
Chapter 14: Healing Children: An Emotionally Complicated Task
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Description
In this chapter, Dr. Jaffe reflects on the fact that he has practiced medicine for fifty years, finding the career both enjoyable and devastating. He reflects on the opportunities he has had to train many talented individuals, most of whom have succeeded in their fields. He explains that his own faith has been important in shaping his attitudes toward his work, citing the sanctity of life in the Jewish faith. He ends this chapter by paraphrasing a Talmudic expression that counsels never to deprive any individual of mercy.
Identifier
JaffeN_03_20120831_C14
Publication Date
8-31-2012
City
Houston, Texas
Interview Session
Topics Covered
The Interview Subject's Story - View on Career and Accomplishments; Character, Values, Beliefs, Talents; Faith; The Clinician; Human Stories; Offering Care, Compassion, Help; Patients
Transcript
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
I guess I did have one question, which is how have you found yourself able to personally manage the devastating and depressing parts, dealing with children and confronting that? How do you as a clinician help yourself through that?
Norman Jaffe, MD :
I’ve found it with great difficulty, and I’m not sure if I’ve even found it yet. Each one is different. Each one is separate. You develop a different relationship with each one, and as the parents have difficulty, so do I, but you have to show them strength and courage so that they at least can develop the same attitude in life. I’ve told them, “Do not be afraid to cry. Do not be afraid to show your feelings because it does help.” But I’m not sure if one ever develops equanimity. I think it remains with you for the rest of your life.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
It would almost be rather inhuman to develop that equanimity in the face of that.
Norman Jaffe, MD :
Absolutely.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
Do you find—I mean—you mentioned your religion in the context of Saudi Arabia and in a cultural sense. Is your religious life important to you in your medical world?
Norman Jaffe, MD :
Very much so.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
How so?
Norman Jaffe, MD :
As far as the Jewish religion is concerned, there is sanctity of life. One is not permitted, obviously, to kill in any religion I presume, but life is our most precious possession. There is a particular Talmudic expression—I think it’s from the Talmud—which says that you should not remove mercy from any individual, and it’s stated in the following way. I’d quote to you in Hebrew, but you would not understand it. “Even if a sharp sword rests on the neck of an individual and he’s about to be executed, do not remove the concept of mercy from him that he may still be a survivor.” I think it is important that you have feeling for your fellow man and you show the fellow man dignity and understanding, and you can impress the individual with your mercy and your kindness. I think that the world could be a better world whatever the religion is, because I’m sure all the religions do advocate that sort of thing in one way or another. I cannot believe that a religion is there that says that you should kill an individual for absolutely no reason. There are indications, I admit, that even in the Jewish religion one has to consider the possibility of an execution, but it’s an interesting concept. The highest court in the terms of the Bible was constituted of seventy-one individuals. Not seventy, seventy-one. The idea was that if there was one individual who was opposed to it, then that individual had to go free or whatever it was. You had to have 100 percent unanimity. You had to have seventy-one. If you had seventy plus one and one was opposed to it, then there would be no execution. That’s the way we hold the value of life, and it is our most treasured possession. These things impressed me from my youth, and as I went through life I think they became more and more embolden in my own philosophy of life.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
I want to thank you for spending the time this morning.
Norman Jaffe, MD :
I thank you. I just want to have a look at these. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Tacey. I hope that you’ll be successful in what you do, and I look forward to seeing it.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
Thank you very much. I’m turning off the recorder at twenty minutes of 12:00. ( End of Audio Session 3)
Recommended Citation
Jaffe, Norman and Rosolowski, Tacey A. PhD, "Chapter 14: Healing Children: An Emotionally Complicated Task" (2012). Interview Chapters. 1152.
https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewchapters/1152
Conditions Governing Access
Open
