The Formula for Healing Through Tefillah: Connecting Re’eh Na and Rifaeinu

The Prophet Yeshayahu states:

“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor who are cast out to your house; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light burst through like the dawn, and your healing spring up quickly; your righteousness shall march before you, the Presence of GOD shall be your rear guard.” (Yeshayahu 58:7-8)

Rashi comments on the phrase ‘וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים’, explaining that it refers to those who moan and sigh from their suffering, as in the verses ‘כגון עניי ומרודי’ (Eicha 3:19) and ‘אריד בשיחי’ (Tehillim 55:3). This teaches us that the moans for the poor are not merely sounds of pain but deep expressions of their distress. These groans are, in a sense, prayers—cries to Hashem that arise from the depths of the heart.

When we fulfill this mitzvah of caring for the poor and allow ourselves to truly feel their pain, we are, in essence, davening for them. Crying out to Hashem on behalf of those in distress, poverty, oppression, and those who cannot advocate for themselves is an act of profound empathy and spiritual service.

The Connection Between Re’eh Na and Rifaeinu

The verse goes on to promise incredible blessings: ‘אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ מְהֵרָה תִצְמָח’—”Then shall your light burst through like the dawn, and your healing shall quickly sprout forth.” The use of the word ‘Arucha’ (healing) directly connects to the blessing of Rifaeinu in the Amidah, which also uses the term ‘Arucha’. This suggests a formula for bringing healing into the world.

When we cry out in the blessing of Re’eh Na B’anyeinu (See our affliction), we not only pray for our own needs but align ourselves with Hashem’s attribute of compassion. We ask Hashem to see our affliction and to respond with the same mercy and healing that we are commanded to show to others. It is a reciprocal relationship, a divine mirror—our care for others brings Hashem’s healing upon us.

Practical Application: How to Bring Healing Through Prayer

1. Empathy in Prayer: When saying Re’eh Na, envision those who are suffering—whether they are in physical, emotional, or spiritual pain. Include the poor, the oppressed, the ger, the widow, and the hostages in your prayers.
2. Act and Pray: Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and bring the homeless into your home when possible. Your actions give weight to your words in prayer.
3. Request Healing: As you say Rifaeinu, remember the promise of healing in Yeshayahu. Recognize that when you advocate for others’ well-being, you open the gates of healing for yourself and for the world.
4. Emulate Hashem’s Middos: Just as Hashem sees our affliction and is our Healer, so to can we copy his ways by caring with our actions and  davening for those who suffer to then access the promise of His Healing and Arucha.

May our tefillos be a source of light and healing, and may Hashem respond to our cries by fulfilling the promise: ‘Your light shall burst forth like the dawn, and your healing shall quickly sprout forth.’