When I recall the Yamim Noraim of my childhood, a notable memory is the shul’s recitation of Avinu Malkeinu. The congregants maintained a measured tone throughout the tefillah save for one line, where they not only raised their voices, but drew out the words with longing and unabashed sobbing. Perhaps it was this segment of tefillah they found most relatable, or perhaps they had a specific person in mind, but their passion and fervor for “Avinu Malkeinu, shelach refuah sheleimah l’cholei amecha” was unsurpassed.
Illness, whether our own or a loved one’s, is among the top ten indicators of stress in life. We worry over the efficacy of treatments, second-guess our choice of doctors and medical protocols, alternately listen to and fend off the well-meaning advice of others, and engage in endless research.
And then there’s the pain of illness itself. Whether we personally are in the grip of acute physical or mental pain, or we stand at the side of another who bears the anguish and misery of sickness, illness is a stand-alone in its distress and uncertainty.
In the days of our neviim, tzaddikim who fell ill would immediately approach their navi and ask to identify the spiritual source for their sickness, frequently finding a correlation between a spiritual shortcoming and their afflicted body part. For maaminim, suffering has always been the short route to teshuvah. Chazal (Shabbos 55a) teach, “Ein yissurim b’lo avon — there’s no suffering without sin.” Generally, when we’re faced with misfortune, our first port of call is to examine our behavior. This applies to sickness as well, and explains why we eagerly undertake extras in mitzvah observance when we, or someone we know, suffers illness.
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