| 32:1 |
 Since a healthy and fit body
is required by Hashem.
One cannot understand
or know any matters
from the knowledge of the creator
if one is ill.
Therefore, one must keep oneself away
from things which damage the body
and accustom oneself
to things which heal and make well the body.
Therefore, it is written (Yalkut Shimoni, Yitro):
"And keep well your souls".
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| 32:2 |
And the creator,
blessed be He and blessed be His name,
created man
and gave him a normal (body) temperature
and this is (an essential component) of living.
For if the natural heat (of the body) goes, then he dies,
and maintenance of this temperature
is by the food one eats.
Just like a burning fire,
that when one does not add to it
all the time fuel, goes out completely,
so a person
if one does not eat,
the natural heat will disappear and one will die.
The food is ground up between the teeth
and mixed with the salival juices,
and from there descends to the stomach, and is further minced up there.
It is mixed with the juices,
stomach juices and bile juices,
and is dissolved and digested by the heat,
and the juices and is digested.
This extracts out
from this and nourishes all the (body) parts
and keeps one alive.
and the unwanted waste products are evacuated.
This is also the idea,
in the blessing "Who created"
(one explanation)
it is a mechanism,
which the blessed Holy One has given
for a man's nature,
that he extracts the good part of the food,
and each organ takes the nourishment it needs,
and the waste products are evacuated.
For if the waste matter stays inside, it will go rotten,
and bring diseases, Heaven forbid.
Therefore, most of the body's health or lack of,
depends on the digestion of the foood.
If one eats easily and well,
then one is healthy,
but if the digestive process is not working correctly,
one becomes weak
and can even come to a dangerous state, Heaven forbid.
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| 32:3 |
Correct digestion
is when there is not too much food
and it is easily digested.
Becasue if one eats too much,
the stomach becomes full
and the digestive process is harder,
becuase the stomach
can no longer expand
and contract as it should normally
in order to grind up the food as it should.
Just as a fire
which has too many logs put on it
does not burn properly,
so the food in the stomach.
If one wants
to preserve ones health
one should be careful to eat
only an average quantity according to ones build,
not too little and neither so much as to fill ones self.
Most diseases which one gets
are only due to bad food
or due to,
one's filling ones' stomach
and eating crudely,
even from food that is good.
King Solomon said, in his wisdom,
that one who guards his mouth and tongue,
also guards against health problems.
That is to say,
one guards against eating bad food
or over-eating,
and his tongue from (tasting) anything
except that which is necessary.
Our sages said,
"one who eats only a little
from something that is harmful,
will not harm himself.
Also one who eats a lot
from good things".
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| 32:4 |
When one is young,
the digestive process is strong
and he needs to eat more frequently
than one
who is middle aged.
An old person, because he is weak,
has to eat easily digestible food,
in small quantities,
and of high quality,
so as to maintain his strength.
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| 32:5 |
In the summer,
the digestive organs are weaker due to the heat,
and so it is preferable,
that the quantity of food
is reduced in summer compared to winter.
The learned doctors advised
that one should eat in the summer,
only two thirds
of what one eats during the winter.
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| 32:6 |
It is an important principle of medicine
that before eating
one should walk or exercise
until the body has warmed up
and then eat.
As is said:
In the sweat of your face, you shall eat the bread,
and not eat the bread of idleness.
One should loosen ones belt before eating
(and the acrostic "akcha
pat lechem" (are how we remember),
"akcha" spells
"loosen the belt before eating"
and "pat lechem"
spells "lest you come to intestinal diseases").
at while eating
one should sit in one place
or lean to ones left
and after eating
not move about too much,
because this will cause
the food to descend from the stomach
before it was (fully) digested,
and cause one harm,
but only walk a little, then rest.
One should not travel
or exert oneself
after eating,
and also not sleep after eating
until two hours have passed,
that the "vapours" should not rise up
to the brain and cause harm.
and also bathing,
blood letting
and intercourse
are not good after eating. |
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| 32:7 |
People ae not the same in their nature,
some have a hot nature (temperament)
and some a cold nature,
and same are in the middle.
