How to Pray for the Sick

Praying for the sick, according to the rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef

When praying for a sick person, one should mention their name together with their mother's name: "So-and-so, son/daughter of so-and-so [mother's name]" (e.g., David ben Esther, Natalie bat Liora).

Why is the mother's name mentioned and not the father's? One reason given is that women do not have as many heavenly accusations against them as men do, as they are exempt from time-dependent positive commandments and especially from the commandment to study Torah -- and the sin of neglecting Torah study is particularly severe.

If one does not know the name of the sick person's mother, they should mention the father's name instead. If that is also unknown, the custom is to say "So-and-so, son/daughter of Chava."

When praying for a sick person, one need not mention their family name at all; it is sufficient to mention their name and their mother's name.

When praying for a sick person in their presence, one should not mention their name at all.

When praying for one's Torah teacher or parents, one should not use honorific titles such as "my teacher and master" or "my esteemed father," but rather ask Hashem: "Please heal my teacher," adding their name, or "my father/mother" and their name. This is because there is no place for pride before Hashem.

When is prayer for the sick most effective?

When praying for a sick person, one should say: "Please heal ... among all the other sick people of Israel," as such a prayer is more readily heard.

It is very appropriate to make a Mi Sheberach (blessing for recovery) for a sick person when the Ark is opened during the prayer service, or between aliyot during the Torah reading, as these are times of mercy.

The holy Zohar states: "Rabbi Shimon said, when the Torah scroll is taken out in public for reading, the gates of mercy open in heaven and love and mercy are aroused above."