Spiritual Improvement for Chronically Ill
Question
I am currently suffering from a chronic illness. I believe that Hashem has given this to me as a punishment for my many sins. While I am trying to do Teshuva, I am also wondering what is the best way to pray to Hashem for forgiveness and healing. Are there any other things I can do spiritually that may help me?
Answers
Please excuse me for saying this, but unless you have been told by a Kabbalist who is universally acknowledged as being righteous that what you are suffering from is due to a particular sin (or sins) you have done, I do not think that it is healthy to self-diagnose. The ways of Hashem are mostly hidden and are mostly beyond our ability to understand and connect to our lives. Even when it seems that a specific situation is clearly related to something that has occurred in the past, there is no guarantee that this is so.
Having said that, Teshuva and prayer are always a positive things to do, and they can never harm. You can compose your own prayers in whatever language you feel most comfortable in, and you can turn to Hashem at all times. Another powerful method for trying to change a Divine decree is to give charity.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team