Not burdening an ill person

Hi,

We are taught to be careful when visiting an ill person, to avoid burdening the patient. This includes being sensitive to the patient's pain as well as potential embarrassment for his his condition, such as by avoiding visits at a time when a patient may have trouble controlling his odor, and avoiding behavior which will make the patient uncomfortable.

(Talmud, Nedarim 41a; Tur Yoreh Deah 335)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Visiting a sick enemy

Hi,

Mahari (ישנות 197) noted that one is obligated to visit people whether he likes them or not, unless his dislike is rooted in dislike for that person's wicked conduct.

Of course, one should not visit an ill person if that would agitate and upset the visited party.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Visiting an ill person who is contagious

Hi,

Although the practice of visiting and taking care of contagious people is much romanticized, from a halachic perspective it is problematic. Is one permitted, let alone encouraged, to endanger himself in order to save the lives of others?

The general consensus seems to be that one may harm himself in order to save the life of another, but one must not guarantee his own death in order to do so.

The application of this principle to visiting ill people in specific circumstances has been much-debated over the ages, and in any particular situation a halachic authority must be consulted.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When to visit the sick

Hi,

We have discussed the view that we visit the sick in order to be inspired to pray on their behalf.

Because of this concern, we are taught not to visit early in the morning. People suffering from certain illnesses are strongest in the morning, and a visitor might feel there is no need to daven.

We are also taught not to visit late at night, because people suffering from certain illness are weakest at night, and a visitor might give up hope.

(Tur and Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 335)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The point of bikur cholim, Part II

Hi,

While it is true that the main purpose of visiting those who are ill is to be motivated to pray for their health, another purpose is to look after their particular needs.

(Talmud, Nedarim 40a; Tur and Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 335)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The point of bikur cholim, Part I

Hi,

The main purpose of bikur cholim - visiting and examining the sick - is to be inspired to pray on their behalf.

(Talmud, Nedarim 40a, Moed Katan 5a, Shabbat 12a; Ramban, Torat haAdam, Shaar haMeichush)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The nature of the mitzvah of bikur cholim

Hi,

There is some debate as to the level of obligation involved in the mitzvah of visiting and examining those who are sick.

The Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avel 14:1) ruled that it is rabbinic, but numerous early authorities (such as Bahag and Rabbeinu Yonah) argue that it is biblical based on the biblical passages cited in talmudic sources, such as Sotah 14a and Bava Metzia 30b.

The Sdei Chemed (Bet #116) reconciles those biblical sources by saying it is an asmachta – a rabbinic mitzvah which is linked in theme to biblical passages.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

New topic: Bikur Cholim - Examining the sick

Hi,

We are instructed to examine the sick; as Gd visited Avraham when he was ill, after his circumcision, so we visit those who are ill.

(Talmud Sotah 14a, Talmud Bava Metzia 30b, Talmud Nedarim 39b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Laws of Rosh haShanah and Eruv Tavshilin

Hi,

In addition to the laws of teshuvah, there are many laws for Rosh HaShanah itself. Please click here to see these laws, from past years. Note that any dates/times mentioned in those emails correspond to calendars of earlier years, and not this year.

This year we will also need an Eruv Tavshilin for Rosh HaShanah and for the first and last days of Succot. Please click here for laws of the Eruv Tavshilin.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Anti-Teshuvah

Hi,

Just as teshuvah works to erase one's sins, so it can actually erase one's merits.

One who performs a mitzvah and then regrets having done it is considered as though he had never performed the mitzvah in the first place.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 3:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Apologizing to a deceased victim

Hi,

If one harmed another person, and then his victim passed away, then he should go to the victim's grave, bringing a minyan with him, and say, "I have sinned to HaShem, Gd of Israel, and to this person, to whom I did ...."

He should also refund any monetary debt to the victim's heirs. If the heirs are unknown, he should leave the money with the local court.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 2:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The obligation to forgive

Hi,

One is obligated to forgive others and not be cruel, once they have sincerely requested forgiveness; to do otherwise is to violate the Torah's prohibitions against revenge and grudge-bearing.

