Mi Shebeirach: The Traditional Jewish Prayer for the Sick

The Mi Shebeirach (מי שברך) is the traditional Jewish prayer for someone who is sick. Its name means “May the One who blessed,” and the prayer asks God to show mercy, restore strength, and send complete healing of soul and body.

It is most often said in synagogue during the Torah service, when the Torah scroll is out and the community names those who need healing. It can also be prayed at home, in a hospital room, or when visiting someone who is ill.

What the Mi Shebeirach is

There is more than one Jewish prayer that begins with the words Mi Shebeirach, “May the One who blessed.” Some are said for a person called up to the Torah. Others are said for special needs in the community. But when most people search for “Mi Shebeirach,” they mean the prayer for the sick.

Its exact origin is not clear. The wording as we know it is not from the Bible and not from the first century. It is generally understood to come from the medieval period, and Jewish communities have used it for generations as a public and personal prayer for healing.

That matters. We should not pretend Rabbi Yeshua or the apostles prayed these exact words. They did not. But the prayer itself stands on old biblical ground: God is the healer, the sick are not forgotten, and the community has a duty to carry them in prayer.

When and where it is said

In many synagogues, the Mi Shebeirach is prayed during the Torah reading on Shabbat. In some communities it is also said during weekday Torah readings, such as Monday and Thursday. Names are spoken aloud or given quietly to the leader, and the congregation answers “Amen.”

The prayer is not limited to synagogue life. It may be said when visiting a sick person, after receiving difficult medical news, or when a family gathers to pray. Visiting the sick is called bikur cholim (ביקור חולים) in Hebrew, and Jewish tradition treats it as a mitzvah, a commandment and an act of mercy.

Yeshua (Jesus) spoke about this kind of mercy in very direct language: “I was sick and you visited me” (Matthew 25:36). Prayer for the sick is not a substitute for showing up. Often, it is what gives us the courage to show up.

A note about Hebrew and transliteration

Many siddurim and congregations print the Mi Shebeirach in Hebrew, and wording can differ from one community to another. Because sacred prayer texts should not be guessed at or retyped loosely, we are not printing an unverified Hebrew or transliteration block here.

If you need the Hebrew for synagogue use, use the wording from your congregation’s siddur. Below is the full English prayer text as given in this version, followed by a Spanish rendering for readers searching for mi shebeirach en español or oración judía por un enfermo.

English translation

May the One who blessed our ancestors, Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, bless and heal the one who is ill:

(name of sick individual) ________________ son/daughter of: (traditionally the mother’s name is added here) ______________.

May the Holy Blessed One overflow with compassion upon him/her, to restore him/her, to heal him/her, to strengthen him/her, to enliven him/her. The One will send him/her, speedily a complete healing, healing of the soul and healing of the body, along with all the ill, among the people of Israel and all humankind, soon, speedily, without delay, and let us all say:  Amen!

En español, oración judía por un enfermo

This is a Spanish rendering of the English prayer above, offered for those who want to pray with family or friends in Spanish.

Que Aquel que bendijo a nuestros antepasados, los patriarcas Abraham, Isaac y Jacob, y las matriarcas Sara, Rebeca, Raquel y Lea, bendiga y sane a la persona enferma:

(nombre de la persona enferma) __ hijo/hija de: (tradicionalmente se añade aquí el nombre de la madre) ____.

Que el Santo, bendito sea, desborde de compasión sobre él/ella, para restaurarlo/a, sanarlo/a, fortalecerlo/a y darle vida. Que le envíe pronto una sanidad completa, sanidad del alma y sanidad del cuerpo, junto con todos los enfermos del pueblo de Israel y de toda la humanidad, pronto, rápidamente, sin demora, y digamos todos: Amén.

“May the One who blessed our ancestors”

The prayer begins with memory. Before it names the sick person, it remembers the God who blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. In Scripture, prayer often leans on God’s covenant faithfulness.

Moses does this when he pleads for Israel after the sin of the golden calf: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants” (Exodus 32:13). The Mi Shebeirach prays in that same direction. We ask for mercy because God has already shown mercy.

That is a Jewish way to pray, and it is also a biblical way to pray. We do not begin with our own strength. We begin with God’s name, God’s promises, and God’s past faithfulness.

Naming the sick person

The prayer makes room for the person’s name. That is not a small thing. Illness can make a person feel like a chart, a diagnosis, or a burden. Prayer names them before God as a person.

Traditionally, the sick person is named as the son or daughter of their mother. One common explanation points to the Psalms, where David prays, “save the son of your maidservant” (Psalm 86:16; see also Psalm 116:16). There is also tenderness in the custom. When someone is weak, we speak of them with the care of the one who bore them.

