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The Short Vort- -“On Rabbis and Doctors” (8/12/10)
The Short Vort
Good Morning!
Today is Thursday the 2nd of Elul 5770 and August 12, 2010
On Rabbis and Doctors
Hey did you hear it?
Nu, did you?
Did you really hear it?
I did; did you?
Hear what?
What do you mean ‘what’?
The Shofar, did you hear the Shofar today?
Yes, so what? What’s the big deal anyway?
The Big Deal about the Shofar.
Lesson Number One:
When I was at the doctor for my follow up appointment I had plenty of time to think; indeed, perhaps too much time than I wanted.
The way it works at most doctors these days is the following.
First you enter and you told to ‘sign in’- as if you are there for a conference.
Then you are told to sit down. (You will see that you will be told to sit down many times during your visit).
The receptionist then gets off the phone and says, “Mr. Eisenman, do you still have Blue-Star-Shield New Jersey insurance?”
“Yes I do”.
“Okay, have a seat”. (Again with the seat)
After about twenty minutes- give or take an hour or two- the magic door opens and you are told to come inside.
You are then placed in a holding cell.
A nurse comes in and says, “Why are you here today?”
Before you can answer, she sticks a thermometer in your mouth; ‘cuffs’ you to a blood pressure machine and is taking your pulse.
Then…
In one quick move, the thermometer is out of your mouth, the cuff is off your hand, and she is halfway down the hall as she is saying, “Have a seat, the doctor will be in shortly”.
The word ‘shortly’ is a very imprecise word. Thankfully, I understand ‘doctalk’ I know that in ‘doctalk’ it means anywhere from ten minutes to three hours.
Finally, the door opens and in a flash his highness Herr Doctor appears in the flesh.
As Sir Doctor walks in- he begins to talk… in fact that is all he does- talk; he never listens- he only talks.
After which he announces:
“Okay, now do this and this and the other thing and I am sending you to the hospital to have them run a test on your gall bladder…”
“But Doc, you yourself removed my gall bladder two years ago!”
“Do you want me to help you or not? Alright, forget the gall bladder, but you need a GI series work up and a complete metabolic examination and call me in the morning.”
I was about to ask him something, however, he was already out of the room and with the next patient before I could say anything.
Therefore, our first lesson of Elul and the Shofar is….
Listen to the Shofar and listen to people.
Meaning, take the time to really listen to people; not just to yourself!
Just as you listen to the Shofar, listen to your fellow human being; listen to your friend, your children and your parents- hear their pain!
Give them the attention they need and crave.
People are not ‘things’, they are children of Hashem and they deserve respect.
Doctors help lots of people, however, they could be even better if they would pay more attention to the person inside the physical the body.
The other day I met mother of one of my daughter’s friends at the local grocery.
I stopped, said hello and chatted for a moment.
I left the store and never thought about the incident again until the next day.
My daughter mentioned to me in passing,
“Ta, I spoke to Sora today on the phone and when I called her mother answered.
Her mother told me how she met you at the kosher store yesterday.
She was so excited.
She told me that when she was talking to you, your cell phone rang twice and both times you told the person that you will have to call them back as you are talking to someone now.
She said it was so nice that you gave her your complete attention and that you refused to take a phone call…”
Hey, chalk one up for the rabbi!
Maybe I can’t diagnose a broken femur, but I can see a broken heart from a mile away.