An Italian comedian did a bit about the contrast in talents of different cultural populations. Imagine going to the emergency room and Dr. Pallazzo comes out to see you, you call out, “you got any Leibowitzes back there?” On the other hand, the Jews should get the Italians to cater the Seder, because after breakfast Jewish cuisine has got nothing to offer…
The cliché of the Jewish doctor! That being said…
This week I underwent a medical procedure. We checked in and I got into the gown and into bed. For a half hour or so, various nurses, techs, and other hospital staff approached to go through the preparatory steps required for the procedure. They were all very nice. As a certain point the doctor entered. He gave me a big smile and said Shalom. We chatted for a minute, and he was very up front about his Jewish identity (not that he could have hidden it from me…). This made me quite comfortable about a procedure that was less than thrilling.
While they were wheeling me to the procedure, the doctor looked in on Malkie in the waiting room and chatted with her. During their conversation, he pulled out his Mezuzah necklace and asked if it meant anything to her. To which she replied with a big smile, “it means Am Yisrael Chai” and then promptly invited him for Shabbos dinner.
During the procedure there were several people in the room. They were all wonderful and professional. They kept everything moving like a well-oiled machine. I could not be more laudatory about my experience and that is credit to each of them and the role they played. For some reason, I felt a deeper connection with the doctor. At the time, with the sedation kicking in, I was unable to give it much thought. But as I recovered and reflected more on that, I realized that this was a feeling of brotherhood.
There are many good doctors. Contrary to the comedian’s assertion, they can be of any ethnicity. This was not only about the quality of the medical experience. This was about a soul connection. We are both Jewish and we have a shared history, destiny, and soul. As I drifted off into oblivion, enjoying what they called “the best sleep you will ever have,” the comforting feeling of brotherhood escorted me into la la land.
Y’all, the connection is real. We would do well to embrace it!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin