When a person requires compassion, God sends him compassion so that he shows compassion for others, and as a result he is shown compassion. As our Sages teach: Whoever shows compassion for God’s creations, is himself shown compassion (Shabbat 151b). And as it is written (Deuteronomy 13:18), “He will give you compassion, and you will be compassionate.”
Now, the trait of compassion is dependent upon daat (holy knowledge). Someone who has daat, has compassion. This is because anger, which is the opposite of compassion, is the result of foolishness. As it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:9), “Anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
Thus, our Sages teach: When someone lacks daat, it is forbidden to show him compassion (Berakhot 33a). For if he has no daat, he has no compassion, because “anger rests in the bosom of fools.” It is therefore forbidden to show him compassion. For anyone who shows compassion, is shown compassion, as mentioned. But if he has no compassion, it is forbidden to have compassion for him.
Now, Shabbat is an aspect of daat. This is because concerning the entire week it is written (Numbers 11:8), “The people ShaTu (strolled about) and gathered it”—with ShTuta (foolishness), as it is written in the Zohar (II, 63a). But on Shabbat, daat is drawn to each person.
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וְזֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִין הַמְבַקְּרִים לְהַחוֹלֶה:
This is the meaning of what is said by those who visit the sick:
[Shabbat] is capable of compassion—That is, Shabbat, which is the aspect of daat, makes [another] “capable of compassion.” [Hence “shet’rachem,” which] is a second person form. In other words, “you should show compassion.” Through the daat which you possess from the aspect of Shabbat, you will have compassion for others. And, since you will show compassion, you will surely be shown compassion from Heaven. “For anyone who shows compassion…,” as above.
הַנִּכְנָס לְבַקֵּר אֶת הַחוֹלֶה בְּשַׁבָּת, אוֹמֵר: יְכוֹלָה הִיא שֶׁתְּרַחֵם (שבת יב):
One who visits the sick on Shabbat should, upon entering, say, “Yekholah Hee Shet ’rachem ([Shabbat] is capable of compassion).” (Shabbat 12a)
כִּי כְּשֶׁאָדָם צָרִיךְ לְרַחֲמִים, הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹלֵחַ לוֹ רַחֲמָנוּת, שֶׁהוּא יְרַחֵם עַל אַחֵר, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קנא:): כָּל הַמְרַחֵם עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים י״ג:י״ח): וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחֲמְךָ.
When a person requires compassion, God sends him compassion so that he shows compassion for others, and as a result he is shown compassion. As our Sages teach: Whoever shows compassion for God’s creations, is himself shown compassion (Shabbat 151b). And as it is written (Deuteronomy 13:18), “He will give you compassion, and you will be compassionate.”
וּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמָנוּת תָּלוּי בְּדַעַת, מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דֵּעָה יֵשׁ לוֹ רַחֲמָנוּת. כִּי כַּעַס, שֶׁהִיא הֶפֶךְ הָרַחֲמָנוּת, הוּא מֵחֲמַת כְּסִילוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת ז׳:ט׳): כַּעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ.
Now, the trait of compassion is dependent upon daat (holy knowledge). Someone who has daat, has compassion. This is because anger, which is the opposite of compassion, is the result of foolishness. As it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:9), “Anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות לג): כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דֵּעָה אָסוּר לְרַחֵם עָלָיו; כִּי אִם אֵין בּוֹ דֵּעָה אֵין בּוֹ רַחֲמָנוּת, כִּי כַּעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ. עַל כֵּן אָסוּר לְרַחֵם עָלָיו, כִּי כָּל הַמְרַחֵם מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו כַּנַּ"ל, אֲבָל אִם אֵין בּוֹ רַחֲמָנוּת אָסוּר לְרַחֵם עָלָיו.
Thus, our Sages teach: When someone lacks daat, it is forbidden to show him compassion (Berakhot 33a). For if he has no daat, he has no compassion, because “anger rests in the bosom of fools.” It is therefore forbidden to show him compassion. For anyone who shows compassion, is shown compassion, as mentioned. But if he has no compassion, it is forbidden to have compassion for him.
נִמְצָא זֶה הַחוֹלֶה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְרַחֲמִים, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ רַחֲמִים עַל אֲחֵרִים, וְזֶה תָּלוּי בְּדַעַת כַּנַּ"ל.
We find therefore that this sick person who requires compassion, has to show compassion for others. And this is dependent upon daat, as above.
וְשַׁבָּת הוּא בְּחִינוֹת דַּעַת, כִּי כָּל יְמוֹת הַחֹל כְּתִיב (במדבר י״א:ח׳): שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ – בִּשְׁטוּתָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (בשלח דף סג), אֲבָל בְּשַׁבָּת נִמְשָׁךְ הַדַּעַת לְכָל אֶחָד.
Now, Shabbat is an aspect of daat. This is because concerning the entire week it is written (Numbers 11:8), “The people ShaTu (strolled about) and gathered it”—with ShTuta (foolishness), as it is written in the Zohar (II, 63a). But on Shabbat, daat is drawn to each person.
וְזֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִין הַמְבַקְּרִים לְהַחוֹלֶה:
This is the meaning of what is said by those who visit the sick:
יְכוֹלָה הִיא שֶׁתְּרַחֵם, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינוֹת דַּעַת, יְכוֹלָה שֶׁתְּרַחֵם – לְשׁוֹן נוֹכֵחַ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁתְּרַחֵם אַתָּה, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְךָ רַחֲמִים עַל אֲחֵרִים, עַל יְדֵי הַדַּעַת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ מִבְּחִינוֹת שַׁבָּת, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְךָ רַחֲמִים בְּוַדַּאי יְרַחֲמוּ עָלֶיךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, כִּי כָּל הַמְרַחֵם וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
[Shabbat] is capable of compassion—That is, Shabbat, which is the aspect of daat, makes [another] “capable of compassion.” [Hence “shet’rachem,” which] is a second person form. In other words, “you should show compassion.” Through the daat which you possess from the aspect of Shabbat, you will have compassion for others. And, since you will show compassion, you will surely be shown compassion from Heaven. “For anyone who shows compassion…,” as above.