Ayelet is a resident of a small town in Israel. She identifies herself as a member of the local Chabad community. Earlier this year, she expressed to her friends a concern she had about her daughter, Bat- Chen. She had taken her daughter to a pediatrician to find out why her daughter was hardly eating.

The doctor checked Bat-Chen’s mouth and said she saw a suspicious mass under her chin. She didn’t know whether this had a connection with the lack of appetite, but she told Ayelet to take her for an ultrasound test to find out what was going on.

Ayelet went home, and to find inspiration, trying to remain calm, she wrote a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. She then took out volume 18 of the Rebbe’s published letters and put the letter in, while whispering a prayer that she hoped would be answered. The Rebbe’s answer was on page 252-253. In the letter, the Rebbe wrote on the topic of health. He quoted the Rambam about “v’nahapoch hu,” the transformation of the month of Adar, and ended with blessing for success and for a joyous
Purim.

On the facing page 253, the Rebbe wrote about the proper observance of Shmitta. Although Ayelet kept the laws of Shmitta, she resolved to do it better and not to spare any effort but to travel far in order to be able to buy the halachically-best produce, as the Rebbe requested.

Ayelet was excited that the contents of the two letters were directly connected to her without her having to look between the lines for a connection. Armed with this clear blessing of “v’nahapoch hu,” she anticipated that the ultrasound would show that nothing was there.

Ayelet took Bat-Chen for the ultrasound, which took quite a bit of time. When the test was finally done, the technician gave her the results and told her to go to an ear, nose and throat clinic immediately. There was a tumor a centimeter and a half in size and this had to be tested immediately. Usually, a tissue sample would be taken but due to the size of the tumor, they would have to remove part of it with a large syringe and send it to a lab in Jerusalem.

At this point, Ayelet felt dispirited. Once again, she wrote to the Rebbe about the new frightening development.

This time, she opened the book of the Rebbe’s letters at random to page 93. This letter was about nerves and depression. Yes, Ayelet was extremely nervous. While this was going on she still had to run the household and go to work, while not projecting her nervousness at her students. This was a tall order for an undemonstrative type of person, all the more so for the sensitive Ayelet.

The Rebbe referred to her state of mind and gave advice: This comes from nervousness and therefore it is worth consulting with an expert doctor about this and following his instructions. The more you strengthen your trust in the Creator and Ruler of the world, Who supervises each one with individual supervision, and therefore, there is no room for worry or excitement…

She made an appointment with the ear-nose-and throat doctor and prepared for it by asking for the Rebbe’s blessing. This time, she opened to page 377:

It is surprising that you repeat your request when I have already written to you that you should trust the Healer of all flesh Who does wonders. As it is written, “He did everything properly in its time”– both aspects, in its time and that it will be proper. May the medical treatment be in its proper time and with success, and may you relate good news in a good frame of mind in both personal and general matters, with blessing.

Ayelet resolved that this final letter she would write until she could report the good news of “v’nahapoch hu.”

* * *

Bat-Chen woke up Sunday morning, said Modeh Ani, washed her hands and gave charity, and Ayelet supplied her with all the spiritual armor she could think of: a picture of the Rebbe, a small book of Tehillim (Psalms), etc. Then Ayelet, her husband Reuven, and Bat-Chen went to the doctor.

Reuven remained in the waiting room and said Tehillim for his little girl, praying that the procedure wouldn’t hurt, that the tumor should be benign, that... He tried concentrating on his Tehillim while trying to put the reason for his saying the Tehillim out of his mind –an impossible task.

What was going on? Why had the door opened so quickly and why were Ayelet and Bat-Chen walking towards him with smiles. Reuven thought he was hallucinating. Had they made a mistake about the date of their appointment?

This time, Ayelet was calm and she explained to her stunned husband the reason they were done so quickly. “I went in with all our medical papers and the doctor reviewed them all, looking quite grave. Then she explained what she was going to do and went to get the syringe.

“The doctor examined the diagnosis and ultrasound images carefully, then approached Bat-Chen, who was holding the picture of the Rebbe. The doctor palpated Bat-Chen’s face, chin and under her chin, again and again. She looked back at the ultrasound and again at the little girl. She felt her face again and then said, ‘I don’t know what to say except that there is no growth here. I have no explanation as to how a tumor that size could disappear. Go home because there is no reason to do the test and I have nothing to say except that it’s miracle.’”