Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
Here are some thoughts from Dr. Rakefet Ben-Yishay about our world today:
"'The most important thing is our health.' We are so accustomed to hearing this statement, especially during the corona crisis, but have we thought for a moment if it is really correct? The Torah devotes around 40 verses to a description of the creation of the universe, but the mishkan (desert sanctuary), as it is described in our Torah portion, takes up around 400 verses. In other words, the Torah devotes a lot more attention to boards, fabrics, and vessels created by people than to all the wonders of nature created by G-d.
There is a profound message here: the creation of the world is only the foundation, the main thing is what we do in the world. The health of a human being is only the foundation. The main thing is what we do with our health. We did not come into this world just to survive, but in order to build and, in so doing, build ourselves. We are here to do good and to fill our lives with content and meaning. Physical health is important, and during the last year all of us were reminded how vital it is, but it is not the final goal.
Our sages held that the Shechinah (G-d's presence) is found beside the head of a sick person. In other words, a sick person has a different awareness, is preoccupied with soul searching, as the meaning of life is contemplated from a new perspective. During the last year, the entire world had the status of a sick person. More essential questions than usual were asked. We all left the routine of home-study-work while forced to think about ultimate goals and the essence of life. Now, when it seems we are finally leaving the corona behind, when we are beginning to regain our health, we need to ask ourselves what we learned, what we will change about our lives, what we will do with our health."
