The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Healing Philosophy:
An Introduction

By: Ya'akov Gerlitz

It is well known and established that effective healing needs to take into account the whole person in what is called “holistic medicine.” But what is the whole person? Many medical systems view holistic medicine as treatment that emphasizes the totality of the body and its organs and various systems. Many include the mind, as in mind-body medicine. Others add in the spirit, as in being virtuous and kind and compassionate. While others will also add in the health of the environment. All these definitions, even the ones that include the “soul,” are all based on what Judaism would consider to be in the "world of Assiya," the lowest level of creation. This is not the case with the Jewish medical model that stresses the importance of the soul and our connection to G-d, to that of a healthy body.

Part I. The healing environment

This paper will explore the healing philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. “The Rebbe”, as he is affectionately called, discussed health and healing at length saying that this is something our generation is in much need of. The Rebbe was very much sought after for medical advice and blessings. He made many statements concerning the state of our generation and its medical needs. He constantly stressed the importance of health and vitality saying that our generation has unique spiritual and physical requirements that are different than the previous generations. In all our illustrious rabbinic history there may not be a better resource than the Rebbe when it comes to health and treatment being that he understood our generation, and its unique needs, from the inside out.

When the Rebbe discusses health he is discussing all the aspects of human life. It is impossible to discuss bodily health without discussing the “complete” person. The Rebbe teaches that human life is composed of three realms: the soul, the body and the surrounding environment (material world) in which the individual lives. All three of these realms individually and collectively must be in proper order for there to be true health.

a. The soul

The soul within the body is literally a part of Hashem; it is the G-dliness in man. The soul is the most exalted aspect of a person and it is through the soul that the body derives its vitality and purpose. It is here, at the level of the soul, that healing is primary must be directed. For as the Zohar says “if there is a small hole in the soul it will cause a large hole in the body.”

b. The body

The body is the realm that includes our tissues, blood, organs and their corresponding vitamins, hormones and fluids. In this schematic of the body we also add the passions, desires, thoughts, emotions, attitudes and personality. This is the domain of the animal soul. We elevate this realm by the acknowledgment of Hashem in which we perform our daily needs. Ideally, every aspect of our physical activities should have a spiritual component, as the possuk says, “The Almighty has created one thing opposite the other (Eccl. 7:14).” For example, by eating and drinking in a dignified and spiritual manner we are not just satisfying a craving. Rather, we are deriving sustenance so that we may perform our daily needs in the service of Hashem. It is the recognition that our physical health is a gift from Hashem and that our bodies are to be used (and are best used) in the Service of Hashem.

c. The material environment

This is the realm of our actions and deeds. This is where we take Hashem with us into the world, being His partner and doing His will. Many people leave Hashem in their house. They recognize Hashem with the observance of mitzvoth, they may even have nullified their desires, but when they go out to work, they forget all about Hashem and are concerned with money or their profession. For example, in the performance of our profession of healing we should be promoting the awareness of Hashem and acknowledging Hashem in our work. Without this G-dly awareness on the part of the patient, healing will not fully take place.

It is self evident that the soul of a person, which is truly a part of G-d, would not allow itself to be subordinate to the lower parts of its being, namely the body and its environment. As the Rebbe says, “The superior cannot serve the inferior and be content to do so. The highest aspect of human life, the soul, will never acquiesce in subservience to the body.” Being that it is the soul that is the most exalted aspect of a person, it is here that the primary aspect of healing needs to take place. And in fact the Rebbe stresses the importance of the soul as being primary in healing.

The Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya chapter 31 the concept of the “ailing” Shechinah. The Shechinah, it is explained, is compared to a heart that pumps healing energy into creation via the Jewish souls. It is through the soul that a Jew receives the Divine life force. This helps clarify why the study of Torah and the performance of mitzvoth are so essential to health and why the Rebbe constantly stressed the need for their observance, particularly to people coping with an illness. Without this understanding it would seem that rabbis would have us observe the mitzvoth because punishment ensues if one does not observe them and that we receive reward if we perform them.

