6358 —עצה רפואית על לובוטומיה ודרכי טיפול חלופיים

B"H, 4th of Tammuz, 5718.

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 20th of Sivan, with the enclosed pidyon nefesh, in which you write about the idea of performing surgery but do not specify the nature of the operation—perhaps you mean the procedure called lobotomy—if so, this does not seem appropriate to me at least for now. After all, very often this surgery has not been so successful so far, which implies that one should first try all other possible options. It is known that some medications (pills), and in general some of the modern treatment methods used today, have effects that become apparent only after a year or two. It would be worthwhile for the treating physician to write in detail—as doctors do when writing to each other—regarding the course of treatment up until now, etc., and show this letter to an expert in this field here.

May it be G‑d's will that since we have entered the month of Tammuz—the month of redemption of our Rebbe, our leader and head of Israel—and since "the body follows the head," the entire body in all its stature down to the heel will draw from the head all that is needed and will be redeemed from all confusing matters so that everyone can serve Hashem with complete joy and a good heart.

With blessings for good news in all mentioned above.

Summary

The Rebbe advises caution regarding lobotomy procedures due to inconsistent outcomes and encourages exploring alternative treatments first. He emphasizes consulting medical experts and expresses hope for both physical healing and spiritual joy.