Detail from Marc Chagall’s “The Sacrifice of Isaac” (Rokus Cornelis/Wikimedia)
Three years ago, my son, Joshua, then 21, was weighed down by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and could hardly walk up half a flight of stairs. He could barely even speak. Unable to attend Rosh Hashanah services at synagogue, we prayed at home. I handed Joshua a Shofar, the rams horn traditionally blown on the holiday, and he astounded us all by blasting it with unprecedented power and fury. It was a miracle. A sign, we hoped, that healing, with Divine intervention, would swiftly follow.
It hasn’t. Joshua’s health has taken a turn for the worse. The world’s health and spirit has taken a turn for the worse. Can I believe that either will ever get better?
Putting the shofar in Biblical context takes us back to the Akeidat Yitzchak (the “binding” of Abraham’s son, Isaac, for sacrifice. In brief, the Genesis narrative tells the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son, a command Abraham is prepared to obey, when at the last moment an angel intervenes, directing Abraham to sacrifice a ram instead.
Despite its “happy” ending, the story has disturbed and perplexed for thousands of years. Yet context is again important. Abraham lived in a clannish, tribal world where daily survival was a challenge. Child sacrifice to appease the “gods” was not uncommon. The ultimate rejection of Isaac’s sacrifice thus sent a dramatic, radical message to the world.
God’s intentions are not always evident or obvious in the moment. But I believe that His healing presence is here now, as it was then.
Which brings me back to Joshua. Father and son. Joshua has a rare combination of both immunological and biomechanical presentations of ME/CFS. Scientific standards for testing and treatment are still emerging. Medical providers often work in narrowly specialized silos, some performing invasive testing or procedures that no one else in the world performs.
At this writing, we are at the precipice of making testing and treatment decisions that carry life-altering risks or rewards. Joshua and I inch towards a medical alter. And all this amidst a turbulent world. We sometimes feel alone. But I believe that we are not alone.
Dear God, I can’t demand a miracle or timetable for healing. But I can ask for Your support. And for Your guidance. May we both be blessed to hear Joshua blow his shofar once again.
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