Saturday, May 14, 2005

Understanding davening: שבת היא מלזעוק ורפואה קרובה לבא

We hear these words every week on shabbos in the מי שבירך לחולים, what does it mean? In today's daf (Shabbos 12a) the gemara says that someone who goes to visit a sick person should say this (שבת היא מלזעוק ורפואה קרובה לבא) to the sick person. Rashi explains, we are telling the sick person to try not to be sad because it is shabbos and a person is supposed to be happy on shabbos. The Ran has a different peshat. He says we are telling the sick person that since it is shabbos we can't daven for him.

Rahsi's peshat fits in better with the מי שבירך לחולים, we say the מי שבירך and then we tell the people in shul, don't be upset about the sick person it is shabbos. However, according to the Ran it is a bit difficult, we are contradicting ourselves, we just said a prayer for the sick person and we end off by saying we really aren't allowed to daven for you. Maybe the pshat is that we are explaining why this is the only tefilla we are saying for the sick person.

2 comments:

bluke said...

Interestingly enough, the Artscroll siddur translates it like the Ran

azh said...

Thanks. Great point. The Aruch Hashulchan in OC 287 asks your question and writes that our minhag makes no sense. According to you our minhag could be in accordance with Rashi. By the way, Th SHulchan Aruich Harav(ibid) rites that one should not say the regular mi shebeirach but only Shabbos hi ..
thanks