GUIDING INVESTIGATIONS
- What value does Judaism place on life?
- What are we commanded to keep healthy?
- What do the sources tell us about medicine and medical professionals?
CORE SOURCES
לְפִיכָךְ נִבְרָא אָדָם יְחִידִי, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד עוֹלָם מָלֵא. וְכָל הַמְקַיֵּם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּם עוֹלָם מָלֵא.
... but a single person [Adam] was created in the world, to teach that if any man has caused a single life to perish from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had caused a whole world to perish; and anyone who saves a single soul from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had saved a whole world.
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אֶלָּא יָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁיְּהֵא גּוּפוֹ שָׁלֵם וְחָזָק כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נַפְשׁוֹ יְשָׁרָה לָדַעַת אֶת ה'. שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבִין וְיִשְׂתַּכֵּל בַּחָכְמוֹת וְהוּא רָעֵב וְחוֹלֶה אוֹ אֶחָד מֵאֵיבָרָיו כּוֹאֵב.
He should set his heart to have a sound and strong body so that his soul be tranquil to acquire the knowledge of the Lord; for, it is impossible that one should comprehend and improve himself in scholarship when he is hungry, or sick, or when one of his limbs pains
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(ט) רַ֡ק הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד... (טו) וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם...
(9) But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously... (15) For your own sake, therefore, be most careful with your lives...
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חמירא סכנתא מאיסורא
Mortal danger is regarded with more stringency than violating a ritual prohibition.
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Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Medicine is prayer in the form of a deed…The body is a sanctuary, the doctor is a priest…The act of healing is the highest form of imitation of God.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: NUTRITION AND SELF-CARE
וְכֵן כְּשֶׁיֹּאכַל וְיִשְׁתֶּה... לֹא יָשִׂים בְּלִבּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת דְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ כְּדֵי לֵהָנוֹת בִּלְבַד עַד שֶׁנִּמְצָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה אֶלָּא הַמָּתוֹק לַחֵךְ... אֶלָּא יָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁיֹּאכַל וְיִשְׁתֶּה כְּדֵי לְהַבְרוֹת גּוּפוֹ וְאֵיבָרָיו בִּלְבַד. לְפִיכָךְ לֹא יֹאכַל כָּל שֶׁהַחֵךְ מִתְאַוֶּה כְּכֶלֶב וַחֲמוֹר אֶלָּא יֹאכַל דְּבָרִים הַמּוֹעִילִים לַגּוּף אִם מָרִים אִם מְתוּקִים. וְלֹא יֹאכַל דְּבָרִים הָרָעִים לַגּוּף אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן מְתוּקִים לַחֵךְ.
When he will eat, drink... he should not set his heart upon these things for the sole enjoyment thereof, until, as a consequence he will not eat and drink save that which is sweet to the palate... But he shall set his heart to eat and drink solely in order to keep his body and limbs in good health. He, therefore, should not eat everything his palate craves for like a dog or a donkey, but partake of the things which are wholesome to the body whether bitter or sweet; and he shall not eat food which is bad for the body even though it be sweet to the palate.
וַאֲכִילָה גַּסָּה לְגוּף כָּל אָדָם כְּמוֹ סַם הַמָּוֶת. וְהוּא עִקָּר לְכָל הֶחֳלָאִים. וְרֹב הֶחֳלָאִים שֶׁבָּאִים עַל הָאָדָם אֵינָם אֶלָּא אוֹ מִפְּנֵי מַאֲכָלִים רָעִים. אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מְמַלֵּא בִּטְנוֹ וְאוֹכֵל אֲכִילָה גַּסָּה אֲפִלּוּ מִמַּאֲכָלִים טוֹבִים.
Ravenous eating is as deadly to the body of every man as poison, and is the base of all sickness; for, most diseases which visit man are not possible save either because of bad food, or because he fills up his bowels with overmuch food, even though the food be of good quality.
Maimonides, Preservation of Youth: Essays on Health
If a man would take care of his body as he takes care of the animal he rides on, he would be spared many serious ailments. For you will not find a man who would give too much hay to his animal, but he measures it according to its capacity. However, he himself will eat too much without measure and consideration. Man is very attentive to his animal’s movement and fatigue in order that it should continue in a state of health and not get sick, but he is not attentive to his own body....