Jewish Psychosomatics: The Connection Between the Ears and Spiritual Problems
The Ear—Ozen
The ears allude to faith in the Sages. Pain in the right ear hints that a person is not listening to the Sages when they teach him to be more open, joyful, and understanding of the weaknesses of others. Pain in the left ear hints at stubbornness and defiance, and an unwillingness to observe the restrictions established by the Sages of the Torah. (Rabbi Shalom Arush)
Words spoken softly into someone’s ear are perceived far better than a shout from a distance. When G-d wants to convey something important to us, He “speaks softly” into the “ear” of our soul, and the soul, in turn, dictates His will to the entire body. This is the meaning of the first verse of the portion of “Haazinu 32:1”: “Give ear (open your ears), O heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of My mouth.” The heavens symbolize the soul, while the earth symbolizes the body. If the heavens “open their ears” (the root of the word “haazinu” is “ozen,” ear), if the soul gently accepts the Creator’s instruction, then the earth too will hear “the words of My mouth.” In other words, our bodies will act as G-d commands. Conversely, if the soul is “deaf” to the voice of eternity, G-d will be forced to speak directly into the “ears” of our body. Such a connection is quite painful. Nevertheless, there is no reason to despair. Everything G-d does is for our benefit. When the soul does not respond to the Creator’s call, He draws its attention through the body. This is why, in the Haftarah, the additional passage from the Prophets that we read on Shabbat after the weekly Torah portion of Devarim, the prophet Yeshayahu (chapter 1) reverses the verbs: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth”—Yeshayahu speaks into the “ears” of the earth, not the heavens. He addresses not the soul, but the body. Yeshayahu then warns the Jews, showing them where their sins can lead. (Rabbi Nachum Purer)
Rabbi Zeira said that a person must rid himself of the orlat ozen (foreskin of the ear), so that the ears will not listen to evil; of the orlat sfatayim (foreskin of the lips), so that the lips will not utter evil; of the orlat einayim (foreskin of the eyes), so that the eyes will not look at what is forbidden; of the orlat basar minayin (foreskin of the flesh), so that there will be no obstacle to the covenant with G-d; and of the orlat lev (foreskin of the heart), meaning teshuvah, repentance, as it is written: “And the L-rd your G-d will circumcise your heart.” (Devarim 30:6) Transmission from teacher to student takes place “from mouth to ear.” The word ear in the Holy Tongue is “ozen.” It begins with the letter alef. The words “ozen” (ear) and “moznayim” (scales) share the same root. The word “izun” (balance, “proper proportions”) derives from this same root. Scales are a symbol of just judgment throughout the world. Understanding the Creator’s teachings makes a person just, balanced, and truthful. Interestingly, the vestibular system, which is responsible for stability and balance, is located precisely in the ear. This became known only about 200 years ago, while people had already been using this precise word for more than 5,000 years. (Leib Nachman Zlotnik)
Tehillim for healing the ears according to Shimush Tehillim:
119 (Reish)—right ear; 119 (Tav)—left ear.
Tehillim for Refuah Sheleimah according to "Shimush Tehillim"(from the treatise Shimush Tehillim)
