RAFUAH SHELAIMHAH – pronounce "rafuah" with two short "a’s" and a long "u" as in "too." The accent is on the second syllable. "Shelaimhah" is pronounced with a short "e", long "a" (as in "tame") in the second syllable, and the short "a" in the third syllable. The accent is on the second syllable.
RAFUAH SHELAIMHAH – Hebrew for "to be well entirely," "to be well (physically) from head to foot."
Many times "rafuah shelaimhah" is written in Hebrew on the front of Jewish get-well cards, and this is the expression that many Jewish people say when they wish someone very good health.
"RAFUAH" comes from the Hebrew word "rapha" – "to heal, cure, to restore to prosperity, to RESTORE in a SPIRITUAL SENSE, from a state of habitual neglect of God’s commandments." "Healed" ("with his stripes we are healed") in Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 53:5 is the Hebrew word "rapha." The context of Isaiah 53 talks about our going astray from God, and the Mashiach (Messiah) suffering and dying in our place for our sins. Taken in this context, then, it is only proper and correct to translate "with his stripes we are healed" as His restoring us, healing us SPIRITUALLY, "from a state of habitual neglect of God’s commandments." Only the Suffering Messiah can do this for us!
"SHELAIMHAH" comes from the Hebrew word "shalom, or "peace," with which you are very familiar. "Shalom" and "shelaimhah," though, come from the Hebrew root word "shalam" which also means "to be entire, well, sound, whole, complete, finished, perfect."
"Rafuah shelaimhah," then, does not just mean to be well physically from head to foot, but in the more important sense – to be well, sound, entire, whole, complete SPIRITUALLY! How we long for the Jewish people to have this spiritual health, wholeness, completeness that only God can give them through their Suffering Messiah.
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect ("shalaim") toward him." – 2 Chronicles 16:9.
"But he was wounded ("pierced") for our transgressions, he was bruised ("crushed") for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace ("shalom") was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed ("rapha"). – Isaiah 53:5.
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." – Colossians 2:9, 10.
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." – I Thessalonians 5:23, 24.