The mother who showed off her ‘son the doctor’

By Rabbi Baruch Lederman 

SAN DIEGO — Yosef and all his brothers had a lot of conflict, but in the end, they were a family and truly loved one another, in addition to sharing a  tremendous reverence for their father. Overcoming family friction and honoring parents makes everyone’s life better and richer as the  following true story illustrates:

Martin Greenberg (name changed) recently graduated from medical school and was taking a much needed break at his parents
home. The pressures of  medical school and the boards was intense. He had a little precious time to unwind before beginning the
grueling program of internship and residency.

One day, his mother had company. A number of friends and relatives came to visit and she glowingly told them about her ‘son the
doctor.’ After telling the whole story of his arduous trek through medical and the rigors of the program, she added, “I know what, I’ll call
him down and ask him to take out his stethoscope and listen to everyone’s heart and take their blood pressure.”

She then called Martin and asked him to give everyone an exam ‘just like a real doctor.’ Martin couldn’t help but groan and roll his
eyes to himself. He came home to relax, not to be put on display like a dancing bear. Couldn’t his mother give him some peace for
once in his life? It was annoying and embarrassing.

But in spite of everything else, Martin knew that he was a doctor second and a son first. A son who loved and honored his mother (no
matter how much she drove him crazy). So if taking everyone’s’ vital signs was what she wished, then taking everyone’s vital signs
was what he would do. He took a deep breath, gulped down his pride, and got ready for ‘showtime’.

He began on one side of the room and went around the room listening to each person’s heartbeat and taking each person’s blood
pressure. His mom was kvelling (beaming).

After doing this for a few people, Martin turned to one cousin and asked if he had heart condition. The cousin said no. Martin
explained that he detected a heart defect and urged him to see a cardiologist. Martin wrote down the name and number of an
excellent cardiologist.

The man went to the cardiologist and it was determined that he did indeed have a heart defect. Since it was caught early enough, it
could be treated. Had it gone unnoticed much longer, explained the cardiologist, it would have, in all probability been fatal.

One man’s life was saved because another man did a mitzvah of honoring a parent. Imagine if Martin had protested being shown off!

It is written in the Torah that honoring your parents will lengthen your days upon the earth. Now we see it can also lengthen your
cousin’s days upon the earth.

*
Rabbi Lederman is spiritual leader of Congregation Kehillas Torah in San Diego.  He may be contacted at baruch.lederman@sdjewishworld.com