On Friday, May 23, 2008 I was asked the following question:

Dear Rabbi,

Please advise me of what you consider to be the most authoritative religious text concerning how we as Jews reconcile psychiatric illness and genetic disorders with our concepts of G_d. If you would be so kind as to also provide your summary of what is said in and meant by that text, I would appreciate it.

This was my response:

Illnesses of both minor and major proportions, occurring in ourselves or in our loved ones, has always brought us to question Hashem's part in both the cause and cure. As humans, with our extremely limited view of our own reality, let alone that of Hashem, we can only question WHY?

There is, of course, an answer to that WHY but we do not have it within our scope to know it and, because of that, all we can do is petition Hashem to intervene and, having done that, come to an acceptance that this, too, is part of the Master Plan. Every illness, along with the usual and obvious; pain, grief, anger, etc., if we allow for it, also becomes an inspiration to perform the research and investigations to cure or prevent it from happening to others.

I hope that I have, if not answered your question, given you an insight into how faith in and acceptance of G-D's ways can make our days on earth somewhat easier and more meaningful.

Shalom,
Rabbi Dan

If you have questions about a personal matter, or jewish practices and customs, you can submit them to me by e-mail. I answer all queries directly, or through this column, when the question is informative to our community.

Thank you for your kind attention and this opportunity to share with you,
Rabbi Dan S. Wiko
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