It was the practice of Tam and Chacham to walk together in the late afternoon. One day they were approached by a sick man during their walk. The sick man asked the two holy rabbis what he should do to be cured.
Chacham advised the sick man to pray to Av haRachaman (Father of Mercy) for a recovery from his pain and sickness as it is written: “Heal me, O L-rd, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise. “ (Jeremiah 17:14)
The sick man looked at Chacham and quietly explained, I cannot pray very well and my voice is but a very small voice becxause of my pain and sickness.
Tam saw the pain of the sick man and comforted him by reminding him that the Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses Our Teacher) taught us in the Torah (Scriptures), “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Tam continued, “Be strong and of good courage; have no fear . . . for the Eternal One, your G-d, is the One who goes with you, never failing you or forsaking you. (Deuteronomy 31:5) and always remember that the words of the Holy One, blessed be He ‘I see your journey, and I bring healing. I will guide you and bring solace to you. Says the Eternal G-d: I will heal you!’ ” (Isaiah 57:18-19)
Tam and Chacham spoke for a long time with the sick man when a farmer, who had been listening said to them, said, “You’re interfering in something that’s none of your business! G-d afflicted him with illness and you want to heal him?”
Chacham answered, “Don’t you as a farmer do the same?” Tam added, “The Master of the Universe created the earth, but you have to plow, till, fertilize and cultivate it if you want the land to produce a harvest. ‘As for man, his days are as grass’ (Psalms 103:15). The human body is the tree, the medicine is the fertilizer and the physician is the tiller of the earth. Besides ‘The L-rd created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible man will not despise them.’ “ (ben Sira/ Sirach 38:4)
Based on Midrash Shmuel 52a
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)