Reflection on Healing in Contemporary Li
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The quest for authentic Jewish healing practices poses a critical challenge for liberal Judaism: how to embrace spiritual healing without falling into fundamentalism or abandoning theological depth. Healing transcends mere physical cure or emotional comfort, emerging instead as "the transcendence of illness, of body and/or spirit, through the affirmative response to the blessing of life and the acknowledgment of the gift of living." Through textual analysis and theological reflection, a comprehensive liberal Jewish theology of healing emerges, structured around three divine attributes: God as Creator (corresponding to healing of the body), God as Revealer (healing of the spirit), and God as Redeemer (healing of wholeness). These attributes align with traditional Jewish prayer categories of *refuat ha-guf*, *refuat ha-nefesh*, and *refuah sh'leimah*. By examining classical Jewish texts, liturgical traditions, and contemporary pastoral concerns, the research constructs a framework that maintains theological integrity while addressing practical needs. Liberal Judaism ultimately reveals itself capable of providing authentic spiritual resources for healing that transcend physical cure, emphasizing the integration of body and spirit within a covenantal relationship with God. This approach offers meaningful guidance for congregational healing services and rabbinic pastoral care while acknowledging the limitations of religious healing claims.

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Published 1997
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Richard Hirsch