Contrary to those who believe that divine providence plays a role in the amount of time people have on this earth, our sages say the following in the Jerusalem Talmud[1] and in the Midrash[2], in the areas that discuss the factors associated with mortality: “Ninety nine [die] due to sin (that is, they have sinned by harming their physical health), and one by the hands of Heaven.” Meaning, even though each person is given a set number of years on this earth as well as a predetermined set of tools to help him deal with the challenges in his life, such as being wealthy or poor, healthy or sick, beautiful or ugly, intelligent or foolish, he still has the freedom to harm himself and shorten his life span through the power of choice that he was given. The sages reveal some shocking data – they say that only one out of every hundred people die at the age that was predetermined for them; all others die before their time as they fail to maintain the health of their body.
This revelation obligates each one of us to study the basic principles of health, and do our best to implement them in our daily lives. In the verses: “Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul”[3] and “But you shall greatly beware for your souls”[4], we are instructed to protect our physical health and prolong it[5] by adhering to proper health and environmental standards. Doing so, will afford us the extra time in this world to carry out our mission of shaping our characters and our individual spiritual worlds.
The Rules of Health Preservation
A person can protect his physical health by cultivating the following four areas:
A. The quality of ingredients that enter his body, which enable the body to develop and operate.
B. The amount of food that the body is supposed to digest.
C. Detoxification of the body by removing accumulated waste products.
D. Physical exercise, by activating all the muscles of the body.
Clean air contributes to a person’s health as well. Pollution, which is caused by cigarette smoke or chemical emissions released by vehicles and factory smokestacks, can cause irreversible damage and shorten the person’s life span.
It should further be noted that a healthy and a joyful mind is a prerequisite for keeping the body healthy and vibrant. One of the chapters in this book is devoted to this important topic.[6] In the next few pages, we will expand upon each of the four basic rules necessary for maintaining a healthy body. These measures are part of the responsibility a person must take in the physical world.
Notes and Sources
[1] Jerusalem Talmud, Shabbat 43b
[2] Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra, 16:8
[3] Devarim 4:9
[4] Devarim 4:15
[5] See the Ritba, Shavuot 27a; 36a; Tosfot Shavuot 36a starting with V’Shamor; Zohar Harakia by the Rashbatz, 118; Levush, Ir Shushan 426:11. See additional sources in the following books: Habriut – Halacha L’Maase (ch.1&2) and Chaim Briim K’Halacha (ch.1)
[6] Chapter entitled: Wellness of the Mind
Adapted from “The Keys to Life” by Rabbi Zamir Cohen