[Avodah] Keri'ah and berikha

[Moshe Y. Gluck]

R' AF:
: The Midrash Rabba Bereishit 39:12 includes a discussion about bowing...
:> Rabbi Chiya Rabba her'a kheri'ah lifnei Rebbi venitrape; uvar Sissi her'a
:> verikha lifnei Rebbi venifsach velo nitrape.

: Question: what was the likely nature of their injuries? Why was R' Sissi's
: injury worse?
R' MB:
1- I had always imaging a slipped disk. Chazanim have a hard time getting up
from keri'ah without using their hands -- and that's with people on either
side to grab his arms and help. If R' Chiya Ruba tried doing so without
help, and we do not know how old he was, it seems quite likely he would
injure his back by trying to do so.
<SNIP>
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I was waiting to see if we had any orthopedists, chiropractors,
physiatrists, or physical therapists on list before I gave my own uninformed
two cents. But, since not very many people addressed this, I just want to
add that I googled gymnast and contortionist together with the words spinal
injury, injury, and so on. There are many, many ways to injure your back and
hips! Could very well be that one was injured one way and the other another,
because they were in different positions (as per the gemara). But I think we
really need the professionals' opinion as to what was the specific way -
does anyone know a chiropractor? Or a gymnast? 

KT,
MYG