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From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 20:06:38 -0500
Subject: Respect for Dying People

In Vol 25 #37 we have the case of a woman dying of cancer who has a few
months to live. She can no longer walk 1.5 miles to shule so she rides
on Shabbath.  Her best friend (and the community joined in) slandered
her Kashruth and people stopped eating by her.

There is actually a related Talmudic precendent:

People would ask (taunt) King David: Does a person who commits
adultery (referring to his sin with Bath Shevah) have a share in the
next world?"  "Yes", replied King David, "if he repents;", "but" he
continued, "those who publicly embarrass people (referring to his
deriders) to not have such a share."

The conclusion: Whatever the seriousness of riding on Shabbath, it would
seem to me that social ostracization of a sick person is also very
serious.

If I can say something constructive, there seems to be a simple solution
to this problem:

1) Let the dying woman stop driving on Shabbath ; 2) Let the Rabbi of
the community organize some type of Bikkur Cholim group to visit her
after shule Shabbath or on Friday night (by using rotation methods you
can insure along visit every week without any one person giving up too
much time 3) Let her friends accept her dinner invitations (after she
stops driving) and bring over food to her.

I must add that I find it odd that there has been recent concern about
tirchah Desibburah ,troubling the community, in reciting MiShebayrachs
on Shabbath this has occupied several MJ postings. I would suggest that
cutting out all Mi Shebayrach and using the gained time to visit a few
sick people would be halachically acceptable to everyone!!

I cannot say that I am unaware of why parents with little children might
want to ostracize people who are mechallel shabbos in order not to
expose children to this (I of course don't agree with it) but in this
case even the "other side" must agree that the motivations of this
person are clear and therefore mercy should be exercised.

Finally just as sins are reversible thru teshuva, so too, illnesses,
even \ cancer, are frequently reversible. Let us pray for a refuah
shelaymah for this woman.  If this posting even remotely increases her
sense of well being because someone cares than I think I have been
Mekayam bikur cholim(via email!)

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