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As One Man, With One Heart
By Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg

Since I view this column as a sort of farbrengen, I would like to share some stories concerning some amazing answers I received from the Rebbe MH”M through the Igros Kodesh.

I would like to first point out that the Rebbe has many ways of answering questions, not limited just to the Igros Kodesh. The Rebbe said he would find a way to answer us. Sometimes the Rebbe answers us through a sicha we hear or a video we see, etc.

I believe these stories have a lesson for others, in addition to the main point, which is to see how the Rebbe is with us even in our mundane affairs. This strengthens our emuna and our personal connection to the Rebbe. Furthermore, it underscores the necessity of connecting other Jews to the Rebbe, fulfilling his directives, seeking guidance from him, and obviously – to believe in his prophecies. Let us remember that on Shabbos VaYeishev 5752, the Rebbe encouraged us to recount the miracles occurring in our times, for this is connected with and brings the Geula.

* * *

A few weeks ago I was informed that a relative may have a certain dreaded illness. I immediately wrote to the Rebbe and the answer in the Igros Kodesh said to arouse and strengthen faith and trust in Hashem.

I was nervous about conveying this answer since the relatives are Polish Chassidim and unfamiliar with our ways, and I didn’t know how they would respond. I overcame my reluctance, however, and called them, relating the Rebbe’s answer.

Their response was restrained yet positive: Baruch Hashem, so many people are taking an interest and asking for a bracha for us. May it all work out well.

On Erev Shabbos Kedoshim, they called to say that the relative had been hospitalized in great pain and the doctors wanted to operate immediately. The family did not want to rely on the opinions of the local doctors and called in an additional top doctor to assess the situation. If he thought surgery was warranted, he would be the surgeon.

I immediately reported this to the Rebbe and put my letter into Volume 13 of the Igros Kodesh after proclaiming “Yechi.” The answer, on page 183, reads: “...regarding her question about her health and the doctors’ opinion to remove the tonsils, it is customary to consult with two expert doctors in the field and then will be fulfilled the statement of Chazal, ‘The Torah gives the doctor permission to heal,’ as it is a Torah of life, literally life in this world.”

The Rebbe goes on to negate all despondency, and stressed that we see in our times that situations that have seemed to be negative turn out favorably. At the beginning of the page, the Rebbe also quotes the Zohar, which states that when a person conducts himself with bitachon and simcha, it is reciprocated from Above.

In another letter on the page, the Rebbe writes about increasing times for learning, which is also beneficial for one’s health. The Rebbe concludes with, “I await good news.”

I wanted to convey the Rebbe’s instructions, but again I was nervous…

I remembered a famous story R’ Zalman Gurary told about his friend’s daughter, who had developed a cyst. The doctors had recommended surgery, which the father at yechidus asked the Rebbe shlita if that is appropriate. The Rebbe told him to postpone the surgery until the month of Adar and to register his daughter in Bais Yaakov. When the father stated that his daughter was receiving a good education in her current school, the Rebbe replied, “My field is education and not medicine. Why do you ask me about medical matters and not about education?”

The father postponed the surgery but did not register his daughter in Bais Yaakov. About a month later, R’ Gurary met a mutual friend who told him that the cyst had blown up tremendously and was infected. The girl had been hospitalized and now they could no longer operate, and the father was very upset with the Rebbe, “who had meddled in a medical matter, which isn’t his field.”

R’ Gurary quickly reported the girl’s condition to the Rebbe and the Rebbe responded, “Tell him to register his daughter in Bais Yaakov!”

R’ Gurary felt very uncomfortable, aware of the father’s antagonism and aware that the issue about schooling appeared irrelevant to the situation, as the girl was ill in the hospital. However, he summoned up his courage, called the father and told him the Rebbe’s statement.

This time the father conceded and registered his daughter in Bais Yaakov, and miraculously the cyst opened and dried up, and the girl was released from the hospital.

R’ Gurary went to thank the Rebbe and told him how the miracle inspired so many other people, and the Rebbe responded, “The biggest miracle was that you gave over the message at the right time.”

After reviewing this story in my mind I realized that I had better convey the Rebbe’s message as soon as possible, despite my apprehension. In the meantime we heard that the surgery had been successful, but the patient was still very weak.

I went to visit her in the hospital and took the Igros Kodesh with me. I showed my question and the Rebbe’s answer to the woman and her husband. The couple was shocked. “When did the Rebbe write this?” They calmed down when they saw the date (5716), and they understood the message.

Suddenly the woman related another story. Nearly three years ago her older brother was so sick that the doctors summoned his children from Australia to say goodbye, r’l.