The Tanya goes on to explain that health is the unobstructed flow of blood and the spirit of life (ruach chaim) which is vested within the blood from the heart to all the parts of the body and back to the heart again. This is because all the organs are bound together and receive their vitality from the heart through this circulation. If there is any disorder in the body that disrupts this flow from the heart to all the organs there will be disease or a diminishment of health. An interesting point here is that the interconnectedness of all the organs to the heart will also affect the heart itself. It is as if the heart is a composite of all the organs. The Alter Rebbe explains that the dynamic of the heart and body acts as an analogy to the Shechinah (the heart) and the Jewish people (the organs). The Shechinah is placed in our world to pump Divine vitality into the Jewish souls, and only then into the rest of creation. The rest of the world only receives the Divine life force after it has circulated thru the “body” of Am Yisrael.

Just as the heart pumps blood and life force to all parts of the body and back to the heart, so to does the Shechinah pump Divine vitality from its original source into the lower worlds and back up again. This process is called ratzo vashov (advance and retreat). This is the reason why the Shechinah is referred to as the “heart” and the souls as the “organs.” When all the souls are connected together the Divine life force flows through the souls and the Shechinah continuously. Yet, if there is an obstruction in the Jewish people, being that the light cannot shine into the soul of each and every soul, it will impact negatively on the Shechinah. In this sense the Jews really are of one body. Anything that negatively effects you has an impact on me. For the “Jewish body” to be healthy all its components must be healthy. Just as a person loves himself and wants all his body parts to be healthy, we love our (national) self. Obviously a healthy person must love himself, for if not can he truly be healthy? Imagine if a person would state “I hate my self “or “I hate my diseased liver” could his liver every be healed? If a person hated himself could he be healthy or go through all the tribulations in obtaining health? Could a person genuinely hate themselves? In a very real sense a Jew cannot hate another Jew.

When all three realms are in the service of Hashem, individually and collectively, then there is health. This is a state where the entire organism fully acknowledges Hashem and is thus pulsating with the life force emanating from the Shechinah (ratzo vashov) vitalizing and vivifying the body with life. In this state the entire person, his soul, body and deeds are at their optimal state of being, fulfilling their divine purpose in creation, elevating the physical into the spiritual and bringing awareness of Hashem's presence into the world.

a. Health as freedom

From the above we can view health as a state of freedom. Freedom from the constraints of materialism, doubt and negativity. Freedom to express ourselves in the fullest manner possible. It is a state of unobstructed flow of Divinity into our beings and our world. This is not some lofty goal but rather a Jew’s obligation. It is a most basic principle that a Jew must “Know Him in all your ways.” A person must acknowledge G-d at all times and in all that he does, even in his simplest activities such as eating and drinking. This is even brought in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim, sec. 231) as din. If a person must acknowledge G-d in his most simplest activities how much more so in something as important as healing. As Jews we must acknowledge that all healing comes from Hashem. As Jewish healers we must acknowledge G-d's healing power in all that we do, recognizing that we are at most just a vessel for the healing shefa to shine forth.

The Rebbes of Chabad taught that every day of the year is passover and everyday we are required to remember our freedom from bondage. One of the messages of passover, or rather its essence, is the ability to go from one extreme to other instantaneously. From captivity to freedom; from illness to health. True health is true freedom. Illness is quite literally a prison keeping a person captive from life.

In a passover letter the Rebbe says that to be truly free we need to be free in all three of these realms. In the spiritual realm this means Torah compliance. In the bodily realm this means being free from base desire and passions. In the realm of the world it means being free from gross materialism.

In a letter written to a group of Jewish doctors the Rebbe stressed the soul’s primacy in healing. He brought four examples to illustrate the point. From analyzing these four points we can glean a greater understanding of the soul’s ability to heal the body and the different aspects of the soul in relation to healing.

a. Slight hole in soul causes great hole in body

The Rebbe stressed that in our generation a small flaw in the soul causes a great flaw in the body. It is vitally important to not just maintain a healthy soul in a healthy body, but to be vigilant and ensure that there not even develop a slight flaw in the soul. Torah heals and soothes the soul. The Rebbe advised people that the way one effectively brings true relaxation to his body is by increasing one’s Torah study. By nourishing the soul with Torah the soul is relaxed and content, leading to true relaxation in the mind and body.

