5785/2025
In this week’s Parashah, it says, “ורפא ירפא"-”And he shall provide healing”. The Gemara in Berachot says that the school of Rabbi Yishmael learned that hashem gives doctors permission to heal. The Gemara on Kiddushin daf 82 says “Tov SheBaRofim Legehinom”- The best of the doctors will go to Gehinom. How can we comprehend and understand this gemara if some of our greatest Rabonim and sages were doctors, like the Rambam, Ibn Ezra, and others. In Shemoneh Esrei, which we say three times a day, originally consisted of 18 Berachot. One of them is “Refaeinu Hashem VeNerafa”, in which we pray to Hashem for healing.
Unfortunately, there are doctors, who otherwise have faith in hashem, but take all the medical credit for themselves and forgot that they are his “Servant”. The Gematria of the word Tov is 17. The Gemara’s statement of “Tov Sheberofim Legehenom” ,refers to the doctor who says Shemoneh Esrei but only believes in 17 of the Berachot. “A doctor who doesn't believe in “Refaeinu Hashem” belongs in Gehonim. However doctors who believe in hashem and understand that he is the one who gives them the ability to heal should be rewarded with Gan Eden.
Alternatively, it is important for doctors to provide the best knowledge to their patients. The patient must follow their doctor’s instructions. When a doctor diagnoses a patient and tells the patient what they may and may not eat or what he do and may not do, he must be strict with his orders. Patients will complain about things they can’t eat or do and say, “I can't live without it”. So then the doctor responds that I’ll be a little lenient with your diet and you can eat small amounts of the forbidden foods. In reality, this doctor is putting his/her patient into danger.
This type of doctor who wants to be a good person, and endangers the patient's life, should go to Gehinom. We learn from all of this that not only doctors have to take less credit for themselves and more credit to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, but so should we.