6551 —עצה בטיפול רפואי ושמירת בריאות הגוף

B"H, 10th of Marcheshvan, 5719

Brooklyn.

Brachah v'Shalom!

In response to your letter of the 7th of Cheshvan, in which you write of the doctors' proposal regarding treatments,

It is understood that in such a case one begins with what is easier and simpler, that is to say, the Tiberias baths alone. May it be G‑d's will that the treatment succeed fully, and may G‑d, blessed be He, fulfill the wishes of your hearts (see ימלא ה' כל משאלותיך "May G‑d fulfill all your wishes", Tehillim 20:6; ויתן לך משאלת לבך "and He will grant you the wishes of your heart", Tehillim 37:4) for זרעא חייא וקיימא "living and enduring offspring" (from the Shabbos prayer Yekum Purkan), very soon indeed.

And here is the place for me to remark: you surely remember that when you were here I told your husband, the Rav, may he live and be well, and repeated it, that he must watch over and be more exact in matters of eating and drinking and in bodily health in general. For besides the main point, that this is a command of our holy Torah, and in the words of the Rambam, היות הגוף בריא ושלם מדרכי השם הוא "keeping the body healthy and whole is among the ways of G‑d" (Rambam, Hilchos De'os 4:1), it also bears on your own personal matter of living and enduring offspring. On the spot I saw that he related to the matter in the manner of "why should one worry about it?" That is why I repeated my words. And since you returned to the Holy Land, may it be built and established, my concern has been growing that he, your husband the Rav, may he live, is not paying attention to the above even in that minimal way. And it is understood that by attention to this, my meaning is simple: that he ask a doctor about the order and times of eating and the kinds of food that are healthy and good, and likewise regarding the other matters that bear on bodily health,

And may it be G‑d's will that at least from now on he will do what was said, even if only out of kabbalas ol (acceptance of the yoke), as long as the matter is actually carried out. And nothing stands in the way of the will; if he wants to, he will do it.

It is understood that I mean for you to show my letter to your husband the Rav, may he live, as well, and may it be G‑d's will that the words have their effect.

With blessing for good news in all the above,

In the name of the Rebbe, shlita,

A. Quint

Secretary

Summary

This letter advises beginning with the simplest treatment, the Tiberias baths, and reminds the recipient that her husband was told to look after his diet and health, which is both a Torah directive and bears on their hope for children. It asks that he consult a doctor and act on it, even out of kabbalas ol, since nothing stands in the way of the will.