{"id":62583,"date":"2019-09-08T17:22:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-08T14:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=62583"},"modified":"2023-04-02T22:51:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T19:51:46","slug":"king-asa-and-the-physicians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/king-asa-and-the-physicians\/","title":{"rendered":"King Asa And The Physicians"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Our chapter deals with the two kings who ruled Judah after Rehoboam. Abijam continued the sins of his father, Rehoboam, and reigned only three years (15:1-9). But then, Abijam\u2019s son, Asa, ruled Judah for forty-one years during which \u201che did what was pleasing to the Lord as his forefather David had done\u201d (verses 10-11). Though it is emphasized that \u201cAsa was wholehearted with the Lord his God all his life\u201d (verse 14), toward the end of our Chapter we are told that \u201cin his old age he suffered from a foot disease\u201d (verse 23). II Chronicles 13:23-16:14 elaborates on the reign of Asa. II Chronicles 16:12 emphasizes that Asa\u2019s foot ailment was \u201cexceedingly great\u201d (\u2018ad-lema\u2019alah holiyo). The medieval biblical commentator, David Kimhi (Radak) interprets this phrase literally to mean that Asa\u2019s disease \u201crose up from his feet to the upper parts of his body.\u201d Chronicles goes on to add that Asa did not seek help from God, but from physicians.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Jewish philosopher and rabbi, Bahya ibn Paquda (Spain, 11<\/span>th<\/span> century), in his influential work on the inner spiritual life, <\/span>Duties of the Heart<\/span><\/em>, in his treatise on Trust 3:19, refers to Asa\u2019s reliance on physicians rather than on God, despite his previous piety, as demonstrating need to trust in God alone. Bahya goes on to suggest that relying on any human assistance may be seen as an act of \u201cshituf<\/em>\u201d, \u201cassociating\u201d or equating the human with the divine. This will lead one to losing his trust in his God, which is what happened to Asa. Bahya concludes his comment on Asa\u2019s demise by citing the verse \u201cBlessed is he who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord alone\u201d (Jeremiah 17:7).<\/span><\/p>\n

This raises the question of the proper role of medical assistance in the life of the pious Jew. The Rabbinic Sages seem to have taken a dim view of physicians, as reflected in Mishnah Kiddushin 4:14: \u201cThe best of the physicians is destined for Gehenna\u201d. This surprising statement has been variously interpreted.\u00a0 The power of prayer to heal illness or at least lessen suffering is reflected in the \u201cPrayer for the Sick\u201d (Mi She-Berakh le-Holim) recited in the synagogue.<\/span><\/p>\n

It would seem that the general approach that has developed in Judaism is to trust both God and medical science to deal with illness. This is reflected <\/span>in a prayer for those undergoing treatment for serious illness<\/span><\/a> recently composed by Rabbi Marcia Plumb which concludes: \u201cGive me compassion for my doctors, nurses, caretakers and most of all for my own body. May I know that I am encircled by Your love. May the ancient spirit of the angels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael bring me a sense of Your presence, strength, a light at the end of the tunnel, healing and hope.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":62603,"id":62603,"title":"1kings15-doctors","filename":"1kings15-doctors.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings15-doctors.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/king-asa-and-the-physicians\/1kings15-doctors\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"1kings15-doctors","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":62583,"date":"2019-09-08 14:22:19","modified":"2019-09-08 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