יורה דעה של״הYoreh De'ah 335

Se’if 1א׳

מִצְוָה לְבַקֵּר חוֹלִים. הַקְּרוֹבִים וְהַחֲבֵרִים נִכְנָסִים מִיָּד; וְהָרְחוֹקִים, אַחַר ג' יָמִים. וְאִם קָפַץ עָלָיו הַחֹלִי, אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ נִכְנָסִים מִיָּד. (טוּר בְּקִצוּר מס' ת"ה לְהָרַמְבַּ"ן).

Containing 10 paragraphs It is a religious obligation to visit the sick. Relatives and close friends may visit immediately and others after three days. But if he (the sick) is gravely ill, all may visit immediately. (Tur)

Se’if 2ב׳

אֲפִלּוּ הַגָּדוֹל יֵלֵךְ לְבַקֵּר הַקָּטָן, וַאֲפִלּוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם, וַאֲפִלּוּ בֶּן גִּילוֹ. וְכָל הַמּוֹסִיף הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַטְרִיחַ לוֹ. הַגָּה: יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּשׂוֹנֵא יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ לְבַקֵּר חוֹלֶה (מהרי"ל קצ"ז), וְלֹא נִרְאֶה לִי, אֶלָּא לֹא יְבַקֵּר חוֹלֶה, וְלֹא יְנַחֵם הָאָבֵל שֶׁהוּא שׂוֹנְאוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲשֹׁב שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ לְאֵידוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ לוֹ אֶלָּא צַעַר, כֵּן נִרְאֶה לִי (ש"ס פ' כ"ג).

A person of high status should visit even a person of modest status, even several times a day, and [one should also visit] one's peer. Anyone who exceeds this standard is worthy of praise, but one should take care not to burden the patient. Rema There are those who maintain that even an enemy should visit the sick individual (Maharil 197). This does not seem correct to me, rather one should not visit a patient or comfort a mourner who is one's enemy lest the [suffering person] think that [the enemy] is rejoicing in his misfortune, which will only cause more suffering. And this is what seems correct to me.

Se’if 3ג׳

הַמְבַקֵּר אֶת הַחוֹלֶה, לֹא יֵשֵׁב עַל גַּבֵּי מִטָּה, וְלֹא עַל גַּבֵּי כִּסֵא, וְלֹא עַל גַּבֵּי סַפְסָל, אֶלָּא מִתְעַטֵּף וְיוֹשֵׁב לְפָנָיו, שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה לְמַעְלָה מֵרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו. הַגָּה: וְדַוְקָא כְּשֶׁהַחוֹלֶה שׁוֹכֵב עַל הָאָרֶץ, דְּהַיּוֹשֵׁב גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנּוּ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹכֵב עַל הַמִּטָּה מֻתָּר לֵישֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא וְסַפְסָל (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם הר"ן, וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין).

The visitor should not sit on the bed, nor on a chair nor on a bench but rather wrap himself and sit before him because the Divine Presence rests above his head. Rema: Especially if the sick person is laying on the ground because the one sitting would be higher then him but if he is laying on a bed it is permitted to sit on a chair or bench