There’s a popular song frequently played at simchahs that never fails to move me to tears. (I often wonder why these words were deemed appropriate background to the clinking of glasses table chatter and scraping of plates.)
The words originate in the tefillos of the Yamim Noraim: “Haneshamah lach v’haguf poalach; chusah al amalach — The neshamah is Yours and the body is Your craftsmanship; have compassion on the work of Your toil.” They were put to music by singer-composer Eitan Katz.
These words teach us about the connection between the soul and the body. Both are created by Hashem and both need Hashem’s compassion to continue to exist together.
The synthesis of the physical guf and spiritual neshamah is a miracle. We see this thought eloquently expressed at the end of the brachah of asher yatzar: “He heals all flesh and He does wonders.” The Ramah teaches us that the concept of the word “wonder” emphasizes that there is a situation here whose existence is so fantastic that it qualifies as miraculous. It’s the miracle of the union of the body with the soul.
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