The person who harmed the other is required to apologize and seek forgiveness three times, using various groups of friends to argue his case. If the three attempts do not succeed, his obligation is terminated - unless the offended party was his Rebbe (Torah mentor), in which case he must continue to seek forgiveness.

According to some authorities, one may decline to forgive where this will help the sinner to improve, or where the original sin was one of spreading lashon hara [harmful speech].

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 2:9-10; Rama, Orach Chaim 606:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Repentance for sins against others

Hi,

For sins committed against other human beings, including even verbal provocation, one must provide restitution and gain forgiveness before his repentance will be effective.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 2:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Public admission of sin

Hi,

We have described Viduy, the process in which one verbally admits his sin, apologizes and commits never to repeat it. This is done privately, before Gd.

However: One who sins against other people is encouraged to apologize publicly. Some also encourage public apology for sins which were initially committed in public, even if they were against Gd alone.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 2:5; Raavad ibid)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Specific viduy

Hi,

We have said that teshuvah [repentance] requires viduy [verbal admission of sin].

This viduy must include specific mention of the sin that has been violated, in order to be complete.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 2:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Insincere Viduy

Hi,

We have said that repentance requires Viduy, verbal admission of sin.

Admitting the sin without deciding to abandon it is ineffective.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 2:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Repentance for financial crimes

Hi,

One who harms another person physically or financially does not atone even by paying all restitution and fines, until he admits the sin and repents, committing never to repeat the sin.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Viduy: How much?

Hi,

Although one who has recited Viduy has fulfilled the mitzvah, doing so in greater depth and at greater length is considered praiseworthy.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Viduy: How-To

Hi,

Admitting one's sins (also known as Viduy) includes specifying what one has done wrong, expressing regret for those deeds, and committing never to repeat them.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The mitzvah of teshuvah

Hi,

A Jew is obligated to admit his sins before Gd when repenting from them. There is some debate as to whether teshuvah is actually a "mitzvah," but verbal admission is an essential part of the teshuvah process, and is considered a mitzvah in itself.

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Greetings in Elul

Hi,

"Maharash said: When Elul begins, one who writes a letter to his friend must hint at the beginning that he wishes for the other to have a good new year, along the lines of, 'You should be inscribed and sealed for a good year,' or, 'May the One who establishes the earth give you a good inscription and sealing,' and similar things."

(Maharil, Yamim Noraim 3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Elul is coming,,,

Hi,

"It is written (Yirmiyah 4:3), 'Plow a field for yourselves, and do not plant upon thorns.' Therefore, one must remove the bad roots and bad thoughts from his heart before day of judgment on Rosh HaShanah. One should accustom himself all through Elul to the practices of the ten days of Repentance. It is written in Orchot Chaim that all through Elul one should sit before meals and before sleeping and contemplate himself and investigate his actions, to admit his misdeeds during the coming days of repentance."

(Maharil, Yamim Noraim 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Endangering one's self

Hi,

We have been learning about the mitzvah of Maakeh.

In truth, one who fails to fulfill Maakeh is endangering himself most of all, and might think that this would be up to his own discretion. Nonetheless, one is not permitted to endanger himself, and Jewish courts are empowered to compel him to fulfill this mitzvah.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 427:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tenant Maakeh

Hi,

A renting tenant is obligated to set up a Maakeh.

(Pitchei Teshuvah Choshen Mishpat 427:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Modern Maakeh

Hi,

It appears that the reason many of us do not have a Maakeh on our rooves is that our rooves are not flat, and are not meant for people to walk on them. Were our rooves to be flat or otherwise amenable to traversal, we would require a Maakeh.

Decks and balconies do require a Maakeh.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Protecting visitors

Hi,

The requirement of placing a Maakeh around one's roof extends to remediating any dangerous situation in one's home; one is biblically responsible to shield people from any such situation.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 427:7-8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Maakeh design

Hi,

A Maakeh must be at least ten tefachim (36 inches, per Rav Moshe Feinstein) high, and strong enough that people can lean on it without it collapsing.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 427:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai