Every single day, several times a day we make a berachah that is truly astounding: the beracha Asher Yatzar. And, baruch Hashem, through the holy work of talmidi hayakar R’ Yossi Hecht and others, this beracha has truly taken on new levels of meaning and attention in recent times. Nevertheless, as in all matters of avodas Hashem, it too can use constant chizuk....
For if we were to focus only on the last words of the beracha, it would change our perspective entirely regarding the miracles and wonders that we are all experiencing daily:
רוֹפֵא כָל בָשָר וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשֹוֹת — He heals all flesh and wondrously does...
The question on this last statement with which we conclude the beracha is that although it is surely self-understood why the ability to use the restroom is a wonder of wonders, why is it also considered a healing and a refuah? Were we sick before we used the bathroom, so that Hashem graciously healed us?
Rashi in Meseches Berachos answers this question very clearly:
כנגד היציאה שהיא רפואת כל הגוף, Regarding its exiting, for it is a healing for the whole body....
That is to say, the words above were written referring to the miracle of elimination, for that is a healing of the whole body.
Imagine if a person was not able to use the bathroom, R”l — what would happen to his body? The reality is, that the bacteria in his body would continue to build up; they would cause terrible infections throughout the body. Thus we see that the wondrous ability that Hashem created for a person to eliminate the waste matter within him is the ultimate refuah and healing possible! As Rashi states, that elimination of the bacteria and waste is a healing of the entire body, as sickness and danger leave the person each and every time he is required to recite this holy beracha!
Considering all the above, we can now truly appreciate the words of Rav Yeruchem Levovitz zt’l, who once said the following: The miracle of using the bathroom is no less of a miracle than the miracle of having a child!
Rav Tuvia Weiss zt”l in his sefer Shaarei Tuvia quotes this statement and wondered where the source for it might be, until he found it in our parashah.
The Torah tells us that Avraham Avinu davened for Avimelech and his people. What brought about the specific need of his tefillos? Since Avimelech had taken Sara Imeinu, his and his nation, the punishment of Shamayim was that they were not able to use the bathroom at all, R”l, causing them to endure great suffering.
Avraham Avinu davened, and Hashem allowed them once again to experience the miracles and wonders that everyone experiences daily. The pasuk highlights this by utilizing this word to describe it: וילדו — and they gave birth; Rashi explains that this word refers to the fact that Hashem once again gave them the ability to eliminate their waste. And amazingly, Rav Weiss points out, the miracle is clearly called וילדו! Which means that in the Torah itself is an explicit mekor for Rav Yeruchem’s great teaching above!
Considering such, it behooves to try our utmost to make a difference in the way this berachah comes flying out of mouths. Should we not learn from here that we really ought to stand in one place while we express our gratitude for a miracle that resembles the likes of childbirth, even though we experience this healing and wonder so many times a day?! Does the fact that Hashem allows it to happen so often take away from its profound greatness?!
And it is also not a wonder then, why Rav Shimshon Pincus zt”l said that if all members of Klal Yisrael would say this beracha properly, there would no longer be any cholim among the Jewish people! Because this berachah is all about refuah it opens up the way for the bounty of refuah to come upon us.... May Hashem allow us to be inspired always....
B’Siyata DiShmaya.