All treatments of disease must address the soul. If even a “small hole” exists it will impact negatively on the health of the body. Regardless of what treatment a person was seeking the Rebbe always advised on the performance of mitzvahs and Torah study.

Just as the body needs nourishment so does the soul. Soul food consists of mitzvoth, Torah study, and good deeds. Soul food floods the soul with Divine energy. And just as the body has blood, so does the soul- the Torah is called the blood of life.

The root of an illness is located in the soul. It is taught in the Torah that identifying the root of a problem and explaining it to a person can help avoid a larger problem later on, or better yet to heal it at its source. Preventative medicine is exactly this. If a condition is in an early stage, located in the soul, and not yet manifesting in the body, it is easier to treat. This will prevent the “small hole in the soul” from becoming a “large hole in the body.” This being the case, we should analyze and ensure that the soul is healthy and perform regular checkups.

This aspect of the soul is in relation to Torah and Halacha.

b. Soul is able to control and repair the body

The Rebbe has said “that the healthier the soul, the greater its control of the body and the greater its ability to repair the body's deficiencies.” This aspect of the soul is related to thought and the mental faculties. Optimistic thoughts and a calm clear disposition helps the body regulate it self, hormonally and immunologicaly. The body’s regulatory process are extremely precise. Our mood has a direct and profound effect on the health of the body and its capacity to heal itself. There are many cases of people curing themselves of devastating diseases such as cancer with genuine prayer and positive attitudes. In a yechidus the Rebbe told a person that there are real life experiences where prayers and blessings caused cancer to be removed.

c. Strong will potentates physical remedies

A person’s belief in the ability of a given therapy to succeed has a profound impact on the outcome of treatment. As the Rebbe says “... many physical remedies are far more effective and successful in healing the body if they are accompanied by a strong will and spiritual fortitude on the part of the one being healed.”

This aspect of the soul is related to one’s will, passion and desires.

d. Quality is more significant than quantity

“This principle of the supremacy of spirit (quality) over matter (quantity) is also emphasized by the fact that even in regard to purely physical processes, the emerging consensus is that quantity is of limited significance. The things most vital to the functions of the body; the glands, the hormones they produce, the vitamins, etc. are all of minute quantity.”

This aspect of the soul is related to the vitalistic approach in medicine and the various “energy” paradigms to be found in the Eastern medical models.

e. Recognizing the sovereignty of the soul over the body

The soul reigns supreme in the body and is the primary aspect of the self. No treatment can afford to neglect the soul. As the verse declares, "From my own flesh, I perceive G-d"(Job 19:26.): from a recognition of the sovereignty of the soul over the body (the micro-universe)("Man is a miniature universe"--Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 3.) is but a small step to recognizing the sovereignty of G-d over the world (the macro-body). In the words of our sages: "In the same way that the soul fills the body ... bears it ... sees but is not seen ... so does G-d fill the world ... bear it ... sees but is not seen."(Talmud, Berachot 10a; Midrash Tehillim, 103:5)

Most holistic systems say that man is a micro universe of the greater macro universe. But the Torah says the opposite. The world is a macro universe of the man’s micro universe.

This aspect of the soul is related to the G-dliness within man, our connection with the Divine.

a. Positive thoughts and words heal

The Rebbe always stressed the importance of positive words and attitudes concerning healing. Our words in a very real way create our reality. Positive words create a positive world for us to live in. We live in a world of words. People relate to us based on what we say and we relate to ourselves according to the way we think and speak. There is a teaching in the kabbalah that says our souls are made of words, words engraved in the soul. Choose them carefully. There is even a discussion in the medical fields of what would happen if there was no word for disease or death. Would people get sick? Would they die? That there is even such a discussion, illustrates the power of words. Not all cultures get sick in the same way. Illness is very much a cultural phenomena. Two people may have the same disease and receive the same treatment. Yet one is optimistic and positive and the other is gloomy and negative. Guess which one fares better?

