6685 —ברכה להצלחת טיפול רפואי: "טראכט גוט וועט זיין גוט", וזכות הרבים שבחינוך

B"H, 16 Shevat, 5719
Brooklyn.

Brachah v'Shalom!

In reply to your letter, in which you write about your visit to the doctor, and that he has set the treatment for 7 Adar (it is not clear whether you mean Adar I)^[1].

May it be G‑d's will that the treatment take place at a good and successful hour. You will certainly conduct yourself in keeping with the instruction of our Rebbeim, our leaders, "Tracht gut" ("Think good")^[2], and then the conclusion of their instruction will also be fulfilled: "Vet zain gut" ("It will be good").

All the more so since the merit of the many depends on you^[3], for you help with the affairs of the boy and girl pupils^[4] of the educational institution in which you work, and you strive to bring the hearts of the pupils close to our Father in Heaven, "Who heals all flesh and acts wondrously"^[5]. I will await good news^[6] about all the above.

With blessing for a speedy recovery^[7],

M. Schneersohn

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 21^[8], p. 462.

Notes

1. Adar I (אדר א'): 5719 was a leap year with two months of Adar, so the letter did not make clear in which of them the treatment had been set.

2. "Tracht gut" (טראכט גוט): "Tracht gut vet zain gut", "Think good and it will be good": a saying of our Rebbeim that the Rebbe cites often to the sick and their families. In letter 665 he wrote: פתגם כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר הכ"מ, בשם כמה מנשיאי חב"ד: טראכט גוט וועט זיין גוט, "the saying of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, in the name of several of the Chabad Rebbeim: think good and it will be good", and the publisher's note there refers to the Previous Rebbe's Igros Kodesh, vol. 7, letter 1890, "in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek". See also letters 675 and 3316. Here the Rebbe divides the saying in two: its first half ("think good") is an instruction for her conduct, its second half ("it will be good") is the result that will be fulfilled for her.

3. The merit of the many depends on you (זכות הרבים תלוי בה): After the wording of the Mishnah, Avos 5:18: משה זכה וזכה את הרבים, זכות הרבים תלוי בו, "Moshe was meritorious and brought merit to the many; the merit of the many is credited to him." Since she brings merit to many through her work in education, the merit of the many stands by her.

4. Boy and girl pupils (חניכים-ות): חניכים-ות = חניכים וחניכות.

5. Who heals all flesh and acts wondrously (הרופא כל בשר ומפליא לעשות): The closing of the blessing Asher Yatzar, after Berachos 60b: מאי חתים? אמר רב: רופא חולים. אמר שמואל: קא שוינהו אבא לכולי עלמא קצירי?! אלא: רופא כל בשר. רב ששת אמר: מפליא לעשות. א"ר פפא: הלכך נמרינהו לתרוייהו: רופא כל בשר ומפליא לעשות, "How does it conclude? Rav said: 'Who heals the sick.' Shmuel said: Has Abba made everyone sick?! Rather: 'Who heals all flesh.' Rav Sheshes said: 'Who acts wondrously.' Rav Papa said: Therefore we say both: 'Who heals all flesh and acts wondrously.'"

6. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

7. A speedy recovery (לרפו"ק): לרפו"ק = לרפואה קרובה.

8. Likkutei Sichos, vol. 21 (לקו"ש חכ"א): לקו"ש חכ"א = לקוטי שיחות חלק כ"א.

Summary

The Rebbe replies to a woman who works with the boys and girls of an educational institution and whose medical treatment has been set for 7 Adar. He blesses her that it succeed, tells her to keep the saying of the Rebbeim "think good", so that its conclusion, "it will be good", is fulfilled, and notes that the merit of the many she educates stands by her.