The Illness of Exile and the Joy of Redemption
“And He will remove from you all illness…” (Deuteronomy 7:15)
What is the definition of “illness” in this verse?
The Jerusalem Talmud addresses this question and offers two striking interpretations among others:
Rabbi Chunah said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov:
“‘And He will remove from you all illness’ refers to ra’ayon—troubling thoughts. For Rabbi Eliezer said concerning the verse, ‘He will place a yoke of iron upon your neck,’ that this refers to ra’ayon—oppressive thoughts.”
The Talmud then presents another interpretation:
“Rabbi Avun said: ‘And G-d will remove from you all illness’ refers to the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, whose beginning is sweet but whose end is bitter.”
The Illness of Despair
We must understand precisely what the Talmud means when it identifies thoughts as a form of illness. If the first interpretation already refers to evil thoughts, what is Rabbi Avun adding by identifying the illness with the evil inclination?
One approach is that the Talmud is referring specifically to anxiety, pessimism, and depressive thoughts, which, in many ways, represent the very nadir of illness. Modern society is acutely aware of the pervasive and destructive nature of such thoughts.
Not only do they weaken a person physically and emotionally, making one more vulnerable to illness, but they also lead to profound spiritual deterioration. When a person is depressed, the defenses against the yetzer hara are greatly diminished.
As one great Chassidic master famously observed, while the Torah never explicitly states that depression is a sin, depression can lead a person to commit every sin. Another Chassidic master expressed the idea even more forcefully: the yetzer hara does not desire that we sin nearly as much as it desires that we become depressed because of our sins. Once a person falls into despair, the yetzer hara has gained control.
Depressive thoughts are, in essence, the engine of exile. Indeed, they are synonymous with exile itself.
Exile: Separation from Joy
The Torah later explains that the terrible curses of exile result from our failure to serve G-d with joy.
Galus (exile) is defined not merely by geographic displacement but by spiritual alienation from G-d. When we become estranged from Him, we distance ourselves from the ultimate source of joy, as Scripture declares:
“Strength and joy are in His place.” (I Chronicles 16:27)
This relationship works in both directions. Distance from G-d leads to sadness, and sadness, in turn, distances a person even further from G-d and from joyful Divine service.
Thus, when G-d promises, “He will remove from you all illness,” He is promising far more than physical healing. He is promising the removal of the very essence of exile—the sadness and despair that define spiritual alienation.
“V’Hayah”—The Language of Joy
This idea is hinted at in the opening verse of Parshas Ekev:
“V’hayah, and it shall come to pass, if you will surely listen to these commandments… then G-d will keep for you the covenant and kindness…”
The Midrash teaches that the expression “v’hayah” always connotes joy.
On the simple level, the connection is obvious: observing G-d’s commandments brings a life filled with blessing and happiness.
On a deeper level, Chassidus interprets the word Ekev as alluding to the “heels” of history—the final stage of exile immediately preceding redemption. Accordingly, the Torah hints that joy itself is the force that brings the exile to its conclusion. Joy is the most powerful antidote to exile because it reconnects us with G-d, the ultimate source of all joy.
The culmination of that joy will be experienced in the Messianic era, when our relationship with G-d will once again be fully revealed.
Indeed, joy is among the greatest forces that hasten the coming of Moshiach. It is surely no coincidence that the word Moshiach forms an anagram of yismach (“he will rejoice”) and yesamach (“he will bring joy to others”).
Adam’s Mysterious Statement
This understanding also sheds light on an enigmatic discussion in the Babylonian Talmud.
The Talmud discusses the verse in Psalms:
“And to me, how precious are Your thoughts (rei’echa), O G-d.” (Psalms 139:17)
The Talmud attributes this verse to Adam and comments that Adam spoke in Aramaic.
At first glance, the statement is puzzling. Which word in the verse is Aramaic?
The medieval commentator Yad Ramah explains that the word rei’echa (“Your thoughts”) is Aramaic.
This raises another question. What is the relationship between the word for “thought” in Psalms and the ra’ayon—thoughts associated with illness—in the Jerusalem Talmud?
The Language of Exile
The answer follows naturally from our earlier discussion.
Exile is characterized by anxious, painful, and depressive thoughts, and Aramaic is the language of exile.
This is reflected in several ways.
First, Aramaic became the language spoken by the Jewish people during the Babylonian exile.
Second, the Jerusalem Talmud teaches that Aramaic is the language most suited for dirges and lamentation. It is, so to speak, a language naturally associated with sadness.
Third, the Talmud states that the ministering angels do not understand Aramaic. One explanation is that angels dwell in close proximity to G-d, where sadness has no place.
Thus, when Adam spoke about “thoughts”—which, as we have explained, allude to the sadness of exile—he did so in the language that itself reflects exile.
Why Was Adam Saddened?
What was the source of Adam’s sorrow?
The continuation of the Talmudic passage provides the answer.
Adam was shown a prophetic vision of future generations. Among those he beheld was Rabbi Akiva—his incomparable greatness and, tragically, his brutal martyrdom. Upon witnessing this, Adam exclaimed:
“How precious are Your thoughts, O G-d!”
On the surface, Adam was acknowledging that G-d’s thoughts are beyond human comprehension.
Yet this raises another question. How can the very word that symbolizes the sadness of exile also describe the inscrutable nature of G-d’s thoughts?
The Hidden Essence of Exile
The answer requires a deeper understanding of exile itself.
At first glance, exile appears to be a state of complete concealment—a period in which holiness and goodness are hidden, a condition that we naturally long to escape.
The Rebbe teaches otherwise.
Exile is not devoid of G-dliness. On the contrary, it is rooted in G-d’s most concealed Essence. The tragedy of exile is not that G-d is absent, but that His deepest presence remains hidden from our perception.
Redemption, therefore, is not the destruction of exile but its revelation.
When Moshiach comes, G-d will remove the veil that conceals His Essence. We will then discover that behind all the suffering, pain, and sadness of exile lay an infinite source of Divine goodness and joy.
From Golah to Geulah
This idea is beautifully reflected in the Hebrew words themselves.
The Rebbe often taught that the word golah (exile) and geulah (redemption) are composed of the very same letters, with only one difference: geulah contains the additional letter aleph, representing the Alufo shel Olam—the One Master of the universe.
Redemption does not require eliminating exile. Rather, it requires revealing the Aleph hidden within exile.
Once the Divine Oneness concealed within galus becomes manifest, we will recognize that the very source of all the pain, suffering, and sadness was, in truth, rooted in the highest Divine goodness.
This is why the prophet declares:
“I thank You, though You were angry with me.” (Isaiah 12:1)
In the future, we will thank G-d even for the exile itself, because its hidden, transcendent goodness will finally be revealed and fully experienced.
Why Kaddish Is Recited in Aramaic
The same paradox is reflected in the Aramaic language itself.
According to the Maharal, the angels do not understand Aramaic not because it is spiritually inferior, but because it is spiritually superior. Although it appears clothed in the language of mourning, lamentation, and exile, its hidden source transcends even the spiritual plane inhabited by the angels.
This insight may also explain why the Kaddish prayer is recited in Aramaic.
The central theme of Kaddish is the ultimate revelation of the Messianic Age:
“May His great Name be magnified and sanctified…”
Kaddish proclaims the future time when G-d’s concealed greatness will be openly revealed throughout creation.
Thus, it is fitting that this prayer is recited in Aramaic—the language that embodies the paradox of exile. Hidden within the language of sorrow lies a sublime holiness that will one day be fully revealed, when exile itself will be transformed into redemption and everlasting joy.
