Q. A patient suffering from leukemia whose life was in danger and after a few weeks in the hospital was permitted to go home since he is stable but not cured yet, does he recite hagomel?
A. Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 219: 1) rules that when the ill are healed, they recite the hagomel blessing. Mishna Berura (ibid. 2) explains that they are now walking with firmness. Some Poiskim are of the opinion that hagomel should be recited only when complete healing has occurred, even if he is already attending shul. (Divrey Yatziv 1: 87, Mishne Halochos 2: 1: 177, Maaseh Nissim 2: 94).
Other Poskim maintain that if he is able to walk steady and well enough to daven in shul, although the illness may return, he can recite hagomel. (Maayan Omer 11: 39, Yalkut Yosef – Brochos p. 589)
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is that indeed if he can walk steady to attend shul, and the bracha will lift his spirit and confidence in a prompt refuah shleimah, he can recite hagomel.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
Important Numbers
