In the parshiyos of Beshalach, Yisro, and Mishpatim, we find advice on how to merit refuah.
In parashas Beshalach, it states (15:26), כל חוקיו כל ושמרת ...אלקיך 'ה לקול תשמע שמוע אם ויאמר רופאיך 'ה אני כי עליך אשים לא במצרים שמתי אשר המחלה , "If you hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d, and do what is proper in His eyes, and listen closely to His commandments and observe all His statutes, all the sicknesses that I have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you, for I, Hashem, heal you."
Reb Itzikel of Skver zt'l said that this is a difficult remedy (רעצעפט שארפע) because one must first keep the entire Torah and then he attains a refuah.
In parashas Yisro, we learn that everyone was healed when the nation received the Torah. But that is also a difficult prescription for a refuah because it entailed the acceptance of the yoke of the entire Torah.
But in parashas Mishpatim, an easier method is given. It states (21:19), יתן שבתו רק ירפא ורפא , all one needs to do is יתן שבתו, to keep Shabbos, ירפא ורפא and he will have a refuah.
The Shem MiShmuel (Shelach 5677) writes in the name of his father, the Avnei Nezer zt'l, "Even if someone has an ill person in his home if he can refrain from complaining and from thinking about his troubles on Shabbos, the sick person will certainly be healed." This is based on the Gemara (Shabbos 12.), "When one visits the sick on Shabbos he says, לבוא קרובה ורפואה מלזעוק היא שבת, 'Shabbos we don't shout, and the refuah is quick in coming,' and Rashi explains, "The merit of Shabbos can bring you compassion if you honor Shabbos by refraining from feeling tzaar on this day."
The Gemara discusses an ill person. However, the same applies to all kinds of troubles and problems. If one doesn't have tzaar on Shabbos, the tzaar will disappear.
The Eliyahu Rabba says that this is midah kneged midah. He doesn't feel distress on Shabbos, so Hashem removes all tzaar from him.
Chazal require that on Shabbos it should be עשויה מלאכתך כל כאילו (Rashi, Shemos 20:), as if you aren't lacking anything in your life. When you have that feeling on Shabbos, it becomes your reality, even after Shabbos passes. Everything will be perfect for you in your life.
Masuk m'Dvash (Reb Yitzchak Parchi 6) writes, "We saw with our own eyes people who had a tzarah before Shabbos, and on Shabbos, they forgot about their tzarah entirely, and were happy with Shabbos, as it is proper on Shabbos...they merited to be saved from their troubles in miraculous ways."
In his later years, Reb Yaakov Yosef Herman came to live in Eretz Yisrael with his entire family. He traveled by ship with all his possessions, arrived at the port close to Shabbos, and couldn't take his luggage to his lodgings. He knew he might lose all his possessions, but he and his wife refused to be sad or worried over Shabbos.
They didn't rush to the port at the earliest zman when Shabbos was over. Instead, they waited for the zman of Rabbeinu Tam, like they did every week, and then headed out to the port.
Over there, they found a guard standing near their bags. "They told me to stand here," he told them. All their belongings were there; nothing was missing. Because when you are happy on Shabbos, all troubles disappear.
The Menoras HaMaor (ח"פ ב"ח ,ה"אלנאקר) writes a story of a woman who had two children who fell into a deep pit on Shabbos. She waited until her husband came home from the beis knesses. When he arrived, they ate and drank, and when they finished the meal, she said, "If you want, I will tell you something."
"Go ahead."
She said, "For ten years, I was guarding two gold crowns. Now, the owners are asking for the crowns back. What should I do? Should I return them?"
"Return them."
She said, "Your two sons fell into a pit and died. Now honor Hashem and don't be mechalel Shabbos by being sad today."
They weren't sad that Shabbos. When it turned dark, they went to the pit to take their children out and bury them. Lo and behold, their children were alive and well! They didn’t have tzaar on Shabbos, so they merited this nes.
Shevet HaKahasi (vol.3 180) writes that Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz zt'l didn’t put on new shoes on Shabbos. He first wore them during the weekdays so that they would be broken into before Shabbos. He didn't want to feel the pinch of wearing new Shabbos shoes. We should also seek to avoid feeling any distress on Shabbos. Shabbos is (Bamidbar 10:10), שמחתכם יום, a day of joy, and when we are happy on Shabbos, the tzaros will disappear and never return.
