Living Torah Archives

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Gurewitz serves on the faculty of Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim in Migdal Haemek, Israel. He remembers how when his wife was expecting, she started feeling severe pains which impacted her breathing. After receiving a diagnosis, they were strongly urged by her doctor to go ahead with surgery. After asking the Rebbe a number of times about how to proceed, they finally received an answer - albeit not one that they or their doctor were expecting. (1979)

Don’t predict what will happen in a year from now, you are not a prophet. Ask a doctor who is active with new developments. If there will be a good development, they will probably change their minds and give a better prognosis for the future. May you have good tidings. (Collage)

May your primary work as a doctor be in preventive medicine. But since there are those who, for now, need to be healed, may you merit to utilize G-d’s permission for a doctor to cure, in a good and successful manner. (Collage)

After spending a month at his ill father’s bedside, Dr. Stuart Ditchek had the unique privilege of meeting privately with the Rebbe. The Rebbe brought to light a common connection the two of them shared, and gave him an open invitation to visit. (1986)

As a young man, Mottel Feiglin suffered from painful migraines. On the advice of friends, he decided to ask the Rebbe for a blessing. He expected the blessing, and even advice, but not the prescription. (1971)

May you have a speedy discharge from the hospital, but as long as you are there, use your time to influence those around you to do good.

Dr. Mordechai Shani is an Israeli physician and medical Professor. Intrigued by the Rebbe’s words to him one Simchas Torah, he decided to follow up with a private audience. The meeting, which discussed developments in healthcare, continues to impact him today. (1976)

The Talmud relates that Torah scholars become weak from their rigorous study, but this is not inevitable; Maimonides rules that the body is the property of God, which one is required to take care of.

There is no need to scare the patient with a negative prognosis. Seek out a doctor who is caring, but not emotionally involved.

During Shemini Atzeres hakafos in 1977, the Rebbe suffered a massive heart attack. Dr. Moshe Feldman was a member of the medical team that treated the Rebbe at 770.

When it’s three doctors against one rabbi, who would you believe? (1973)

Rabbi Nissen Mangel recalls a story about his father-in-law, to whom the Rebbe paid a personal visit in the hospital (circa early-1970's)

Rabbi Yekusiel Farkash is a prominent halachic authority living in Jerusalem, Israel. An amazing story of how the Rebbe’s advice saved his doctor-friend’s wife from fatal illness, through a change of diet (circa 1975).

May your entire family have good preparations for a wonderful Passover. All the children who are old enough should prepare the four questions for the Seder.