1,236. Should One Call a Doctor?

192:2 Rabbi Pinchas bar Chama expounded that one who has a sick person in his house should go to a Torah scholar and ask him to pray for mercy on his behalf as per Proverbs 16:14, "The wrath of a king is like messengers of death but a wise man will pacify it." We are in the practice of giving charity on behalf of the sick person because repentance, prayer and charity avert an evil decree. We also have the practice to bless the sick in shul. If he is dangerously ill, we do so even on Shabbos and yom tov. Sometimes we change the name of a sick person because a change of name can also cancel an evil decree.

192:3 The Torah gives doctors permission to heal, as per Exodus 21:19, "He shall surely be healed." Therefore, a sick person may not rely on a miracle. Rather he is obligated to act in the natural way and to call a doctor to heal him. Many righteous people have been cured by doctors. One who refuses to consult a doctor does two things wrong: (1) one is not permitted to rely on a miracle when he is in danger. Doing so may cause his sins to be recalled while he is ill; (2) he acts haughty and arrogant by relying on his righteousness under the assumption that he merits a miraculous cure. A person should consult the most expert doctor but he should still turn to Heaven and ask mercy from G-d, Who is the True Healer.