(14) Heal me, O L-RD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved; For You are the object of my praise.
Misheberach for a person who is ill
Siddur Sim Shalom
May He who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, bless and heal _________________. May the Holy One in mercy strengthen him/her and heal him/her soon, body and soul, together with others who suffer illness. And let us say: Amen
Mesorah Gabbai's handbook
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon - may He bless and heal the sick person (patient's Hebrew name) son/daughter of (patient's mother's Hebrew name) because the entire congregation prays for him/her. In reward for this, may the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him/her to restore his/her health, to heal him/her, to strengthen him/her, and to revivify him/her. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven for his two hundred forty-eight organs and three hundred sixty-five blood vessels, among the other sick people of Israel, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon. Now let us respond: Amen.
M'kor hab'racha l'imoteinu
May the source of strength,
Who blessed the ones before us,
Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing,
And let us say, Amen.
M'kor habrachah l'avoteinu
The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit,
And let us say, Amen
Consider these three versions of the Jewish prayer for healing.
- What are some of the thematic differences?
- Why are these prayers typically recited in the presence of a minyan?
- Which prayer most speaks to you?
(א) יֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃
(ב) אֹמַ֗ר לַֽ֭יהוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃
(ג) כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַ֭צִּֽילְךָ מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת׃
(ד) בְּאֶבְרָת֨וֹ ׀ יָ֣סֶךְ לָ֭ךְ וְתַֽחַת־כְּנָפָ֣יו תֶּחְסֶ֑ה צִנָּ֖ה וְֽסֹחֵרָ֣ה אֲמִתּֽוֹ׃
(ה) לֹא־תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃
(ו) מִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב יָשׁ֥וּד צָהֳרָֽיִם׃
(ז) יִפֹּ֤ל מִצִּדְּךָ֨ ׀ אֶ֗לֶף וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ׃
(ח) רַ֭ק בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃
(ט) כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן שַׂ֣מְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ׃
(י) לֹֽא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה וְ֝נֶ֗גַע לֹא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאָהֳלֶֽךָ׃
(יא) כִּ֣י מַ֭לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ לִ֝שְׁמָרְךָ֗ בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃
(יב) עַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם יִשָּׂא֑וּנְךָ פֶּן־תִּגֹּ֖ף בָּאֶ֣בֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ׃
(יג) עַל־שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס כְּפִ֣יר וְתַנִּֽין׃
(יד) כִּ֤י בִ֣י חָ֭שַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֝שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָדַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי׃
(טו) יִקְרָאֵ֨נִי ׀ וְֽאֶעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלְּצֵ֗הוּ וַֽאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ׃
(טז) אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּֽישׁוּעָתִֽי׃
(1) O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Shaddai—
(2) I say of the LORD, my refuge and stronghold, my God in whom I trust,
(3) that He will save you from the fowler’s trap, from the destructive plague.
(4) He will cover you with His pinions; you will find refuge under His wings; His fidelity is an encircling shield.
(5) You need not fear the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day,
(6) the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the scourge that ravages at noon.
(7) A thousand may fall at your left side, ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.
(8) You will see it with your eyes, you will witness the punishment of the wicked.
(9) Because you took the LORD—my refuge, the Most High—as your haven,
(10) no harm will befall you, no disease touch your tent.
(11) For He will order His angels to guard you wherever you go.
(12) They will carry you in their hands lest you hurt your foot on a stone.
(13) You will tread on cubs and vipers; you will trample lions and asps.
(14) “Because he is devoted to Me I will deliver him; I will keep him safe, for he knows My name.
(15) When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will rescue him and make him honored;
(16) I will let him live to a ripe old age, and show him My salvation.”
- What exactly makes a plague so scary?
- How are plagues described in this psalm?
- What role does G-d play in this psalm?
(9) And the anger of the L-RD was kindled against them; and He departed. (10) And when the cloud turned from the Tent, behold, Miriam had leprosy, white as snow; and Aaron looked at Miriam; behold, she had leprosy. (11) Aaron said to Moses: ‘Oh my lord, I pray, do not place sin on us, for we have been foolish, and we have sinned. (12) Let her not, be like a corpse, like one whose flesh is half consumed when he come out of his mother’s womb.’ (13) And Moses cried to the L-RD, saying: ‘Please, G-d, heal her now.’
Elisha Raising the Shunammite’s Son by Benjamin West, 1766 (public domain)
(32) And when Elisha came into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. (33) He went in and shut the door upon them two of them, and prayed to the L-RD. (34) He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; he stretched himself upon him; and the flesh of the child warmed. (35) He returned, and walked to and fro in the hose; he went up, stretched himself on him; the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
- What types of "healing" do we seek?
- What role does G-d play in healing and death?