Rabbi Leibl Baumgarten was an elderly man when the Rebbe assumed the nesius. He was bothered by cataracts, and asked the Rebbe’s advice about surgery. At first, the Rebbe counseled him to postpone the operation and have someone read to him if reading had become difficult.

When the problem became more severe, Rabbi Baumgarten consulted the Rebbe again. This time, the Rebbe told him to go to Dr. Rosenhort, a noted eye-surgeon who had performed cataract operations on the Viznitzer Rebbe, the Kapitznitzer Rebbe, and other Jewish leaders.

Dr. Rosenhort explained that the removal of a cataract was a routine operation. “If the patient remains still,” he explained, “there is almost no danger whatsoever.”

Those last words lit a red light in Rabbi Baumgarten’s mind. He had a chronic cough. What would happen if he coughed in the middle of the operation? So the matter was delayed.

As time passed, however, the cataracts continued to worsen, and Rabbi Baumgarten eventually consented to the operation. While Dr. Rosenhort was speaking to him before the procedure began, he showed him pictures of the Rebbeim he had treated. Mendel Baumgarten, Rabbi Baumgarten’s grandson and then a yeshivah student, in turn showed Dr. Rosenhort a picture of the Rebbe.

“Can I keep the picture?” the doctor asked. Mendel of course agreed.

The operation was successful, but on the following day a blood clot formed. Since Rabbi Baumgarten was in his 80s, this was a dangerous development. Mendel and his brother Berel hurried to 770 to inform the Rebbe. But the Rebbe passed the matter off. “It’s nothing,” he said, waving his hand.

The Baumgarten brothers took note of the exact time the Rebbe had spoken, and returned to the hospital to convey the news to the family.

When they arrived, they found everyone in good spirits. The blood clot had dissolved! They asked the doctors when this had happened, and the time they were told was the exact hour at which the brothers had spoken to the Rebbe.

When Dr. Rosenhort heard the story, he told everyone in the hospital of the miracle the Rebbe had performed. The Baumgartens informed the Rebbe that Dr. Rosenhort was praising him as a miracle worker.

The Rebbe responded: “May it be G‑d’s will that miracles be used for healthy things.”