Hasidut untuk Mazmur 41:4

1. This is the aspect of the commandment to visit the sick. One is required to visit the sick and to explain his face; in other words, what people enter into regarding him and supervise his business and give him all that he requires, as it is written in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah Siman 335 Seif 8) that this is the aspect of illuminating the face. For they do not hide their face from him nor do they remain in their houses. Rather, they come to him and perform his necessities and speak to/on his heart, for all this is the aspect of illuminating the face. Through this one brings down upon him vitality from the aspect of illuminating the face from above. For from there is the essence of vitality to reinvigorate the sick in the aspect of the light of the Face of the living King, as it is written in the Torah (meaning in Likutei Moharan) as explained above. Then the Shechinah will be above the sick persons's head (Shabbat 12) as it is written (Psalms 41:4) "Hashem will sustain him on his sickbed; You shall wholly transform his bed of suffering", etc. Therefore, the light of the Shechinah is drawn down upon him, which is the aspect of the light of the true tzaddik that watches out for all the sick, and in particular those who are very sick. For they are in the aspect of 'You shall wholly transform his bed of suffering'. One must greatly watch over (i.e. supervise) them to draw down upon them complete vitality of healing and spirituality in a method that he is able to illuminate in them the perception of G-dliness, as explained above. For this is the essence of the greatness and virtue of the tzaddik, that he can make efforts to heal the very sick. Therefore specifically due to the fact that he is sick, 'You shall wholly transform his bed'. Due to this specifically, the Shechinah rests above his head, in the aspect of the light of the tzaddik. Because the tzaddikim are the Shechinah of Hashem, and this is the aspect of (Genesis 18:1) "Hashem appeared to him" - to visit the sick. For specifically due to the fact that he is ill, and it is necessary to visit him, because of this specifically "Hashem appeared to him", the aspect of the perception of G-dliness that the ill merit through the light of the tzaddik, which is the Shechinah, as explained above.

And this is the aspect of Chanukah and Purim, which are the aspect of the mitzvah of visiting the sick. For they are days which are very good and holy, even though they are not yom tov, because it is not forbidden to work (on them). They are the aspect of, as seen above, the aspect of the illumination of the perception of G-dliness upon the very ill through the great strength of the tzaddik, who can create vessels and wondrous contractions like these, etc., as explained above. This is like, for example, when a person is healthy, certainly the king will not come to him to see his face (i.e. to visit him). Rather, all those who want to see the king and to be refined by the light of his face must clean and purify himself very very well, and to adorn himself as is fitting, and to strive for the doors of the king and to request from those who see the face of the king that he obtain permission to enter and to use all the strategems that pertain to this until he merits to come before the king. And it depends upon his level if he enters to the courtyard of the king or to the house or to the hall, etc. (This is) in order for the king to illuminate his face. However, when one of the king's men falls ill, and is upon an anguished couch, G-d save us - Then when the mercy of the king is awakened to receive vitality from the light of his face, then the king is compelled to go to him, to his house, to illuminate his face and to give him vitality, and this is the aspect of the Shechinah above the head of the sick, as explained above. This is the aspect of Chanukah and Purim which are holy times that were given to us to enliven us during these days of butter exile, when the congregation of Israel is called 'sick', as it is written in the Holy Zohar in the aspect of (Song of Songs 2:5) “Sustain me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, For I am faint with love.” And from our heavy sickness we are unable to ascend and see and bow before Him during our Three Festivals, to enter into His Holy House which is the Beis HaMikdash, to receive the Light of the Face. For 'because of our sins we have been exiled from our land, and we are far', etc., and 'we are not able', etc. (Liturgy). Therefore, the Master of Mercy has mercy on us from his enormous mercy, and gives us these three holy days, which are Chanukah and Purim, that the great tzaddikim - the Men of the Great Assembly - rectified for us, in order to drawn down upon us the Light of the Face into our houses in our current exile; that every one in his house may merit to light the Chanukah candles on Chanukah, which is the aspect of the Light of the Face, the aspect of (Psalms 104:15) "oil that makes the face shine". This is the aspect of the perception of G-dliness, as explained above. Also during Purim, every one draws down upon himself the aspect of 'receiving the Torah' which we receive now every year in the midst of our exile, in the aspect of (Esther 9:21) 'to observe and receive'. Therefore, Chanukah and Purim are in the aspect of festivals. This is the aspect of the mitzvah of visiting the sick, as seen above, that Hashem Yisbarach has mercy on us, and travels to visit us and illuminate us with his Holy Face in the midst of our exile, for we are sick like this, as every one knows in his soul. And He, in His mercy, visits us and enlivens us with the Light of His Holy Face, through the holiness of these holy days which He has given us, which are Chanukah and Purim, which are holy days in the midst of the 'profane'. They are the aspect of 'the days of exile'. For then we have no strength to ascend to Him to the Beis HaMikdash to receive the Light of the Face. Only He, May he be Blessed, draws down upon us the Light of the Face in the midst of our houses, in order to enliven us through the great and true tzaddikim that are in every generation, who engage in our rectification, and who make great efforts to enliven the very sick, as explained above.

“I do not fear any weakness that may arise on account of my fast, for many people become ill even without fasting. Moreover, the Shechinah sustains those who are ill,⁶⁵Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 12b as it states,⁶⁶Psalms 41:4 “HaShem sustains him on the sickbed.” Thus, HaShem, in His kindness, will sustain me. Moreover, in doing so,⁶⁷Kings I 2:2 “I am going the way of all the earth,” and am not deviating from the standard.