One of that brother’s granddaughters is a neighbor of R’ Zalman Notik in Yerushalayim. The granddaughter suggested that they ask the Rebbe for a refua shleima via the Igros Kodesh. The relatives asked her if she had become a Lubavitcher. She said that although she was not a Lubavitcher, she felt there was nothing to lose. They opened the volume and read about brachos for health and long life.

The woman stated that at this point, three years later, her brother is hale and hearty. My reaction: The world is ready! We just have to stop being embarrassed!

On Lag B’Omer I wrote to the Rebbe (among other things) that my relative had been released from the hospital, but she still needed a bracha for a refua shleima. The answer I opened to stunned me. I had opened Volume 18, page 378:

Baruch Hashem, Lag B’Omer ...regarding your phone call about the medical treatment they started, may it be with great success l’refua k’rova. One associates a merit with a meritorious day, the hilula of Rashbi, which is a great day of rejoicing, as it is brought in a number of places. The point [of the day] is to bring from the “hidden parts of Torah” to the “revealed parts of Torah,” which results in bringing from the “hidden parts of Yisroel,” to the “revealed parts of Yisroel,” and from the “inner part of chayus” to the “revealed part of chayus,” a chayus of all the limbs – as the Torah of life commands us that the body being healthy and whole is of the ways of Hashem. With blessing for good news in all the above.”

I showed this letter to my relative and other family members, which caused a kiddush Hashem and a great kiddush sheim Lubavitch. We hope that by publicizing this, her health will continue to improve and we await her complete recovery.

In addition, on the same page as the answer for my relative, there was a detail that was even more amazing, and that was the main reason the letter had a such a great impact on me. The Rebbe responded to a certain point I had only thought about, but hadn’t mentioned in the letter.

Recently there have been attacks in other Chabad publications against those who believe in Melech HaMoshiach. They protest the outrageous attempt of the deranged Meir Baranes to murder a Lubavitcher rabbi, but they imply strongly that those who believe that the Rebbe is Moshiach wish to harm Lubavitchers who do not agree with them. They are accusing a whole group of people because of the actions of one unstable man!

I wrote a letter stating my humble opinion that we must respond to this kind of accusation by not allowing such publications into a Chassidishe home. I was distressed. I was not afraid to openly present myself on the right side. I was sure that the Rebbe would not want us to remain neutral under the circumstances. This is a test for us all – how far are we willing to go for the Rebbe and for his directives even when the topic isn’t popular?

But I was distressed because the negativity of the situation bothered me, because the Rebbe doesn’t like the negative. However, sometimes there just is no choice, and the Rebbe stresses that in such a case we must painfully respond in the sharpest possible manner.

In the past there had been situations that had necessitated sharply worded responses. Afterwards, I had written to the Rebbe, describing the situation and our response, asking again for the Rebbe’s immediate hisgalus and that at least at the final moment all the Rebbe’s children should be unified. When I wrote concerning my relative, I had been wondering if I should bring up the topic about my response to the accusations. I decided against it at that time. I didn’t want to bring up unpleasant matters on Lag B’Omer and I was in a rush to get to the parade.

But the Rebbe answers even our thoughts. On the same page where I saw the answer about my relative, I received an answer about what I had been thinking. This is what the Rebbe wrote on 18 Iyar 5719: “I received your letter with the copy of what you wrote to Rabbi _____. You certainly know that some newspapers printed in Yiddish in the United States publicized a review lauding Freud’s approach, similar to what you mention in your letter.

“I have already said, based on one of the principles of Chassidus, that there is no bad in the world without good. A large number of those circles who read the paper can be describes as being superficial. This tendency is terrible, for superficiality is even worse than ignorance, as it usually leads to misunderstanding and distorting issues.

“On the other hand, the present situation contains much good. Due to our great sins, most of the journalists’ articles would have been better off not being written. Their damage is great and their benefit is highly doubtful. The superficial aspect helps minimize the damage and the loss, because most of the time these kinds of articles are perceived as sensations – especially the topic under discussion – and human nature is such that tomorrow they will seek other sensations.

“It is no doubt unnecessary to point out that in the paper in which the article was written there are things that are greatly opposed to traditional Judaism, even more so than the review about the aforementioned... With respect and blessing.”

***

Each of us has the ability to convey a clear message in a positive manner, stressing what we as Jews and Chassidim have in common, as we eagerly await the complete revelation of the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach shlita. Then we will all go together “as one man, with one heart” to receive the Torah, and receive the revelation of Moshiach in the true and complete Redemption, NOW!

 
 

   

... The Rebbe replied: “My field is education and not medicine. Why do you ask me about medical matters and not about education?”
 

 

 

 

“The superficial aspect helps minimize the damage and the loss, because most of the time these kinds of articles are perceived as sensations.”
 


YECHI ADONEINU MOREINU V'RABBEINU MELECH HA'MOSHIACH L'OLAM VA'ED!

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