Beshallach – Shabbat Shira

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

I grew up in Stamford Hill in a shul known as Grove Lane or Stamford Hill Beth Hamedresh. It was the custom there, every Shabbat, to make a Mi Shebeirach LeCholim – a prayer for the sick, at the end of the layening. We follow this practice as well in St John’s Wood.

However, every year, on Shabbat Shira, as this Shabbat is known, my shul shifted the place of the prayer for those who are unwell, from the end to the middle of the Torah reading. At the end of the fourth portion of this week’s parasha, G-d assures the people that if they will listen to the voice of G-d then “…All those sicknesses that I brought in Egypt I will not bring upon you, Ki Ani HaShem Rofe’echa – for I am G-d, your Healer.” Immediately after this portion, anyone who wanted a prayer for someone unwell would come to the Bima and the Shammas would say the appropriate Mi Shebeirach.

The wording of G-d’s blessing is significant. When we talk about medical treatment we generally think of the various therapies that are available for those who are unwell, ranging from basic lemon-and-honey for a sore throat to the most sophisticated gene therapy, replacing a faulty disease-causing gene with a healthy one.

Yet, as impressive as some modern medical treatments are, it is even more significant to prevent someone from becoming unwell in the first place. The purpose of the worldwide vaccination campaign during covid was to provide immunity to people, or at least to prevent them getting the infection too severely.

The blessing from G-d, as expressed in the parasha, reflects this understanding. “…All those sicknesses that I brought in Egypt I will not bring upon you, for I am G-d, your Healer.” Note. The verse does not say, “I will cure you from the sicknesses.” It says “I will not bring [them] upon you.” That is, if the blessing is fulfilled, G-d will prevent the illness from striking in the first place.

We have the challenge and responsibility to be partners with G-d in this role. We need to do our bit to take care of ourselves to be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually healthy.

My blessings and good wishes of LaBriut – continued good health to those who are well, and Refua Shelema – a speedy recovery to those who need it.