Brachot begins by discussing the Shema and the obligation to say it morning and evening (“when you lie down and when you raise up”) After the Shema is said in Ma’ariv, the evening service, Talmud asks why we say a third bedtime Shema and immediately asserts that the bedtime Shema keeps one’s soul from the Evil Inclination, and keeps one’s physical body safe from demons.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan assert that whoever engages in Torah study is spared in physical afflictions. They connect the Shema to Torah study, since the Shema is both Torah study and prayer.
Talmud asserts that if a person suffers harm, they should examine themselves to see if they committed a sin which leads to suffering (Lamentations 3:40). If a person did not find any sin, then they should attribute the suffering to not enough Torah study, citing Psalms 94:12 “Fortunate is the person who God afflicts, and whom you teach from your Torah.”
If a person has been diligent in their study of Torah, then these are sufferings of love, citing Proverbs 3:12 “God rebukes the one God loves.”
Sufferings of love are generally understood to increase a person’s reward in the world to come. Rambam states that sufferings of love atone for sins that were committed unintentionally, שגגות. Rashi states that sufferings of love allow a person to increase their reward in the world to come, more than they would merit otherwise. Other commentators quote Pirkei Avot 5:32, “The reward is in proportion to the exertion.” Studying Torah when one is sick is harder than when one is healthy, so by being physically ill we can be rewarded to a greater measure.
The Talmud continues its discussion of sufferings of love. It asserts that for something to be a suffering of love (and increase one’s reward in heaven) the ailment has to be accepted with consent. After a prolonged discussion about sufferings of love, the Gemara, part of the Talmud, tells stories of Rabbis who were experiencing sufferings of love.
Rabbi Yohanah is one of the Rabbis who taught us about sufferings of love. What are some alternative responses Rabbi Yohanan could have given his student Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba?
What reward is Rabbi Yohanan talking about?
A beautiful line of Talmud.. can you restate it in your own words?
The Gemara relates that Rabbi Elazar, another of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s students, fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and saw that he was lying in a dark room. Rabbi Yoḥanan exposed his arm, and light radiated from his flesh, filling the house. He saw that Rabbi Elazar was crying, and said to him: Why are you crying? Thinking that his crying was over the suffering that he endured throughout his life, Rabbi Yoḥanan attempted to comfort him: If you are weeping because you did not study as much Torah as you would have liked, we learned: One who brings a substantial sacrifice and one who brings a meager sacrifice have equal merit, as long as he directs his heart toward Heaven. If you are weeping because you lack sustenance and are unable to earn a livelihood, as Rabbi Elazar was, indeed, quite poor, not every person merits to eat off of two tables, one of wealth and one of Torah, so you need not bemoan the fact that you are not wealthy. If you are crying over children who have died, this is the bone of my tenth son, and suffering of that kind afflicts great people, and they are afflictions of love.
According to these stories, how should we act when visiting the sick?