The truth is: When you are sinking, when you are totally wrapped in your own fear and pain, it is still possible to break out.
God’s Loving Presence surrounds you at all times; God shares your pain as only an infinite consciousness can. Hashem feels your hurt, kisses your wound compassionately. The divine steadfast love enfolds you even when the longed-for miracle does not come.
Pain can obscure but it cannot degrade your preciousness to Hashem; fear can erode but not cancel the truth of your being loved. You are an image of God, of infinite worth, unique, irreplaceable. God’s face is toward you, God’s eye is on you at all times…
With this truth fixed firmly in your soul, you may yet sing out joyfully the song of existence embraced. But if not rescued, the one who trusts in a Loving God is surrounded by steadfast love. Listen. The voice speaks. “Fear not, for I am with you.”*
HEALING OF SOUL,
HEALING OF BODY
Spiritual Leaders Unfold the Strength & Solace in Psalms
Edited by Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, CSW
~ Review by Cindy
Most of us have found ourselves in the position of having no words in response to bad news and suffering of friends and family. Searching for something to say, we may have spoken Scripture only to find our words coming across as empty and hollow comfort. Though most of us want to speak healing too often the words we speak fall like salt on a raw wound and we join the club of Job comforters. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease… emotional and psychological trauma… loss. Sometimes my heart is overwhelmed with the suffering and sorrows of this world. But how can we encourage or be encouraged ourselves on the journey through pain, suffering, and loss?
It was the recent sharing of a friend whose husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease that sent me on a prayerful journey to find something gentle, simple, and yes practical. Something that would encourage and even prompt one to understand, receive and join the psalmists in response to the challenges of suffering and pain in our own lives. My search brought me to Healing Of Soul, Healing Of Body.
Healing Of Soul, Healing Of Body, is an inspiring read that focus’s on Tikkun HaKlali (the Complete Remedy) – the ten Psalms Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (18th century Hasidic master) identified as healing Psalms. Though all the Psalms give solace and strength, Rabbi Nachman identified these ten Psalms as containing ten kinds of song, embodying the concentrated power of the entire book of Psalms.**
From the introduction: “Viewed together, the Ten Psalms reflect an unfolding of many emotions and reactions common to those dealing with illness“
Each of the ten Psalms is accompanied by a reflection from one of ten different contributors with hopes of being a bridge of healing, hope, and praise.
Psalm 16 is translated by Rabbi Harlan J. Wechsler; all of the other translations are by Rabbi Simkah Y. Weintraub. All ten Psalms are shared both in Hebrew and English translation.
It is universally accepted that one cannot translate great poetry and expect to achieve similar artistic impact in the second language. Poetry is neither linear nor simple, neither two-dimensional nor generic; it is not just words but about relationships which cannot be replicated. Elements such as cadence, rhyme, imagery, structure, and composition simply cannot be “recycled” from one culture to another, or easily transplanted from one century to the next.
Compounding the basic challenge is the fact that the Hebrew of the Book of Psalms is, to vastly understate the situation, problematic – consider how frequently translations are footnoted with “meaning of Hebrew uncertain.”
…The translations here are offered, then, with a healthy dose of humility and deference to the Author of the psalms. They are meant as a bridge to the text and not as a substitute for the psalms themselves – a reflection and a refraction of the meaning…
A valuable resource, from a Hebraic perspective, for those who are suffering, those who are ill, and those who are caretakers. Healing Of Soul, Healing of Body is a short read just 114 pages long. You can purchase Healing Of Soul, Healing of Body here, from Amazon.com
Healing of Soul, Healing of Body: Spiritual Leaders Unfold the Strength & Solace in Psalms
* Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Afraid But Not Alone – Meditation on Psalm 32, Healing Of Soul, Healing of Body
** Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Through ten expressions of praise the Book of Psalms is composed: Nitzuah, Niggun, Maskil, Mizomor, Shir, Ashrei, Tehillah, Teffillah, Hoda’ah, and Halleluyah.
2 Responses
I have personally found the Psalms comforting, soothing & releasing when I read & meditate on them. Thank you for sharing Cindy!
Jenny I have too ~ and you are so welcome! Keith bought me The Hirsch Tehillim which I’m using as I am spending time in the Psalms – so very good!