The Mitzvah of Visiting the Sick
1. One of the Torah’s important mitzvot is visiting the sick, regardless of their social standing or financial situation. The purpose is not only to visit and talk with the sick person and give them emotional support, but also to help them with everything they need. It is necessary to check whether they have enough food and whether the heating in their room is working. Each Jewish community needs to keep track of how well people are informed about what is happening and establish a system of visits.
There are actually several reasons for visiting a sick person:
a) to bring them everything they need; b) to comfort them and lift their spirits; c) to pray for them; d) the Talmud states that all those who visit a sick person in some sense contribute to their speedy recovery. With each new visitor (if they are the same age as the sick person), 1/60 of the illness may go away.
Therefore, it is necessary to visit even sick people who are constantly cared for, such as those in a hospital.
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Yom Kippur in the beit midrash of Rabbi Shalom of Belz. Everyone had gathered for the morning prayers, but the cantor had still not arrived. He had been delayed because he was helping a seriously ill guest at his hotel, making him hot tea and food. By the time the cantor entered the synagogue, everyone had already recited “Pesukei d’Zimra” (the first part of the morning prayers). He took his place and, seeing the word “Melech” (King) in the prayer book, simply began to tremble. He recalled the dialogue between Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and the Roman general Vespasian. The Talmud relates that Vespasian asked Rabbi Yochanan: “If you called me king, why did you not come to me sooner?”
After the prayers, Rabbi Shalom approached the cantor and asked what had happened that morning. The cantor became frightened and began apologizing, explaining what had happened. “Do not make excuses,” Rabbi Shalom said. “I sensed that you were busy fulfilling a great mitzvah this morning. For it is said: ‘Whoever saves one person is like someone who saves the whole world.’ Know that your prayer was accepted on High, and you will receive a great reward for what you did.”