(c) Apr 18 2001 RashiYomi Inc. MY COLLECTED & INDEXED MAIL JEWISH POSTINGS-Ver #1
Individual Postings 1st appeared(& were copied in html form) on the Email List Mail Jewish

From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 11:54:09 -0500
Subject: Caring for Sick people vs Mechallel Shabbos

I am sure we were all touched by the recent anonymous posting of a woman
who is dying of cancer and therefore rides to shule on shabbath because
she can no longer walk.  Her friends have begun slandering her and not
trusting her Kashruth.

I would like to offer some simple suggestions which might help:

1) I would suggest that the Rav of the community set up a rotational
sequence of members to visit this woman on Shabboth...that way she gets
visited once a week while no one member has to say spend more than one
Shabboth a month by her.

2) I would suggest Mishebayrachs be made for her every week in her shule

3) I would also suggest that her friends visit her during the week with
prepared foods they have made (after all if she can't walk to shule she
probably has difficulty preparing food).

4) I urge that people have an attitude that even though this is a
serious disease there are people who have been cured of it.

5) Finally with respect to the halachic problems of eating Kosher by a
person who is Mechallel Shabbos.  The issue of helping such people (this
is a different question than say eating by them) is discussed in Rambam
Laws of Murder, Chap 13, last law: Rambam states that even if you see a
Jew sinning and rebuke him and he doesn't accept it, nevertheless, as
long as he believes and is attached to the Jewish people it is incumbent
to help his overladen animals "lest the person become anxious about his
property ...".

If we have to care about the women's property we certainly have to care
about her herself (Bikur Cholim).  I would strongly urge the Rav of the
community to urge his congregants to separate eating and caring issues.
Hopefully of course, if enough people visit her she may stop riding.

Finally, let us remember that the Talmud relates that one of Rabbi
Akivah's students was sick and Rabbi Akibah visited him every day until
he got better.  Rabbi Akiva then realized how important Bikur Cholim is
since it led to this student getting better and began preaching to that
effect.

Refuah Shlemah to you, among the sick of Israel

Russell Hendel, Ph.d, ASA, rhendel @ mcs drexel edu