkiyahu hid the, ספר רפואות, Book of Cures. This is in line with another action of King Chizkiyahu; that he destroyed the copper snake that Moshe Rabeinu created. King Chizkiyahu realized that people were not recognizing their true source of remedy. Additionally, King Chizkiyahu understood becoming ill is an opportunity to strengthen one’s spiritual connection, and without prayer the ancient Book of Cures is of no use.
The last Mishna in Kiddushin 82A says טוב שברופאים לגיהנם, the best physicians posthumously are in purgatory. While there are multitudes of explanations of this idea, the classic commentator, Rashi, offers a most straightforward idea. The doctor knows what to eat, and what to avoid, and seemingly is able to keep themself healthy and well on their own, and hence never turns their heart to Hashem.
In the world we choose for ourselves, practicing medicine is a shlichus and a privilege. We are doing Hashem's work, with constant opportunities of Chesed and to make a Kiddush Hashem. However, in our hectic and over burdened schedules, conflated with other responsibilities, at times we can forget that while what we are doing is important, there is more to medicine that meets the eye. Perhaps taking isolated short moments throughout the day, giving pause to reflect that what we are doing is only Hishtadlus, efforts we are required to make, and recognizing that the true healer is the Hakkadosh Baruch Hu.
[1]עקידת יצחק פרשת בראשית שער ד