Conclusion

Torah, avodah, and gemilut hassadim, the central pillars of Jewish practice, are indeed the central resources a Jew uses toward spiritual healing at a time of illness. These practices, which at all times form the basis of a Jew's spiritual life lived deeply, can be refracted through the lens of someone living with serious illness to yield great treasures.

The Jewish people holds tremendous wisdom about living deeply, both at times of abundance, and at difficult times. Our task is to study and practice our inheritance, such that its living waters can nourish us.

Additional articles on Jewish healing may be found in the Sh'ma area of Jewish Community On- Line on America On-Line. Type in keyword ``jewishnews'' and look for Sh'ma.

Rabbi Nancy Flam is a co-founder of the Jewish Healing Center and serves as Program Consultant of the National Center for Jewish Healing.

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