When a person has a fever,听Rebbe听Yochanan explains:听鈥淕o to a place where there is a bush,听tie a strand of hair to said bush, and for three days (the length of most feverish illnesses), trim the bush a little each day and recite the following:听鈥�And听the angel of God appeared to Moshe in a blazing fire in the midst of a bush.鈥欌��

Why use the burning bush text here? Let鈥檚 unpack this ritual:

The strand of hair, while odd, does make sense with modern science. Within a single strand of hair exists our DNA, meaning that our physical make-up is tethered to the bush in this ritual.

Why the trimming of the bush?听Rav听Acha听bar听Rava explains听that as a person cuts away at the bush, he should say:听鈥淏ush, bush! God did not choose you because you are higher than all of the other trees,听but rather because you are lower than all of the other trees.鈥�

Anyone who has ever been sick knows this. In the process of recovery and healing, we experience humility. When we鈥檙e ill, we recognize the immense wisdom of the听bracha听Asher听Yatzar, the Divine gift of everything working smoothly. We are fragile, finite, entirely dependent on God鈥檚 will听and the miracle of healing.

The听act听of cutting away at the bush is the physical representation of our emotional acceptance that nothing is eternal but God. And yet with pruning, a bush can thrive. A person can go through the cuts, struggles and听fevers of life and come out more vibrant and听full听than she otherwise would be.

With pruning, a bush can thrive. A person can go through the cuts, struggles and fevers of life and come out听more vibrant and听full听than she otherwise would be.

But the message of this ritual is most profoundly conveyed in the reference to听Parshat听Shemot鈥檚听text itself: By all logic, the fire should have consumed the bush. So too with a fever in the body. And so,听Rebbe听Yochanan听advises us to use the burning bush as a听prayer– that听God听should save the body from destructive heat just as He preserved the bush from the blazing fire.

Healing is as miraculous and worth celebrating as the听burning bush. As someone with a toddler who had a fever this past week during the听covid听surge, I affirm this with gratitude (not听covid-related, and Ella is recovering, Baruch Hashem!)

Halachically, a person who was sick and has been healed recites听birkat听hagomel,听a ritual upon healing, but听Rebbe听Yochanan鈥檚听burning bush听ritual is live, happening in the midst of sickness, before healing. It holds our hand as we are ill and on the road to recovery.听Rebbe听Yochanan听was known to offer his hand to others when they were ill:听鈥淕ive me your hand,鈥� he would say, and he would lift his fellows out of their illness and suffering.

As we face illness today that has again impacted daily life and our sense of security, we can gain听chizuk听and hope from听Rebbe听Yochanan鈥檚听ritual. We can read the text of our听parsha听补蝉听补听prayer听to听God. Our sanctuary is emptier than usual, upstairs is not filled with kids, and the words of听kiddush听I will say in a moment will not lead to the schmoozing we ordinarily savor. And yet we are still here together, davening, learning Torah, and sharing love and commitment. We have not and will not be consumed. With this on our hearts, I invite you to close your eyes and join me in a听prayer:

鈥淗ashem, remember us down to the details of our DNA, which You gave us. Protect us and all of Your creations. We recognize we are fragile and that all life is in Your hands. Give us Your hand. Lift us up as听Rebbe听Yochanan听was known to do for his fellows. We may feel cut down, as though over the past two years we grow only to be cut down. Turn those cuts into the very pruning that will lead to our flourishing ahead. In the midst of the fire,听You听have already made the impossible听possible: the wisdom to create vaccines, boosters, and therapies; the community and medical guidance that have steered us and grounded us.

鈥淩ight now, we hold in our hearts all who are ill, all who are isolated, all who are afraid, all who are frustrated. We ask that You hold us too, such that the blazing fire does not consume, but rather proves to be the beginning of our story of redemption.听鈥楢nd听the angel of God appeared to Moshe in a blazing fire in the midst of a bush.鈥欌��

Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn is a member of the spiritual leadership at B鈥檔ai David-Judea Congregation in Los Angeles, and she is a Board Certified Chaplain with Neshama: Association of 91传媒 Chaplains.