You can still pray if you do not know the mother’s name. God knows the person fully. Use the name you have, and pray with faith and humility.

Healing of soul and body

The strongest line in the prayer asks for “healing of the soul and healing of the body.” That is very Jewish. The Bible does not treat human beings as disposable bodies with souls hidden inside. We are whole persons, formed by God, breathed into by God, and known by God.

Sickness touches the body, of course. But it also touches courage, sleep, relationships, patience, hope, and faith. A person may need medicine, surgery, rest, forgiveness, companionship, and peace. The Mi Shebeirach has room for all of that.

This is one reason many believers find the prayer helpful. It does not force us to choose between spiritual and physical healing. It asks the Father of mercies for both.

The first-century connection

The exact Mi Shebeirach prayer is later than the first century, but its themes were already alive in the world of Yeshua and the apostles. The Torah calls the Lord “your healer” in Exodus 15:26. When Miriam was struck with illness, Moses cried out, “O God, please heal her, please” (Numbers 12:13). Jeremiah prayed, “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed” (Jeremiah 17:14).

The Gospels show people bringing the sick before Yeshua again and again. A centurion pleaded for his servant in Matthew 8:5-13. Friends carried a paralyzed man to Yeshua in Mark 2:3-12, and Yeshua dealt with both sin and paralysis. Soul and body were both in view.

The apostles continued to pray for the sick. James tells the sick to call for the elders, and says, “pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:14-16). Peter, in Acts 3:6, speaks healing to a lame man in the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

So, no, the apostles were not reciting this medieval wording. But if you pray the Mi Shebeirach as a disciple of Yeshua, you are standing inside a biblical pattern: ask God for mercy, name the person, pray for healing, and do not leave the sick alone.

For more on the daily Jewish prayer world that grew around these biblical themes, see our page on the Amida, the Standing Prayer. The Shema is also a good place to understand how Jewish prayer begins with God’s oneness and faithfulness.

How a believer can pray it today

You do not need to be Jewish to pray for the sick with these words. Christians who love the Jewish context of Scripture can receive this prayer as a helpful form, not as a magic formula. The power is not in the syllables. The mercy belongs to God.

Here are simple ways to use it:

• At home, pray it aloud for a family member or friend who is ill.
• At a bedside, ask permission first, then read it slowly.
• In a small group, speak the person’s name and let everyone answer “Amen.”
• With children, let them say the final “Amen” so they learn to carry others in prayer.
• After the prayer, ask whether the person needs a meal, a ride, a visit, or quiet help.

As a believer in Yeshua, you may also close by praying in his name. That is not a rejection of the Jewish prayer. It is how disciples of Yeshua bring their requests before the Father.

And when healing or rescue comes, remember to give thanks. Jewish tradition has a blessing for coming through danger or serious illness, Birkat Hagomel. Prayer should teach us to ask well, and also to thank well.

This week, write down the name of one person who is sick. Pray the line “healing of the soul and healing of the body” over them. Then ask God whether your next act of prayer should be a visit, a phone call, or a quiet act of help.

Questions people ask

What is the Mi Shebeirach prayer for the sick?

The Mi Shebeirach is the traditional Jewish prayer asking God to heal someone who is ill. It calls on the God who blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and asks for complete healing of soul and body. It is often said during the Torah service in synagogue, but it can also be prayed at home or at a bedside.

¿Cuál es la oración judía por un enfermo?

La oración judía tradicional por un enfermo se llama Mi Shebeirach, que significa “Aquel que bendijo.” Pide a Dios misericordia, fortaleza y sanidad completa del alma y del cuerpo. Tradicionalmente se menciona el nombre de la persona enferma y el nombre de su madre.

Is the Mi Shebeirach in the Bible?

No, the Mi Shebeirach wording is not a biblical text. Its exact origin is unclear, and it is generally connected with the medieval Jewish prayer tradition. Its themes are biblical, especially prayers for healing such as Numbers 12:13 and Jeremiah 17:14.

Why is the mother’s name used in the Mi Shebeirach?

Jewish custom often identifies a sick person as the son or daughter of their mother when praying for healing. One common explanation points to Psalm 86:16 and Psalm 116:16, where David calls himself “the son of your maidservant.” If you do not know the mother’s name, you can still pray using the person’s name.

Can Christians pray the Mi Shebeirach?

Yes. The prayer asks the God of Israel for mercy and healing, and its themes fit naturally with James 5:14-16, where believers are told to pray for the sick. A Christian may pray it with respect for its Jewish setting and may close in the name of Yeshua.