Moshe Ben-Chaim
I thank my friend
Ari Fischbein for showing me this Mishnaic source last year:
Mishna: Rosh Hashannah 29a
“And it was as Moses raised his hands and Israel was victorious” [over Amalek]. But did Moses’ hands truly make war or break war? Rather, this teaches that as long as the Children of Israel were gazing upwards [at Moses’ hands] subjugating their hears to their God in heaven, they were victorious…and if not, they fell [in battle]. Similarly, “Create for yourself a fiery serpent and place it on a stick. And it will be that when anyone bitten will look at it, he will be live”. But did the serpent kill, or did the serpent heal? Rather, this teaches that as the Children of Israel were gazing upwards [at the serpent] subjugating their hears to their God in heaven, they were healed…and if not, they pined away.”
It is clear from this most authoritative source: it is our inner world that makes a difference to our fate, not physical objects: not even Moses’ hands, and not even the serpent commanded by God. Objects are powerless. Perfection is what concerns God. Therefore, cease from checking your mezuzas when one is sick, or from any activity possessing no natural relationship to your wishes. If someone is ill, barren, single, poor, or distraught for any reason, follow the Torah, and “do not add or subtract from it.”