The world is in an uproar.
Fears of a pandemic of the Coronavirus have shaken world leaders. Financial markets are in a tailspin. People are concerned, they are frightened.
Who to believe? The statisticians who use numbers to show that most people have a better chance of winning the lottery than of dying from the virus? The scientists who demonstrate through their studies the truly catastrophic potential of this virus? The political leaders, on both sides of the aisle, who spin the facts to suit their own agendas?
Who to believe? That might be the scariest part of all.
With this heightened concern should also come an understanding that we as Jews have a potent antidote at our disposal - prayer. When we recite the special Mi Shebeirach prayer for healing, we ask for God’s divine help in attaining two levels of health: r’fiat hanefesh, r’fiat haguf - a healing of the spirit and a healing of the body.
The construction of this prayer is interesting in that it asks for healing of the spirit before healing of the body. We understand that sometimes physical healing cannot reasonably be expected; at the least, we hope that those who are sick can experience a healing of their spirit whereby they are at peace with their condition.
This is not to say that the current situation is so dire that we can only hope to be at peace with a devastating outcome.
In fact, we can be strengthened in the knowledge that, as the saying goes, “God helps those who help themselves.” Right now, that help is coming from Israel, where scientists who have been working on a vaccine for the Coronavirus over the past several years predict that they could have a viable vaccine ready for testing in a matter of a few short months.
Once again, our Israeli compatriots are at the forefront of a significant advance that has the potential to be life-saving on a global level. Kol hakavod - all honor - to them!
In the meantime, let’s all try to keep a level head as we follow, with justified concern, the progress of this disease.