What does the Torah teach us about health, fitness and self-care, and how can we use that knowledge to build a better spiritual relationship with G-d?

Vayikra Rabbah 34:3

The story is told of Hillel that when he had finished a lesson with his students, he accompanied them part of the way. They said to him, “Master, where are you going?” He answered, “To perform a religious duty.” They asked, “Which religious duty?” He answered, “To bathe in the bathhouse.” They questioned, “Is that a religious duty?” He answered them, “If somebody is appointed to scrape and clean the statues of the king that are set up in the theaters and circuses, and is paid to do the work, and furthermore associates with the nobility, how much more so should I, who am created in the divine image and likeness, take care of my body?”

Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 4:1

(1) Since a healthy and whole body is necessary for the ways of G-D (for it is impossible to imply or know anything of Godly wisdom when one is sick), therefore one must distance himself from things that are damaging to the body and to accustom oneself to things that strengthen and make one healthy. They are as follows: a person should only eat when he is hungry, and drink when he is thirsty.

Leviticus 18:5

(5) You shall keep My laws and My rules, by the pursuit of which man shall live: I am the LORD.

Rashi on Leviticus 18:5:2

(2) וחי בהם means, THAT HE SHALL LIVE THROUGH THEM in the world to come (eternal life). For if you say it means that he shall live in this world, is it not a fact that in the end he must die! (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Section 8 10; cf. also Targ. Onkelos)

Deuteronomy 30:19

(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live

2. Rambam: Mishneh Torah: Hilchos Deos 4:1

"Bodily health and wellbeing are part of the path to God, for it is impossible to understand or have any knowledge of the Creator when one is sick. Therefore one must avoid anything that may harm the body and one must cultivate healthful habits”

3. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Derech Hashem 1:4:7

‘….one of the commandments requires that we keep our bodies fit so that we can serve God, and that we derive our needs from the environment to achieve this goal. In this manner, we elevate ourselves even through such activities. The world itself is also elevated, since it is then also helping man to serve God.

רמב''ם, משנה תורה, הלכות דעות ד:א

א הוֹאִיל וַהֲוָיַת הַגּוּף בָּרִיא וְשָׁלֵם, מִדַּרְ כֵי ה' הוּא, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵי אִפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבִין אוֹ יֵדַע, וְהוּא חוֹלֶה-- צָר ִ י* אָדָם לְהַרְחִיק עַצְמוֹ מִדְּבָרִ ים הַמְּאַבְּדִין אֶת הַגּוּף, וּלְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בִּדְבָרִים הַמַּבְרִים הַמַּחֲלִימִים

Maimonides, Mishna Torah, Hilchot Deot 4:1, translation by Gideon Aronovich

A healthy and wholesome body is akin to the ways of G-d, because it is impossible to understand and know (the ways of G-d) when one is ill. Therefore a person needs to distance oneself from damaging influences and accustom to a healthy lifestyle.

רבי נחמן מברסלב, ליקוטי מוהר''ן א, כב:ה

וְצָרִ יך כָּל אָדָם לְרַ חֵם מְאד עַל בְּשַׂר הַגּוּף לְהַרְ אוֹת לוֹ מִכָּל הֶאָרָ ה וּמִכָּל הַשָּׂגָה שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה מַשֶּׂגֶת שֶׁהַגּוּף גַּם כֵּן יֵדַע מִזּאת הַהַשָּׂגָה בִּבְחִינַת: "וּמִבְּשָׂרְ ך לא תִתְעַלָּם' "מִבְּשָׂרְ ך' דַּיְקָא שֶׁלּא תַעֲלִים עֵינֶיך מִלְּרַ חֵם עַל בְּשָׂרְ ך הַיְנוּ בְּשַׂר גּוּפְך כִּי צְרִ יכִין לְרַ חֵם מְאד עַל הַגּוּף לִרְ אוֹת לְזַכְּכוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהוֹדִיעַ לוֹ מִכָּל הַהֶאָרוֹת וְהַהַשָּׂגוֹת שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה מַשֶּׂגֶת יכִּ הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁל כָּל אָדָם הִיא רוֹאָה וּמַשֶּׂגֶת תָּמִיד דְּבָרִ ים עֶלְיוֹנִים מְאד אֲבָל הַגּוּף אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֶם עַל כֵּן צָרִ יך כָּל אָדָם לְרַ חֵם מְאד עַל בְּשַׂר הַגּוּף לִרְ אוֹת לְזַכֵּך הַגּוּף עַד שֶׁתּוּכַל הַנְּשָׁמָה לְהוֹדִיעַ לוֹ מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁהִיא רוֹאָה וּמַשֶּׂגֶת תָּמִיד כַּנַּ"ל וּכְשֶׁהַגּוּף הוּא בִּבְחִינָה זוֹ הִיא טוֹבָה לְהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים נוֹפֶלֶת מִמַּדְרֵ גָתָהּ וּכְשֶׁהַגּוּף צַח וָאוֹר תּוּכַל הַנְּשָׁמָה לְהִתְרוֹמֵם וְלַחֲזר לְמַדְרֵ גָתָהּ עַל יְדֵי הַגּוּף הַיְנוּ, עַל יְדֵי תַּעֲנוּגֵי הַגּוּף תּוּכַל לִזְכּר וְלַעֲלוֹת לַתַּעֲנוּגִים שֶׁלָּהּ כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁהַגּוּף גַּם כֵּן טוֹב וְכָשֵׁר אֵינוֹ נִלְכָּד בְּהַתַּעֲנוּגִים

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (Ukraine, 19th century), Likutey Moharan I, 22:5, translated by Moshe Mykoff, Breslov Research Institute: Jerusalem, 1990

And every person must show great compassion for the flesh of the body, illuminating it with every insight and perception that the soul perceives. The body should also be informed of this perception, as in (Isaiah 58:7), “Hide not from your own flesh.’ Specifically from “your own flesh.” Do not hide your eyes from showing compassion for your flesh—the flesh of your body.

For it is necessary to show great compassion for the body, to see to purify it, so as to be able to inform it of all the insights and perceptions which the soul perceives. This is because the soul of every human being is continuously seeing and comprehending very exalted things. But the body knows nothing of them. Therefore, every person must show great compassion for the flesh of the body. He should see to purify the body so that the soul will be able to inform it of all that she is always seeing and comprehending.

Now, when the body is in this category, it benefits the soul. For there are times when she [the soul] falls from her level. However, if the body is clear and illuminated, the soul is capable of picking herself up and returning to her level because of the body. That is, through the pleasures of the body, she will be able to recall and ascend to her own pleasures. For now that the body is also good and right, it doesn’t get trapped in the pleasures.

Section 2: Rambam on Exercise and lack of exercise

Rambam: Mishneh Torah: Hilchos Deos 4:14-15

14. They have given another principle with regard to physical well-being: As long as one exercises, exerts himself greatly, does not eat to the point of satiation and has loose bowels, he will not suffer sickness and he will grow in strength. [This applies] even if he eats harmful foods.

15. [Conversely,] whoever is idle and does not exercise, or does not move his bowels when he has the need, or is constipated, even if he eats the proper foods and takes care to follow the rules of medicine, will be full of pain for all his days and his strength will fade away.

Overeating is like poison to anyone's body. It is the main source of all illness. Most illnesses which afflict a man are caused by harmful foods or by his filling his belly and overeating, even of healthful foods. This was implied by Solomon in his wisdom: "Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from distress" (Proverbs 21:23); i.e., "guards his mouth" from eating harmful food or eating his fill and "his tongue" from speaking [about things] other than his needs.

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