At the end of his life Yaakov makes Yosef swear not to bury him in Mitzrayim, and then vayishtachu Yisrael al rosh hamita, which Rashi explains as turning toward the Shechinah that rests above the head of a choleh. Yet the pasuk only calls him a choleh in the next perek, and the Ramban says that here he only felt afisas hakochos v'yisron hachulsha. That opens who counts as a choleh for bikur cholim, down to an elderly person who is simply weak, and then the practical questions of the visit itself: where to sit, what to wear, whether a phone or video call is enough, and whether to go at all to someone you are not on good terms with. In this episode: - Whether a person weak from age, with afisas hakochos v'yisron hachulsha, is a choleh for bikur cholim: the Ramban, the Tur al HaTorah, the Maharal, and what Rav Moshe Sternbuch said - What the mitzvah includes: the Maavar Yabok on the word bikur, the Mishnah Berurah and Shaarei Teshuva on nachas ruach and giving advice, and the Gesher HaChaim on advice that only confuses the choleh - Ben gilo and the Ritva in the Shitah Mekubetzes, and the Rema, the Shach and the Aruch HaShulchan on visiting someone you are not on good terms with - Where to sit: the Rema on a chair higher than the choleh, the head and the foot of the bed in the Aruch HaShulchan and the Zohar, and when the choleh or his family offers you a seat - Mis'atef m'eimas haShechinah: the Shevet HaLevi, and coming dressed the way you daven - Bikur cholim by telephone and by video call: Rav Moshe, the Rambam's u'mevakesh alav rachamim at the bedside, the Da'as Zekeinim and the Chasam Sofer - Why an aveil and a choleh need not stand even before the Nasi, and why the Gemara says v'al yera lo when a gadol is shushbin for a katan Sources: Rashi (Bereishis 47), Ramban (Bereishis 47:29), Tur al HaTorah, Maharal, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Gesher HaChaim (Perek Aleph), Maavar Yabok, Ramban quoting the Ibn Ezra (beginning of Bereishis), Shulchan Aruch OC 287, Magen Avraham, Mishnah Berurah, Shaarei Teshuva, Biur Halacha, Gemara Nedarim, Rashi (Nedarim), Shitah Mekubetzes quoting the Ritva (Nedarim), Rema, Shach, Aruch HaShulchan YD 335, Gemara Shabbos, Shulchan Aruch and Rema, Zohar HaKodesh, Shevet HaLevi, Igros Moshe (Rav Moshe), Rambam Hilchos Aveilus 14:6, Da'as Zekeinim, Chasam Sofer (Nedarim 40), Gemara (Keil na refa na la). Machshavah section: Gemara Bava Metzia (es haderech asher yeilchu bah), Ahavas Chesed (Chofetz Chaim), Gemara and Rashi (Hakadosh Baruch Hu as shushbin for Adam HaRishon), Gemara Moed Katan 27b, Shulchan Aruch and Rema, Shvus Yaakov (Chelek Aleph), Rabbi Akiva Eiger, Levush, Tehillim (Hashem yisadenu al eres devai), Nitei Gavriel (hakdama Kvod HaChupah), Shibolei HaLeket (quoted in the Nitei Gavriel), Chazal (ish v'isha zachu Shechinah beineihem).