b. Do not dwell on a disease

In keeping with the advice ot the Rebbe in keeping a positive attitude, he also instructed people not to research their diseases and not to know too much about it (for example, knowing how a given disease progresses and what symptoms will develop). A person should put his mind to positive healing such as bitachon in Hashem and how He is the healer of all flesh. It is best, the Rebbe said, to choose a doctor they trusted, allow him to do his work (see later in the article for details on specialists and second opinions). Remember that it is not man who heals it is Hashem. As long as we do our share, Hashem has no shortage of means of sending a cure. This freedom from worry and anxiety frees up a person’s mind to allow the healing to take place. When a person dwells on their disease it creates anxiety and worry, blocking up a person’s energy and mind creating a very negative attitude, not conducive to healing.

c. Meditation is good for the mind

In the 1970’s the Rebbe instructed people to develop a simple Jewish mediation that could be taught to Jews. There are many great health benefits to be derived from meditation including peace of mind and freedom from anxiety. It is now known that many disease are started and worsened by stress and anxiety. Meditation offers a simple, effective remedy to alleviate suffering. Many people are drawn to meditation and end up practicing Eastern disciplines that are in fact thinly veiled idol worship. It may seem odd that the Rebbe would need to make a call for Jewish meditation when the entire edifice of Chabad philosophy rests on the daily practice of intense meditation. I think the answer is that the Rebbe is requesting a different type of meditation, one in which the goal is pure relaxation and mastery of the mind over the body. Most meditative disciplines come packaged with teachings. Yet with Jewish meditation, when a student wants to learn more there will be a rich, kosher heritage from which to draw from. The Rebbe teaches that true relaxation only comes from the study of Torah. The only way to quench the burning beast within is by the cool waters of Torah which is aptly called mayim chaim (waters of life).

d. Strengthen the immune system - of the soul

There are two general approaches to healing, one is attacking a pathogen that has invaded the body and the other is to strengthen the body’s own immune system so that it can fight off pathogens that have invaded the body. There are times when a disease is not caused by any pathogen but by a weakness of the body. In this case there is no other treatment but to strengthen the immune system. There are other times when the body has been suffering from weakness for a long time and then develops a pathogen. Usually in such times drugs that would normally be used to cure the condition are too strong for the person and they require nurturing either beforehand to make the body strong enough to handle the medication or the nurturing is administered concurrently with the treatment to mollify the unwanted side effects. Commonly, nurturing is administered also afterward to help the body recover.

The same is true for the soul. One answer is to scour out negative aspects residing in the soul and to “fix what’s broken” in the soul. The other answer is to strengthen and nurture what is good and healthy in the soul. Being that it is a singular unit, by strengthening one aspect of the soul the whole soul becomes healed. The Rebbe took the later approach and emphasized the good. In fact it says in proverbs, “the Torah’s ways are pleasant, and all its paths are peace”. Torah is the blood of life. It is the blueprint of creation and our daily sustenance. The Torah places greater emphasis on the positive, nurturing role.

e. achlifu duchtaihu

In practice it may not be as simple. there is a concept in chassidus of achlifu duchtaihu (the reversal of mediums) in which the opposites are moderated by each other. Kindness in moderated with severity and severity is moderated with kindness. For example, if one were to show pure love to another it would smother the one being loved. So to, a person moderates his love by holding back a little (gevurah). Furthermore, if a person where to chastise another person in a manner of pure severity it could be devastating. Therefore, a person chastises with compassion and love. We see this principle also in medicine. In Chinese medicine there is rarely a time when we prescribe a pure tonic formula. These formulas are always formulated with an aspect of rectification or cleansing, if only mildly so. So to, with cleansing formulas. They are always modified with a tonification aspect to protect the body. Not all medical systems practice like this. Western allopathic medicine takes a one sided approach to treatment. All of its treatments are of the gevurah/cleansing aspect. This kind of treatment usually leads to bodily imbalances and thus side effects.

a. Rapei yirapei

The Rebbe teaches that the possuk Rapei yirapei, “heal he shall heal,” comes to tell us that doctors have the right to heal and that the word of a doctor in essence is the word of G-d. It is the will of G-d that healing comes through natural means. After the Rebbe would give a bracha and advice he would regularly tell people to go to a doctor. We should not, however, disassociate the human act of healing from the Divine. By doing so we are neglecting our responsibility of being partners with Hashem and doing our part in purifying the world.

