Healing Miracles: Our Journey from Birth Malformation to Gratitude

"Ever since my daughter was born with a colorectal malformation we have had a special appreciation for Asher Yatzar. Baruch HaShem she is doing great now, with just a scar to show for her ordeal."

 

                          

 

When a child falls ill, the world seems to stop spinning. Days blur into nights in hospital waiting rooms, and the rhythms of normal life give way to monitoring symptoms, administering medications, and anxiously awaiting test results. In these moments of profound uncertainty, we discover an unexpected source of strength: the Asher Yatzar blessing.

 

This ancient prayer, traditionally recited after using the bathroom, acknowledges the miracle of our bodies' proper functioning. Its words recognize that our physical existence depends on intricate systems working in harmony - "openings and cavities" that must open and close at precisely the right times. During a child's illness, these words take on a new, profound meaning.

 

Each time a child's body shows signs of healing - a fever breaking, an infection clearing, a test result improving - we find ourselves silently reciting Asher Yatzar. This isn't just spiritual routine; it becomes a conscious practice of recognizing progress in the midst of struggle. By focusing on what’s working rather than what isn't, we maintain hope when despair threatens to overwhelm.

 

The blessing becomes a lens through which to view recovery. Instead of fixating on how far we have to go, we celebrated each small victory: a good night's sleep, improved appetite, a moment of laughter. Each evidence of the body's remarkable capacity for healing - each a reason for gratitude.

 

This practice transforms our emotional landscape during a medical journey. By consciously acknowledging progress through the framework of Asher Yatzar, we train ourselves to spot improvements that might otherwise have gone unnoticed amid larger concerns. This cultivation of positive awareness doesn’t just sustain us - it creates a better healing environment for the child.

 

Medical research increasingly confirms what ancient wisdom has long suggested: that positive outlook influences physical healing. By using Asher Yatzar as a tool for cultivating hopeful perspective, we create space for recovery—both emotional and physical.

 

When a child is ill, we cannot control outcomes, but we can control our response. Through the mindful recitation of Asher Yatzar, we find both the strength to endure uncertainty and the capacity to recognize healing as it unfolds before our eyes.