What Happens When We Truly Unite? A Medical Miracle

“Look around and see if there's anything broken in unity, a conflict or a quarrel. If you follow my advice and invest your energy in unity and love among friends, with God's help, you'll see salvation and complete healing.” These words of wisdom were spoken by a great tzaddik (righteous person), and the two real-life stories that follow show just how powerful unity can be.

“If there's conflict and people aren't united, no power can take away the hardship."

The family members stood in distress as they spoke to the Rebbe, the author of Pnei Menachem of Gur, who had come to visit their critically ill father. “He’s been moved to intensive care,” they said with deep worry. “He was in the internal medicine department, but his condition got worse. Last night they transferred him to ICU. It’s serious…”

The Rebbe, whose heart beat with the pain of every Jew, listened with deep compassion. A fellow Jew was suffering, and his family stood around him in fear and sadness. When the Rebbe arrived at the department, the head doctor, a well known professor, was already waiting. He had been told that a holy man, a tzaddik, was coming to visit a patient.

The Rebbe listened quietly as the professor gave a detailed medical report. When he finished, the doctor said with certainty: “At best, he has one month left to live.”

The Rebbe nodded, absorbing the weight of the words. Then, calmly but with deep conviction, he said, “With all due respect to the doctor, I believe the decree can still be canceled.” That was all he said on the matter.

The family had gotten used to hearing difficult news from the doctors, but the Rebbe’s words gave them a glimmer of hope. What did he mean? Could such a harsh decision from Hashem really be changed?

When the Rebbe entered the patient’s room, the sick man immediately began to cry. He shared the details of his painful condition, the endless suffering, and the terrible prognosis he had already heard.“Rebbe,” he begged through tears, “tzaddikim can make decrees and Hashem fulfills them. Please, let the Rebbe say that the doctors are wrong—that I’ll return to a normal, healthy life!”

The Rebbe looked at him with eyes full of mercy. This was a Jew whose life seemed to hang by a thread, yet he held on to hope. The Rebbe paused in deep thought. Then he said gently, “There are times when even the righteous have no power to change a heavenly decree. When there is discord, when unity is missing, we have no power to make such decrees.”

His voice grew stronger as he continued. “If there is conflict, if unity is lacking, no power can cancel the decree. You must invest energy in healing division and strengthening unity. Look around and see: is there anything broken in unity? Any conflict or quarrel? If you follow my advice and focus on love and unity among friends and family, with God's help, you will see salvation and complete healing.”

The family was stunned. The Rebbe had touched a very sore spot, one they had been trying to ignore. For years, a financial disagreement had torn the family apart. Brothers weren’t speaking, cousins avoided each other. The tension had split the family in painful ways. Now, the Rebbe’s message was clear and so was the path to healing. If money caused the conflict, now was the time to remember that no amount of money is worth more than a father’s life.

That very evening, one of the brothers gathered the whole family. There were arguments but there were also tears, apologies, and, eventually, forgiveness. Each person made compromises, some of them quite difficult. But in the end, they came together, shook hands, and once again became a united family.

Just days later, the father’s condition began to improve. Slowly, the illness started to disappear. His strength returned. When he was finally discharged from the hospital on his own two feet, a joyful seudas hoda’ah (a meal for thanking Hashem) was held. The entire reunited family celebrated the miracle together: the man who had been in intensive care had come back to life. The doctors were amazed by his recovery.

Doctors were surprised: The disease got better in a way they couldn’t explain.

Rabbi Elimelech Biderman, a beloved mashpia (spiritual guide), shared the second story, which he personally knows to be true. “There was a special group of friends,” he said, “who met every week in a chavurah, a group formed to strengthen each other in serving Hashem through friendship and unity. Each week, they would gather in one of their homes for heartfelt discussion and support.”

One week, the group met at Reb Pinchas’s home. Right away, they noticed that something was wrong. His usual cheerful expression had been replaced by a heavy sadness. “A worry in a man’s heart should be shared,” one of the friends gently said. “Tell us, what’s troubling you?”

Reb Pinchas hesitated, but then opened his heart. His voice broke as he spoke. “I have a son, Moishy, a sweet boy, ten years old. Lately he’s had headaches, nothing too unusual… but then they became frequent. We went for tests, and today we got the worst news.” He paused, then burst into tears. “It’s not just any illness, it’s the worst kind. A terrible disease has grown in his head. It’s already spread. The doctors said there’s nothing they can do. They’ve given up.”

For a few moments, everyone was in stunned silence. Then, without needing to say much, the friends all stood up together and made a decision. They were going to Meron, to the kever (grave) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, to pray. It didn’t matter that it was the middle of the night. They were dropping everything to be there for their friend’s child.

Reb Pinchas could hardly believe it. They were really giving up their plans, their sleep, their schedules, all for him and his son? Tears welled up in his eyes. “Thank you,” he said with emotion. “I feel like I’m no longer alone in this. You’re with me.”

With that, he decided to join them and he brought his sick son too. Together, they made the long journey to Meron.

At the holy site, their prayers rose like fire. They cried from the depths of their hearts, pleading with Hashem for the life of a pure and innocent child. “Please,” they begged, “he hasn’t even begun life yet. Give him a chance.” The air was filled with tears and unity, a group of friends storming the gates of Heaven with one voice.

Two weeks later, new test results came back. The disease had mysteriously retreated. For the first time, the doctors agreed to begin treatment. After a long period of care and recovery, the boy returned to full health. No trace of illness remained. Today, that same boy is a grown man, married with children of his own and still part of a close-knit, loving chavurah.

The doctors were stunned. They called him “a medical mystery,” “a phenomenon we can’t explain.” But his friends knew the truth. The healing didn’t come from medical knowledge. It came from something far greater. They call him “the child of unity.”

Courtesy of the Dirshu website.