סימן קצג סעיף א
כְּשֶׁחָלָה הָאָדָם, מִצְוָה עַל כָּל אָדָם לְבַקְרוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּהַקָּדושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁמְּבַקֵּר חוֹלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, בְּפָסוּק וַיֵרָא אֵלָיו ה' בְּאֵלוֹנֵי מַמְרֵא, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא אֵלָיו לְבַקֵּר הַחוֹלֶה. הַקְּרוֹבִים וְהַחֲבֵרִים שֶׁרְגִילִים לִכָּנֵס לְבֵיתוֹ תָמִיד, הֵמָה הוֹלְכִים לְבַקְּרוֹ מִיָד כְּשֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ שֶׁהוּא חוֹלֶה. אֲבָל הָרְחוֹקִים שֶׁאֵינָם רְגִילִים בְּבֵיתוֹ, לֹא יִכָּנְסוּ מִיָד, כִּי הֵיכִי דְלָא לִתְרַע מַזָּלֵהּ לְהַטִּיל עָלָיו שֵׁם חוֹלֶה. וְאֵינָם נִכְנָסִים עַד לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים. וְאִם קָפַץ עָלָיו הַחוֹלִי, גַּם הָרְחוֹקִים נִכְנָסִים מִיָד. אֲפִלּוּ הַגָּדוֹל, יֵלֵךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת הַקָּטָן, וַאֲפִלּוּ כַּמָּה פְעָמִים בַּיוֹם. וְכָל הַמּוֹסִיף, הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָטֹרַח עַל הַחוֹלֶה. הַשּׂוֹנֵא לֹא יְבַקֵּר אֶת שׂוֹנְאוֹ הַחוֹלֶה, וְלֹא יְנַחֲמֶנּוּ כְּשֶׁהוּא אָבֵל, שֶלֹּא יַחְשׂב שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ לְאֵידוֹ. אֲבָל מֻתָּר לְלַוּותוֹ, וְלֵיכָּא לְמֵיחַשׁ, שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ כִּי הוּא שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵידוֹ, בַּאֲשֶׁר זֶהוּ סוֹף כָּל אָדָם. (עַיֵן לְקַמָּן סִימָן רז סָעִיף ב, דְּהַחוֹלֶה אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לַעֲמֹד אֲפִלּוּ מִפְּנֵי נָשִׂיא. וְאִם רוֹצֶה לַעֲמֹד, אֵין אוֹמְרִים לוֹ שֵׁב).
When a person is ill it is a mitzvah for everyone to visit him, for we find that the Holy One, Blessed is He, visits the sick, as our Sages of blessed memory,1Maseches Bava Metzia 86b. explained the verse, "And God appeared unto him [Abraham] in the plains of Mamre,"2Genesis 18:1. teaching us that He came to visit Abraham when he was sick.3After Abraham was circumcised he was ill. Relatives and friends who are accustomed to visit him often, should go to visit him as soon as they hear of his illness. But casual acquaintances, who are not accustomed to visit him often, should not visit him immediately, so as not to deter his chances of recovery by labeling him a a sick person. They should therefore not visit Him until after three days. If, however, one becomes suddenly ill, even casual acquaintances should visit at once. Even a great man should visit a less important person, and even many times a day. The more often one visits, the more praiseworthy it is, providing it is not bothersome for the sick person. You should not visit your sick enemy, nor should you comfort him in his mourning, lest he think that you are rejoicing at his calamity. However, you may attend his funeral, for there is no concern that people will say that you are rejoicing at his downfall, since this is the end of every mortal. (In chapter 207:2 we learn that a sick person need not rise even before the Nasi,4The Nasi was recognized as the leader of all Jewry. but if he wishes to stand we do not tell him to remain seated.)
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)