A Soulful Journey

All means of healing are acceptable provided that they do not involve idolatry, incest or murder.  –Rabbi Yochanan, Pesachim 25a We have many laws and restrictions in our faith.  Human health is about paramount.

When someone you love is falling apart with the dreaded disease that seems to be consuming him little by little, you become steeped in fear and anger and denial and often feel helpless. What can you do? What is the purpose of all this? “Why, dear God, why?” is the question that goes around and around in your head. You’ve heard it said that when you have your health you have everything. I wonder about that. Do you really? My beloved husband is sick. I live and feel and breathe these things and live with the questions always. But I have found one of the answers. I give it to you. No it is not true that when you have your health you have everything. What is true is, if you have someone who truly cares about you, when you do not have your health, you have everything. It is easier to buy good health than to buy good love. No amount of money can do that. Love us a free gift. It can give us all the strength we need to go on when there ain’t no more to give…. Screaming out in the quiet, “...

An 85-year-old woman from Kentucky was interviewed.  She was asked what had she learned from life.  She answered, “If I had to do it over, if I had my life to live over, I would dare make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would be sillier.  I would take fewer things seriously... I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles than imaginary ones. You see, I’m one of those people who lived seriously and sanely day after day, hour after hour.  I’ve been one of those persons who never went anywhere without thermometer, a hot water bottle, raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it again, I’d travel lighter."

The rabbis taught: “When you have a chance to perform a mitzvah do not tarry lest it sour.”   And they urged us to study Torah now when the opportunity is available.   Say not, “I will study Torah when I have free time.   Perhaps you will have no free time.”   I had a a very good and dear friend who was learned in Judaism but strayed from Jewish observance.   He often said to me, Rabbi, soon I hope to sell my business and retire.   Then you’ll see me in Temple all the time."    He said that to me for several years and now it’s too late: He died of a heart attack, unable to redeem his pledge.   – Rabbi Gilbert Rosenthal

“Dermatologist Richard J. Helfman, who was devoted to exercise, fitness, and health, died at 63 of an illness that exercise could neither prevent nor cure – fast-acting pancreatic cancer.   Helfman practiced medicine in Coal Gables for 35 years and taught at the university of Miami Medical School nearly that long.   Helfman expected to live a long time.   His father lived into the 80’s and his mother is active at 83.   His lawyer son said: ‘It’s sort of ironic that he died young, since he was fanatical about taking care of his body.   He wanted to live a long and healthy life.   he was a long-distance runner for 25 years and ran in the orange Bowl Marathon in 1978.   He only drank bottled water.   he was always in good shape.” – Miami Herald

Not long ago appeared a cartoon.   Under a sketch of a tombstone, the caption read: “Born in 1914.  Gave up smoking 1954.  Gave up booze 1973.  Gave up red meat 1980.  Died anyway 1994.” We would all do well to remember that it all ends the same way.