Igrot Kodesh · Letter 5478 — Health

B"H

25 Iyar 5717

Brooklyn

I greet you and bless you.

After a particularly long interruption, I received your letter of Lag BaOmer, in which I did not find the explanation for your silence until now. Certainly, there is no point in complaining about the past, but may Hashem grant that all this be rectified in the future.

I took note with satisfaction, from your letter, of your encounter with this person. It is good to make an effort to awaken this man's awareness of his origins. You must use this most forcefully. Indeed, he comes from a family that devoted its entire life to Chassidus* and everything connected to it. It is therefore certain that these souls demand of all their descendants that they act precisely in this direction and do so to the full extent of their means. Their obligation in this matter is much greater than in many other domains in which they invest, for this cannot be accomplished by anyone else.

I mean that a descendant of a family that for several generations devoted itself to Chassidus possesses a particular capacity to understand its teachings and a special ease in explaining them to others. It is clear that the influence of this teaching must be perceptible in the private life of this descendant. Indeed, of all parts of the Torah it is said: "Great is study that leads to action" and "one who studies without the intention of applying... (it would have been better had he not been created)." How much more is this so for Chassidus, for the Baal Shem Tov* affirms: "You shall surely help..." the body and everything that concerns it.

You ask me what you should teach him. It is clear that this depends on his knowledge and character. It is regarding this that it is said: "One will study that to which one is drawn." It would be good to show him the pamphlet entitled "Some Aspects" (in English in the original), which also underscores the importance of concrete action, including for intellectual perception.

Concerning the examination prescribed by the physician, one must know that it only provides confirmations. One must therefore exclude a deep examination (see Letters 3446 and 3557) to the fullest extent possible. I am practically certain that it has no other effect than to bolster the physician's knowledge. One must therefore avoid it with delicacy, so as not to offend the physician. I hope that he himself will not demand it, seeing that one is not satisfied to undergo it and knowing himself how small its concrete contribution is.

Regarding the breastfeeding of the child, this is indeed a very good initiative. Moreover, in recent years, American physicians themselves advocate it and publish studies on its positive effect for both mother and child. You write that you are sensitive, but this has nothing to do with it. Breastfeeding is normal and desirable, as it is said: "Hashem made man upright, but they sought many stratagems" (Koheles 7:29). May Hashem grant that the birth be easy, that it occur at a good and fruitful time, that the child be whole and in good health, and that you educate him to Torah, to the marriage canopy, and to good deeds.

With my blessing to give good tidings,

P.S.: No doubt you will give me all the details regarding the Lag BaOmer gathering. May Hashem grant you success in giving good tidings of this as well.

ב״ה ,כ״ט אייר ,תשי׳׳ז

ברוקלין.

ברכה ושלום!

בתמהון גדול נודעתי ממנהגה לצום מזמן לזמן שני וחמישי וגם

ערב ראש חודש ,וזאת לאחר שידועה הוראת הבעל שם טוב שנחוץ

שיהי׳ הגוף בריא ולא יפריע לציווי לעבוד את השם יתברך בשמחה,

ורואים במוחש בדורנו שע״י תעניות תדירות נחלשת הבריאות ואחר־כך

זוהי הפרעה לעניני מצוות.

מובן מאליו שהכוונה לתעניות שלוקחים על עצמם לבד )אבל לא

התעניות שהם על פי השולחן ערוך( .ואם רוצים בדוקא ענין כמו

תעניות ,הרי ידועה בזה ההוראה של כ״ק אדמו׳׳ר מהר׳יש נ״ע ,שזה

יכול להעשות ע״י המנעות מדיבור שלא צריך לדבר ,גם כשיש חשק גדול

לזה ,ולא רק מלשון הרע אלא אפילו מדברים בטלים ,ותעניות מאכילה

יכולות להיות גם בזה שאוכלים דברים כאלו שהם טובים לבריאות,

אבל לא מחפשים דוקא דברים כאלה שיש להם טעם ערב דוקא.

הנני מקוה ששורות ספורות אלו תספקנה שתקיים כראוי את

האמור לעיל ,ומכיון שכפי שהנני מבין נהגה בזה יותר משלש פעמים ,יש

לעשות התרת נדרים ואחר כך להחליף את התעניות מאכילה בתעניות

האמורות לעיל .והשם יתברך יעזור לה בכל זה ויחד עם בעלה שי׳ תנחו

את בנכם בדרך החסידותית מתוך בריאות ושמחה.

בברכה,

בשם כ״ק אדמו״ר שליט״א

מזכיר

ה׳תפט

ההוראה :ראה גם אגרות-קודש כרך יג אגרת ד׳תריד ,ובנסמז בהערות שם.

)ה׳תקכא(