Visiting the Sick

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Visiting the Sick: Practical Parshah—Vayeira

G‑d’s visit to Abraham following his circumcision teaches us some important guidelines in how to properly perform the mitzvah of bikkur cholim—visiting the sick.

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By Mendel Kaplan

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Chabad Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, serving one of Canada’s most dynamic Jewish communities. He also serves as Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service. He is an active member of Toronto’s Vaad HaRabbanim (Council of Orthodox Rabbis), and a voting member of the COR Kashruth Council of Canada’s executive rabbinical board. Rabbi Kaplan is featured regularly on many local television and radio shows. He is a sought after speaker, with hundreds of lectures on Chabad.org. He and his wife, Faygie, are blessed with eight children. Artistically endowed, the rabbi enjoys drawing, sketching and creating charcoal portraits.

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7 Comments

Jenna Basman Madison October 14, 2013

Thanks This was incredibly beautiful and practical. Thank you so much. Reply

kat Germany October 14, 2013

Thank you Rabbi Kaplan Thank you, Rabbi Kaplan for your quick response, as this was indeed a pressing issue for me. Reply

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan Thornhill, Ontario October 13, 2013

Prayers in Hebrew! Never said G-d doesn't hear your prayers. Rather that those in Hebrew are "born aloft" by the Angels. If possible praying in Hebrew is the most effective manner, but that does NOT mean G-d (Heaven forfend) doesn't hear/listen to prayers in other languages. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact the most important ingredient in efficacious prayer isn't the specific words, as much as sincerity... Hope this assuages your fears :-) Reply

kat Germany October 13, 2013

only prayers in Hebrew are brought up to Gd by angels Rabbi Kaplan, if you say this I believe it. I respect other Rabbis the same way though and have heard in another lecture that prayers are heard in every language, as we translated the Torah into 70 other languages.
I'm confused now and also a bit frightened, since I don't say every prayer in Hebrew, of the fact that Gd might not always hear me. Please let me know, what detail am I missing here? Reply

YAZMIN TAYLOR new carlisle, OH November 10, 2011

question where in the scriptures say that angels only speak Hebrew? When the angels appeared to abraham didn't abraham speak semitic language? similar to ancient Hebrew and even before that in the time prior Noah, Enoch? Reply

Rabbi Kaplan Thornhill, ON October 20, 2010

Response! Please watch it again! Of course there is more to this "revelation" than a get-well visit. As mentioned in this very class in the name of the S'forno & the name of the Ohr HaChayim and numerous midrashim there is certainly "more to it." But that wasn't the focus of this particular class... Reply

Billy Washburn Poteet, Texas October 19, 2010

Vayeira This may be true, but is there no more to the visit? Elokainu came to visit the father of a nation of priests. Is it not possible that at this time He came to ordain the Avraham as the priest the begets a nation of priests. It seems that this visit is more profound than even the mitzvah of visiting the sick. Reply

Practical Parshah—Vayeira