The World was created without any disease or death. It was man that brought these things upon ourselves. By healing through natural means we are also healing our world. What constitutes natural means? The Alter Rebbe once gave a person some shmura matzah and water to drink as a cure. This seems to be the minimum requirement of natural means of healing.

b. Scientific discoveries

The Rebbe in a letter writes ”... For, as a matter of fact, the Torah bestows upon science— in certain areas at least— a validity much greater than contemporary science itself claims. The Halacha [Jewish Law] accepts scientific (authors note: scientific and medical are two different things) findings, in many instances, not as possible or probable, but as certain and true...”

There is a discrepancy between science and medicine with science generally being a few years ahead of medicine. Many times patients are offered a medical treatment from their doctors yet they find scientific research which challenges the treatment and offers new possibilities. This scientific research carries halachic weight and should be taken into consideration. The ramifications of many of this century’s scientific discoveries have yet to be fully understood. In fact, modern science validates many alternative and traditional therapies. While these therapies may not be fully integrated into our cultural medical system, they are still useful and helpful. The Rebbe gave many brachos to alternative therapists to heal and when patients consulted the Rebbe concerning alternative medicine, he didn’t discount it based on it being “alternative.”

c. The Rebbe's instructions to doctors

The Rebbe instructed doctors that due to their station in life they have even a greater obligation to promote the teaching of “knowing Him in all your ways.” He furthermore implored doctors to refute the materialistic school of thought in as much as the soul is primary in healing. Doctors were instructed to maintain a happy, positive attitude during their treatments being that this attitude was infectious and extremely beneficial for the patients well being. He even told doctors to encourage their patients in the manner of mitzvoth and Torah study.

d. Doctors cannot predict the future. They can only create the how of healing

While people were requested to visit doctors it should be remembered that doctors cannot predict the future. They do not create health and healing, they only create the how of healing. Doctors are the vessels in which healing flows forth. When we do our share and do what is within our means to bring a refuah then there is no lack of means of Hashem bringing a refuah.

e. Going to a specialist

The Rebbe always stressed the importance of going to a specialist. If a person has a heart condition they should be under the care of a cardiologist. It would be folly to go to a podiatrist for a respiratory problem. Part of the hishtodlut that a person is required to make in healing is to search out and find a doctor who is most proficient in a given field. Even this may not be enough. If there is a specialist within a given field who has more clinical experience in a particular disorder seek him out. It is important to maximize our chances of success.

f. Second and third opinions

The Rebbe advised people to get second opinions concerning medical procedures. If the two opinions differ get a third or consult with a Rav before making a decision. There were times, if the condition was serious, that the Rebbe advised getting three opinions from the beginning.

g. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle

Where is there room for G-d in a treatment? A doctor does “A” and the effect is “B.” This is a basic “law of nature,” or is it? Perhaps this kind of thinking was dominant in the 19th century, but in this century science has proven that it cannot “prove” anything. The most it can do is give the probable odds that a certain cause will produce a given affect. This is called the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. In fact, there is plenty of room between, for example, the striking of a match and the match igniting- an infinite amount of time, if you let it. G-d is everywhere and in all that we do. Anything less would be denying the six constant mitzvoth to have G-d before us at all times. This has profound implications for us in treatment. It may seem that the doctor is healing, but in reality it is the kindness of Hashem.

There’s a story in the Gemara of a Tanna whose daughter accidentally filled the shabbos candelabra with vinegar instead of oil. By the time the mistake was realized, it was too late to change it. The Tanna said, “Light the wicks- He who makes oil burn can make vinegar burn.” And it did.

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