Facing Illness, Finding God

Find spiritual strength for healing in the wisdom of Jewish tradition.

Whether you are facing illness yourself, serving as a caregiver, providing pastoral care, or simply wondering where God is when we get sick, the teachings and wisdom of Jewish tradition can help you cope with the difficulties of illness and infirmity.

With a format designed to accommodate the stressful life of people dealing with illness, Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler helps you focus on spiritual well-being as an essential aspect of physical healing and wholeness. He provides comfort and inspiration to help you maintain personal balance and family harmony amid the fear, pain, and chaos of illness. Combining the stories of real people with insights from Jewish sources, he offers practical advice and spiritual guidance for:

• Reaching inward to the soul when the body fails
• Reaching outward to provide strength, comfort, and compassion to the ill or infirm
• Reaching upward to God through prayer and daily gratitude

Find spiritual strength for healing in the wisdom of Jewish tradition.

Whether you are facing illness yourself, serving as a caregiver, providing pastoral care, or simply wondering where God is when we get sick, the teachings and wisdom of Jewish tradition can help you cope with the difficulties of illness and infirmity.

With a format designed to accommodate the stressful life of people dealing with illness, Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler helps you focus on spiritual well-being as an essential aspect of physical healing and wholeness. He provides comfort and inspiration to help you maintain personal balance and family harmony amid the fear, pain, and chaos of illness. Combining the stories of real people with insights from Jewish sources, he offers practical advice and spiritual guidance for:

• Reaching inward to the soul when the body fails
• Reaching outward to provide strength, comfort, and compassion to the ill or infirm
• Reaching upward to God through prayer and daily gratitude

Introduction ix
Raphael: Support for Your Healing xv

PART ONE
Reaching Inward: Coping When You Are Ill
My New Normal 3
Stinkin' Thinkin’ 5
"But I Am Not Used to Asking for Help" 7
More Than Just Your Body Is Hurt 11
Seeking Healing: Body and Soul 13
I Am Never Going to Be the Same 17
Identifying Your Exile 23
I Am Afraid I Might Die 26
Bitterness Can Be a Burden 30
The World Is Imperfect 32
Your Body Is a House for Your Soul 37
You Have Inherent Worth, No Matter What 41
How We Mark Moving On 44
When Waking Up in the Morning Is a Miracle 47
When Raphael Makes You Face Forward 50

PART TWO
Reaching Outward: Finding Strength in Caregiving
What You Do Matters 55
It’s Not about You 58
“Don’t Just Do Something. Sit There!” 62
Learning to Listen 67
How You Can Be “On the Level” 70
You May Not Be Able to See the Difference, But It’s There 74
Even God Visits the Sick 79
Emotional Disorders and Addictions Are Jewish Problems, Too 82
Be Who You Are and Do What You Know 85
Be Someone Else’s Angel 88

PART THREE
Gathering Around: Dealing with Family
Where Were You When Mom Got Sick? 93
What Are My Obligations, and What Are My Limits? 96
Too Close for Comfort 104
Who Is Sick? 109
The Meaning of Shalom Bayit (Peace in the Home) 113
When We Cry Out of Love 116

PART FOUR
Reaching Upward: Searching for God
Why Praying Can Help Even If You’ve Never Done It Before 121
Where Did All These Prayers Come From? 124
Grown-up Prayer 128
What Prayer Cannot Do 131
Why “We” Pray 134
What Kind of Powerful? 136
The Morning, Afternoon, and Evening of Your Life 139
When You Need to Scream 144
Why Prayer Works Even When It Doesn’t 148
Finding the Simple Truth in Prayer 150
God Is Right Here and Right Now 154
The End of the Matter: Gratitude 158
Wrestling in Prayer 161

APPENDIX I: Rabbi Nachman’s Silent Scream 163
APPENDIX II: Laws on Visiting the Sick 165
APPENDIX III: Some Guidelines for Visiting the Sick in Today’s World, Based on Jewish Tradition 169

Notes 173
Recommended Reading 179