Faith in Action: The Day a Tumor Disappeared

Rabbi Chananya Chollak—most people in Israel know his name. He’s a man filled with kindness, always helping patients and their families through the most difficult times. Over the years, he’s also had the merit to be close with many great Torah sages.

In a conversation with the Dirshu website, Rabbi Chollak shared a story that he personally witnessed—one that’s hard to forget.

A young couple had just welcomed twins into the world. Their joy was overwhelming—until doctors at Schneider Hospital made a heartbreaking discovery: one of the babies had a tumor.

In their distress, the father traveled to Netivot to speak with Rabbi Reuven Yosef Gershonovich, a respected tzaddik (righteous man known for his blessings and spiritual strength). The father poured out his heart, asking for help and guidance.

The Rabbi listened, then gave a firm reply: “Your child is healthy. You have nothing to worry about.”

Comforted by the Rabbi’s words, the father returned to the hospital. But the doctors were preparing to begin treatment immediately, and the child was still hospitalized. Unsure of what to do, the father turned to Rabbi Chollak for help.

Rabbi Chollak went straight to the head of the department and gently explained that the parents wanted to take their baby home. The doctor was shocked.

“Until now,” she said, “I thought you were a rational, intelligent person. I don’t like hearing nonsense.”

Rabbi Chollak responded calmly: “Professor, in our tradition, we believe in the power of a tzaddik. There’s a concept that when a righteous person speaks with deep faith, their words can bring about real change. I’m not asking you to stop treatment. I’m just asking that you perform one more CT scan.”

The professor agreed. A new scan was done—and the results stunned her.

“There are two scans here,” she said to Rabbi Chollak, still in disbelief. “In the first one, you can clearly see the tumor. In the second one—the one we just did—it’s gone!”

She looked at him and said, half-joking, half-serious: “Call Rabbi Gershonovich to come work here and heal the whole department. I’m going home. Why are we working so hard if the Rabbi can make tumors disappear?”

Rabbi Chollak smiled and explained: “It doesn’t work like that. There’s a concept of ‘a tzaddik decrees,’ but it depends on prayer, merit, and the will of Heaven. Not everyone is worthy of such miracles.”

He added thoughtfully: “People need to understand—the prayers of the Jewish people have enormous power. We can turn to the King of the World for anything. He holds everything in His hands.”

Rabbi Chollak then recalled another time he saw this with his own eyes: when the Gross family was rushed to Schneider Hospital after inhaling toxic pesticides. Their condition was so critical that doctors connected them to an ECMO machine, which replaces heart and lung function.

“There was almost no medical hope,” Rabbi Chollak said, “but the Jewish people stormed the heavens with their prayers. And we saw an open miracle. The children recovered against all odds.”

“In times of darkness,” Rabbi Chollak concluded, “we must never forget the strength of prayer, faith, and the hidden merit of the Jewish people.”