Praying for the Sick: Must the Name Be Mentioned?

It is customary to mention the Hebrew name of a sick person when praying on their behalf, along with the Hebrew name of their mother. (1)  This is because we find throughout rabbinic literature that people are referred to in connection with their mother regarding matters needing Divine intervention. (2)  King David would refer to himself as “Ben Amatecha” – “son of Your maidservant” – rather than “son of Yishai [his father].” Another reason the mother’s name is used is because there can be no question who a person’s mother is. There are always people present when a woman gives birth who could confirm such matters.

Nevertheless, we find that Moshe Rabbeinu did not mention his sister Miriam by name when he prayed for her to be healed from her skin affliction. He merely prayed, "El na refa na la." ("G-d, please heal her"). (3) As such, a number of authorities rule that mentioning the name of someone when praying for them is optional. (4) There is also a view that one does not mention the name of a sick individual when praying for them in their presence. However, in the synagogue, the name(s) is always used. (5) There is actually an opinion that names should never be mentioned (6) but the Zohar is adamant that one must always mention people’s names when praying for them. (7)

The Halacha is; that one does not need to mention the name when praying for someone in their presence but to mention it at all other times. One who does not know a person’s Hebrew name can use their full English name. (8) So too, if one does not know the mother’s name one may use the father’s Hebrew name instead. (9). If, for whatever reason, one is unable to mention the name of a person when praying for him, one should still pray for him. (10) In fact, one may even mention a person in prayer by merely describing them. An example of this is that when Esther prayed to be saved from Achashverosh, she simply prayed "to be saved from the dog," (11) without mentioning his name. As such, one should not hesitate to pray, for example, "God please send a refua shleima to the person who I saw [or heard] was hit by a car this morning," and the like.

It should be emphasized that although praying on behalf of another person is certainly a commendable thing to do, the ideal prayer that God awaits is the personal prayer of the person himself who is in need.(11)

1 Shabbat 66b; Torah Lishma 399; Zakan Aharon 1:11.

2 Rashi, Shabbat 66b; also in Berachot 55b according to the Ein Yaakov version.

3 Bamidbar 12:13; Berachot 34a. Anecdotally, when the Ostrovtzer Rebbe visited the Imrei Emes, he asked the Imrei Emes to pray on his behalf, and gave him his and his mother's full Hebrew name. The Imrei Emes said that there was no need for him to mention the Rebbe's name since he was in his presence, as was the case when Moshe prayed for Miriam. Moshe did not specify her name and merely prayed, "El na refa na la." The Rebbe responded that the gematria of El na refa na la is the same as Miriam Yocheved ("Refa Na" = 332 and "Miriam Yocheved" = 332). As such, Moshe in fact had "mentioned" the name of the person he was praying for along with the mother's name, as is customary!

4 Pri Chadash, OC 119:1.

5 Magen Avraham 119:1; Chatam Sofer, Nedarim 40a.

6 Sefer Hapardes 287; Yalkut Hareuveni, Vayeira.

7 Zohar, Lech Lecha, Vayishlach 169.

8 Orchot Rabbeinu 1:218.

9 Midrash Talpiot, Choleh; Kol Bo 141; Aruch Hashulchan, OC 119:1.

10 Rashi, Bamidbar 21:1.

11 Megilla 15b.

12 Bereishit Rabba 53:17.