Not Every "Sign" Is a Sign: A Powerful Lesson from Rabbi Shach

Once, a yeshiva student approached Rabbi Shach zt"l with a question about a proposed shidduch. The young woman was excellent, from a respected family, and on the surface the match seemed very fitting. However, during the inquiries, it emerged that there was a certain medical issue in her family.

Those involved assured him that the condition was not hereditary and that there was no real reason for concern. Still, the young man felt uncertain. Could he truly rely on that reassurance?

Rabbi Shach listened carefully to all the details and told the student that this was not a simple matter. He needed time to think it through calmly and responsibly.

A Dangerous Way of Thinking

Before they parted, the young man added one more point. The suggestion for this match had come from several completely unrelated sources. To him, this seemed like a clear sign.

“Isn’t that proof that this is from Hashem?” he asked.

At that moment, Rabbi Shach stopped walking and responded firmly.

“Are you speaking like a child?” he said. “Someone who thinks this way can go very far in the wrong direction. Can we interpret signs from Heaven? That is something reserved for those with ruach hakodesh, not for us.”

With that, he made his position clear. We are not meant to base decisions on what we think are “signs.”

When “Signs” Can Mislead

Rabbi Shach often warned against this mindset. A powerful example involved a young child who needed surgery.

The procedure was scheduled for a Sunday. But on the Motzaei Shabbat before the operation, the child suddenly developed a high fever. The doctors grew concerned and postponed the surgery.

A new date was set for the following Sunday. During the week, the child recovered. Everything seemed fine, until Motzaei Shabbat arrived once again and the fever returned. The surgery was postponed a second time.

This pattern repeated itself a third time. Each week, the child improved, and each Motzaei Shabbat, the fever came back.

The parents began to feel that this could not be a coincidence. Perhaps, they thought, Heaven was sending them a message not to proceed with the surgery.

The Question That Troubled Them

At first, they tried to ignore the feeling and scheduled the procedure again. But when the same thing happened yet another time, they felt they could no longer overlook what seemed like a clear pattern.

Instead of returning to the hospital, they went to Rabbi Shach.

They described everything in detail and asked the question that weighed heavily on their hearts: “Shouldn’t we see this as a sign from Heaven? Maybe we are not meant to go through with the operation at all?”

A Clear and Firm Answer

Rabbi Shach’s response was immediate and decisive.

“Do the doctors believe the surgery is necessary?” he asked.

“Yes,” the father replied. “Leading physicians have examined him and concluded that the operation is essential.”

“In that case,” Rabbi Shach said, “you must not rely on these so-called signs. The Torah forbids drawing conclusions from such patterns. If you avoid the surgery because of what you think are signs, you may be transgressing a serious prohibition.”

His guidance was clear. Follow the medical advice. Do not base decisions on imagined messages.

He added a blessing that everything should go smoothly.

Trusting the Right Source

The parents accepted his words. They scheduled the surgery once again, for the fifth time.

This time, everything proceeded without interruption.

The child was healthy, the surgery was successful, and all went well.

A Lesson for Life

It is natural to look for meaning in the events around us. But not everything we see is a message meant to guide our decisions.

True guidance comes from Torah, from wise counsel, and from acting responsibly within the world Hashem created.

Not every pattern is a sign.

And sometimes, the greatest clarity comes from knowing what not to interpret.