It's easy to take it all for granted, this amazing vessel that carries us through life. But maybe King David was onto something when he sang, "Bless the Lord, O my soul."
That line, the opening of Psalm 103, echoes a sentiment found in Psalm 139:14: "I will give thanks to You, for I am awesomely and wondrously made; Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows it well." It’s a powerful acknowledgement of the sheer miracle of existence. And the Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Psalms, dives deep into what makes us so "awesomely and wondrously made."
Rabbi Avdimi, son of Rabbi Nahman, offers a fascinating, almost paradoxical idea: "There is a bad thing that is good to acquire and a good thing that is bad to acquire." It challenges our easy assumptions about what is beneficial and what is detrimental. But it sets the stage for what comes next.
The Midrash then breaks down the human being into ten distinct parts, each with its own function, its own role in the grand symphony of the self. It’s not just about anatomy; it's about the spiritual significance embedded within our physical forms. Let's take a look:
First, there's the throat, the instrument of speech. Think of all the words that flow from it – blessings, curses, stories, songs. Then, the esophagus, the pathway for nourishment. Next comes the liver, the seat of anger. And then the lungs, vital for the breath of life.
The list continues: the bile, associated with jealousy; the stomach, linked to sleep; the intestines, responsible for grinding and processing; the spleen, believed to be the source of laughter; the kidneys, connected to counsel and advice; and finally, the heart, the center of understanding.
Each organ, according to this ancient understanding, is not merely a biological component but a reflection of a specific human trait, a specific aspect of our inner lives. Some of these connections are intuitive, others perhaps less so. But the overall picture is one of profound interconnectedness.
It’s a holistic view of the human being, where the physical and the spiritual are intertwined. Each part, even those associated with negative emotions like anger or jealousy, plays a crucial role in the complete picture. It's a reminder that even our flaws, our imperfections, are part of what makes us… us.
And that brings us back to David's praise. Realizing the complexity, the sheer improbable miracle of our existence, how could we not give thanks? "I will give thanks to You, for I am awesomely and wondrously made."
So, the next time you find yourself caught up in the everyday, take a moment. Acknowledge the incredible machine that is your body, the intricate tapestry of emotions and functions that make you uniquely you. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourself echoing David’s words: "Bless the Lord, O my soul."