In November 2019, a friend of mine started a whatsapp Tehillim group where each person chimes in to recite the next mizmor Tehillim until the entire book is recited and is started again. I happen to presently be a part of two such groups- one of which was started by a Yavneh faculty member during the intense first year of Covid which is still going strong. The one I joined in November 2019 was not the typical one that you would imagine as it is dedicated to what she called “Refuat HaNefesh”- healing of the soul.
These were her words when she started the group:
Hi all. I wanted to start a new Tehillim group. I am sure that everyone on this list can think of at least one friend, family member, friend’s child, etc. that is suffering from some sort of mental illness that can benefit from help from Hashem to help them or their family member to be healed. In the zechus of our tefillos, may all those who are suffering merit a complete refuas hanefesh.
Each day, when I look at this group, it reminds me that as we say the משברך לחולים in shul we ask for רְפוּאַת הַנֶּֽפֶשׁ וּרְפוּאַת הַגּוּף- healing of the body and soul. There are numerous people who need the healing of the soul from mental illness. And, we know as we say in Tehillim 147:3 daily as part of Tefillah that Hashem is הָ֣רוֹפֵא לִשְׁב֣וּרֵי לֵ֑ב Who heals the brokenhearted. We know that Hashem helps us heal our mental health illnesses as well.
This is a message that recently came up in my Melachim 1 class that I teach to 8th graders (shout out to an amazing class!). We learned about the building of the Beit HaMikdash by Shlomo HaMelech and interestingly enough we looked at mizmor 30 in Tehillim referring to its building which begins with the words “מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁ֤יר חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד” A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of David” But, Dovid HaMelech didn’t build the Beit HaMikdash. In fact, we know he was not allowed to do so, so why is it called “the dedication of the house of Dovid”? He was not even alive when the Beit HaMikdash was dedicated?! Rabbi Chaim Jachter in the article Tehillim and our Relationship with Hashem – Part Two offers various explanations which we discussed in class. One particular explanation, from the Ibn Ezra focuses on the words from pasuk 3- : ה’ אֱלֹקי שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֜לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי O Lord, I have cried out to You, and You have healed me where Dovid HaMelech thanks Hashem for healing him. Rabbi Jachter notes:
The Ibn Ezra also cites Rabi Moshe Ibn Jikitila, who suggests that the Mizmor celebrates David HaMelech’s recovery from the serious depression he suffered when he was informed that he would not build the Beit HaMikdash (Shemuel II chapter 7), his greatest ambition (see Tehillim 27:4 and Radak’s explanation of Tehillim 3:5). Ibn Jikitila explains that David recovered from this depression when he was informed that his son would build the Mikdash. Accordingly the building of the Mikdash is coupled with David’s recovery from psychological illness.
An important implication of this approach is that Ibn Jikitila regards depression as a legitimate illness…. In the social realm, one who suffers from depression should not be dismissed as “abnormal,” just as we do not regard someone with a broken leg as “abnormal.” Similarly, one who suffers from depression should not feel ashamed anymore than he would with a broken arm.
This was a perfect opportunity (a teachable moment!) to discuss with the students that mental illness is an illness like any other. We target the stigma regarding mental health head on in our Mental Health awareness workshops I designed for our 8th graders implemented by guidance staff along with mental health practitioners in our community. Students learn that there is nothing to be ashamed of and the importance of noticing warning signs in themselves and in friends and how to get help.
I was thinking of the Refuat HaNefesh Tehillim group today, on May 1, after I read an article in The Jewish Standard sharing that May is mental health awareness month. Dena Croog, who founded Refa’enu, an organization dedicated to mood disorder awareness, wrote an incredible article where she shared that she interviewed family members of those suffering with mental illness. She had intended to paraphrase their words in her article, but decided to share verbatim their exact “raw, eye-opening, down-right honest depiction of what it’s really like to have a child with depression or bipolar disorder.” I don’t think I can say it better than the article says it itself. Please take the time to read this article to truly understand and to “...catch a glimpse of the struggles and triumphs that come with having a loved one with mental illness. What is it like to talk with someone who is depressed or manic? What kind of help is out there? What are barriers to treatment? What can we be doing better, both as individuals and as a society?” at:
https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/portrait-of-families-in-turmoil/
One more item that I would like to add is my personal frustration regarding one area of mental health services and the religious community- a significant area in which we need to be doing better! We still need to do more work to provide therapeutic schools and inpatient intensive support in a religious setting so that our children do not need to choose between continuing their Jewish education and growing Jewishly and getting the mental health support they desperately need. It is so painful for parents to have to make the decision to send their children to an environment where their child’s religious identity will be at stake. This has been a passion of mine for some years now and I am still working on it!
This Mental Health Awareness month, let us consider what we as a community are doing to make things better and to support each other.
Advisory Update:
Sixth Grade; Students began a unit on Social Exclusion and Peer Harassment and spoke about L.E.A.D.E.R.S. strategies to step up.
Seventh Grade: Students began their unit of Do Not Stand Idly By and the importance of doing something when there is injustice in their world and community. They heard a presentation by Stand With Us about defending Israel and began discussing how the BDS movement is harmful to Israel.
Eighth Grade: Students began a unit on Substance Use and focused on the harmful effects on the brain.
No comments:
Post a Comment