And you shall surely heal = [Ṿe-rapo yerape] • Vol 3

Abstract

The Talmud (Bava Kama 85a) teaches us that we learn from the words in the Torah (Exodus 21:19) "verapo yerape" (literally, "and he shall heal") that "mi-kan she-nitan reshut la.-rofeh le'rapot" - we derive that permission is given to the doctor to heal. While this special dispensation is given to the doctor, the Talmud elsewhere (Bava Kama 46b) states that it is so axiomatic that a person who is suffering from physical discomfort will turn to a doctor that no verse is needed to teach us such a proposition. In other words, there is a clear recognition that the sick will need the help of doctors; the only caveat is that "ki Ani Hashem rofekha" (Exodus 15:26) - we believe that it is ultimately G-d who provides the healing, and that the doctor must understand that his/ her dispensation to heal only comes through specific license from the ultimate healer of all mankind - G-d himself (from Forward)