What Does The Ramban Say About Emotional Happiness And Physical Health?

Since we have just celebrated the Jewish holiday of Shavuot in which we receive the Torah anew, each year, now is a great time to talk about how the wisdom from the Oral Torah is just as relevant today as it was when it was first received. To understand the Oral Torah, one can refer to the writings of the Rambam (Maimonides), whose commentary on health and emotional well being is just as relevant today, if not more so, than when it was written.

Today while researchers work on cures for terrible diseases and viruses that afflict the human race, they have also begun searching for a fundamental truth regarding our daily existence, through experiments and medical studies. The most basic human needs are being pondered and studied, in order to understand how the human psyche works, and how basic needs fit into that equation. Why does one need sleep? Why does one need water? Why are we in need of physical activity? How does food affect our physical and emotional states?

Lets start by looking at the seemingly basic cycle of food-water-sleep-physical activity. This cycle, as well as each of the entities, affects your household’s heart and soul, your physical and mental balance, and your ability to bring you and your children to an optimum level of emotional happiness and physical health. When you realize that by carefully considering the basic needs of every human and how they work together, you can truly have a major impact on the lives of your family, in a way that you never considered to be possible!

It turns out that by looking to the wisdom of the Torah as well as modern day applications of that same wisdom, we can easily ensure our family is functioning at the highest level possible. Lets take a look at what the ancients sources and today’s modern medicine have to say about the same issues, shall we?

The teachings of the Rambam, (Maimonides) one of the greatest Torah scholars and medical doctors ever to have lived, codified Jewish law in an easily accessible form, so that the laws could be studied separately from the philosophical aspects of the Talmud. The Rambam is especially known for his writings regarding physical and mental health, and how to preserve health in order to live as long as possible. The longer one lives the more one is able to raise the spiritual level of the world through doing good deeds and learning Torah.

Throughout history, Jews who observed these precepts stated by Jewish law, retained high levels of physical, emotional and spiritual health. Plagues affected their communities less severely than other neighborhoods and villages, and the overwhelming majority of Jews maintained close, emotional bonds to friends and family, and most were known for their honesty and piety.

Modern medical studies, conducted over the last 25 years, have been proving, over and over again, aspects of Jewish tradition (that relates to physical health and the mind-body connection) found in the written and oral Torah. The greatest proofs of all come from modern day studies that address the interface between our four basic physical needs—food, water, sleep and physical activity. The delicate balance between how much sleep we get and when, how much food we eat and when, how much we drink and when, and how much physical activity we get and when—all create a network that brings our bodies and minds to a state of optimal health. Guess what? The Rambam spoke about these exact issues at length in his Hilchos Deios on the Mishna Torah. And interestingly enough, the Rambam lived almost 1000 years ago!

Health Advice And Parenting

As parents, we have been put in charge of not only our own bodies and souls, but have been assigned guardianship over the bodies and souls of every one of our children until they reach adulthood. While of course it can be a real challenge to handle finances, health issues and the actual physical care and education of the children is truly the area where parents need to put the majority of their energy.

Eating habits, for example, are developed very early on in childhood, and can accompany a person for the rest of his life, for reasons both emotional and physical. Poor eating habits lead to chronic malnutrition, diabetes and obesity, digestive disorders and diseases, as well as severe mental health problems. One should not go to sleep immediately after a full meal. A breakfast of whole grain cereals is necessary for proper brain function during the day.

Sleep affects anger management, focus and concentration, memory recall, school performance, proper hormone function, and helps to retain the physical beauty with which a human being is endowed. Lack of proper sleep induces obesity and diabetes, lack of motivation and mood swings, and is one of the leading causes of fatal car accidents. The minimum a person needs is 7-8 hours per night. The darkness of the night produces more melatonin, the hormone that induces deep, refreshing and healthful sleep.

Drinking enough water and cleansing with enough water brings physical and emotional resilience, strong immune support, proper mood and appetite regulation, energy and focus. Lack of water brings on chronic fatigue, anxiety and depression, migraines, easy bruising and breaking of bones. Washing with water throughout the day prevents disease, infection and death.

Physical activity provides mental and physical balance, affects flexibility and life expectancy, assists in proper hormone regulation, proper digestion and proper sleep, and aids humans in detecting their own feelings of thirst. Sedentary lifestyles bring on various chronic diseases

These basic needs are crucial for every human being. For a child, cared for by adults, it is imperative that caregivers—be they parents, teachers, babysitters, or grandparents—understand that the balance of these “powers” can affect many aspects of daily life, from how well a child does in school to how nicely he plays at home and listens to his parents. Before scolding a child, it is wise to first make sure that he is neither hungry for nutritional food, nor thirsty for water, nor tired, nor in need of releasing stress through physical activity.

The Rambam discussed these basic needs at length, and by looking at even a partial list, we can see how revolutionary the Torah has always been in protecting those who followed its teachings, for thousands of years, until today.

The Mishnah Torah, as organized and clarified by the Rambam, states the following:

• Food must be healthful, eaten in a calm fashion, never eating more than ¾ full.
• Even if a person eats healthfully, but is not active, he will become weak and remain sickly.
• Drinking water should be done freely, only between meals, in order to allow digestion to occur without diluting the mouth’s or stomach’s juices that aid digestion during mealtime.
• A person must wash his hands at least 5-6 times a day—upon awakening, before eating, after elimination, after scratching and touching dirty items (shoes, bugs, animals).
• “By the sweat of his brow, shall man eat his bread”, also means that exercise is necessary to warm the body before eating a meal.
• Exercise should occur before meals, not after. Walking further to one’s morning prayers is proper and commendable. It helps grow your spirituality, giving you a sense of in-depth connection with yourself and your Creator.
• Prayer and meditation can provide intense relaxation and peace of mind.
• Sleep should occur 2 or more hours after meals.
• 8 Hours of sleep (in adults) is necessary for learning and proper functioning.
• Healthful sleep occurs at only at night, in darkness. The body repairs itself without external influences when it’s fully rested, allowing the natural chemicals of the body to play their role in immune system boosting.
• Eating whole grain bread before the end of the morning hours is necessary for proper functioning. You also need carbohydrates to boost your energy and complete all expected tasks with great results. But of course, you should choose whole-grain sources, not refined starch.
• Emotional health is greatly dependent on a healthy digestive system. While high-calorie or high-sugar food satisfies your appetite and cravings, excessive carbohydrates can cause bloating and added body weight. These things contribute to negative self-perception and body image, causing stress and depression. 
• Overly heavy foods strain the digestive tract and are unhealthy.
• Straining the digestive tract is the basis of a majority of diseases.

And the list goes on and on… When, what and how much we take these basic needs into consideration, will determine the difference between a calm, happy household, and an upsetting, unruly dynamic.  Do we not owe it to ourselves and to our children to get onto the right track to proper physical and mental health? When it becomes clear that both modern medical studies and our ancient teachings support these facts, and that there are some absolute truths in the world, we should all embrace this knowledge and make a difference!