hi, I realize that my question is not related to the current daf - but I would be grateful if someone could answer my question. this is related to the gemara in nedarim (40).
in the "THOUGHTS ON THE DAILY DAF" page for this daf you quote the ramban as giving 2 reasons for bikur cholim:
1)to tend to the needs of the choleh &
2) to daven for the choleh. the ramban concludes by saying that if you did not daven for the choleh's recovery you haven't fulfilled the mitzvah.
if there are 2 aspects of the mitzvah - why does he only say that if you didn't daven you haven't fulfilled the mitzvah? what if you visit a sleeping patient & only daven (you don't take care of his needs at all) does this fulfill the mitzvah? it is missing the aspect of tending to his needs. does the ramban saying that in a lav davka manner & you haven't fulfilled the mitzvah if you haven't done all the aspects of the mitzvah - or is there some difference between the two aspects of the mitzvah?
gmar chasima tova!
Good question. When the Rambam says that there are two aspects to the Mitzvah, he doesn't mean that there are two different Mitzvos, but rather that the one Mitzvah is comprised of two parts -- both of which need to be done to fulfill the Mitzvah (like Milah and Peri'ah, which are two parts of the single Mitzvah of Milah).
If you visit a sleeping patient and you see that he has no needs at that time, then you have fulfilled your Mitzvah, because if he has no needs then you do not have to fill them. However, the Mitzvah requires that you inquire and try to find what he needs. Thus, when you visit a sleeping patient, you should look around and see what he needs (for example, his blanket might have fallen down, and by putting it back on him, you have fulfilled his needs; or, his need might be to know that someone visited him, which would make him happy and help him recover, and thus you should leave him a note, etc.).
Y. Shaw