Rabbi Meszler simultaneously attempts to provide assistance to three groups of people regarding illness in this 180 page paperback. While you may read the book sequentially, each of the four sections are independent and can be read separately as the author addresses a difference audience in each. The first section focuses on the person facing body or spirit failure; the second section addresses the caregiver. Family and illness is the subject of the third section; universal questions of God are covered in the fourth section. The author includes appendices on the laws of visiting the sick and practical suggestions for the actual visit. The book is easy to read, with large print, cutout boxes, some notes at the end, and is structured around Rabbi Nachman of Breslov's saying regarding the three dimensions that people reach—inward to the self, outward to others and upwards to God.

The book is useful to people who want to understand and better address the issues of illness. By debunking many of the commonly held myths regarding illness, the author helps us deal with the difficulties of sickness and caring for people who are sick. This book is recommended for people searching for answers regarding how to handle illness and who have already read the many other more comprehensive books addressing this topic.

Introduction ix
Raphael: Support for Your Healing xv

PART ONE
Reaching Inward: Coping When You Are Ill
My New Normal 3
Stinkin' Thinkin' 5
"But I Am Not Used to Asking for Help" 7
More Than Just Your Body Is Hurt 11
Seeking Healing: Body and Soul 13
I Am Never Going to Be the Same 17
Identifying Your Exile 23
I Am Afraid I Might Die 26
Bitterness Can Be a Burden 30
The World Is Imperfect 32
Your Body Is a House for Your Soul 37
You Have Inherent Worth, No Matter What 41
How We Mark Moving On 44
When Waking Up in the Morning Is a Miracle 47
When Raphael Makes You Face Forward 50

PART TWO
Reaching Outward: Finding Strength in Caregiving
What You Do Matters 55
It’s Not about You 58
"Don’t Just Do Something. Sit There!" 62
Learning to Listen 67
How You Can Be “On the Level” 70
You May Not Be Able to See the Difference, But It’s There 74
Even God Visits the Sick 79
Emotional Disorders and Addictions Are Jewish Problems, Too 82
Be Who You Are and Do What You Know 85
Be Someone Else’s Angel 88

PART THREE
Gathering Around: Dealing with Family
Where Were You When Mom Got Sick? 93
What Are My Obligations, and What Are My Limits? 96
Too Close for Comfort 104
Who Is Sick? 109
The Meaning of Shalom Bayit (Peace in the Home) 113
When We Cry Out of Love 116

PART FOUR
Reaching Upward: Searching for God
Why Praying Can Help Even If You’ve Never Done It Before 121
Where Did All These Prayers Come From? 124
Grown-up Prayer 128
What Prayer Cannot Do 131
Why “We” Pray 134
What Kind of Powerful? 136
The Morning, Afternoon, and Evening of Your Life 139
When You Need to Scream 144
Why Prayer Works Even When It Doesn’t 148
Finding the Simple Truth in Prayer 150
God Is Right Here and Right Now 154
The End of the Matter: Gratitude 158
Wrestling in Prayer 161

APPENDIX I: Rabbi Nachman’s Silent Scream 163
APPENDIX II: Laws on Visiting the Sick 165
APPENDIX III: Some Guidelines for Visiting the Sick in Today’s World, Based on Jewish Tradition 169

Notes 173
Recommended Reading 179