The digestive processes also are different.
One who needs an average amount of nourishment,
should eat average (normal) foods.
One who does not have an average nature,
needs to eat foods
that are somewhat the opposite to his nature.
(That is) one who has a hot nature
should not eat hot things
like spices or strong smelling plants,
but eat foods
that are somewhat cooler and acidic.
One who has a cold nature
should eat foods that slightly hotter.
The type of food changes
according to the season and location.
In summer,
one eats cold foods
like mutton
young goats,
young chickens,
also some acidic foods.
In winter,
and also in a cold country, one eats hot foods,
and in a hot country one eats cold foods. |
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| 32:8 |
An average type of food is wheat bread,
and not very fine flour
because this fine flour is slow to be digested,
but include some of the whole wheat grains.
After it has fermented the normal amount,
one adds some salt and bakes in an oven.
Too many foods from wheat
are not good (for one).
The good kinds of meat
are lambs meat (from a yearling)
and young (nursing) kid goats.
However all kinds of offal
and the head
are not good (to eat).
Old goats and cows and mature cheese
are bad and hard to digest foods.
All meat from fowl
are easier to digest than animal meat,
and the best type of fowl is chicken.
The doctors say
that the food one is accustomed to
does not harm one,
even it is bad food,
because what one has regularly,
becomes normal,
as long as one does not over-eat. |
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| 32:9 |
One should not eat the heart of an animal
or a fowl,
because it is causes memory problems.
One should not eat
from (food) where a rat has eaten
or a cat,
these also are hard to digest. |
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| 32:10 |
The (right) time for eating
is when one has an appetite,
a genuine feeling and not false appetite.
The difference between real appetite
and false appetite is
the first is termed hunger
(Hunger)
which is when the stomach is empty,
and the second is
when one wants some special food,
and this is called appetite.
(Appetite).
Normally,
a healthy and fit person
should eat twice a day,
and old, weaker (persons)
need to eat
a small amount each time
and do this
frequently during the day.
Too much eating
weakens the stomach,
one who wants to preserve his health,
should not eat
until his stomach is empty
from the previous meal.
The normal digestive process of a healthy person,
who eats normal foods
and fills (his stomach) to normal (levels),
takes six hours.
It is good to omit
one meal a week
so that the stomach can rest
and the digestive processes become restored,
and it appears that omitting (this meal)
is best on Saturday night. |
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| 32:11 |
It is good to accustom oneself
to eat a piece (of bread) in the morning. |
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| 32:12 |
One who wants to eat various different kinds of food
should first eat the laxative (type that go through easily)
and not mix this with (other) foods
but pause a little between them.
Also start with the light foods,
that are easy to digest,
like fowl meat
before animal meat,
and tender animal meat
before tough (mature) animal meat,
and things that exercise the small intestines (or the internal organs) ,
should be eaten immediately after the meal,
but not eat too much of these. |
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| 32:13 |
Since the start of digestion
is in the mouth, with the grinding action of the teeth,
and the mixing in of the salivic juices,
one should therefore not swallow any food
withou first chewing,
so that the digestive process is not made harder
by only being in the stomach. |
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| 32:14 |
We have already said
that people are not the same in their nature,
and each one must choose,
according to medical advice, the best foods
for his nature and circumsatnces.
As a rule,
the early doctors
divided foods into different categories,
some foods are very bad
and it is preferable not to eat them ever,
such as the large, salt water, mature fish
and mature, salted cheese,
and some types of mushrooms,
and old salted meat,
and wine (straight) from the wine-press,
and food that has been left until it starts to smell,
and any food that has a bad smell
or is very bitter,
is considered like poison to the body.
There are foods that are considered bad,
but not like those in the first category.
Therefore, one should preferably
only eat a little of them,
and after (a gap between each time) of many days.
One should not accustom oneself
to eat only from them,
or to always add them to ones regular food.
such as (other) large fish
or cheese.
Milk that is more than 24 hours old,
and meat from mature bulls
and mature (male) goats,
and barley bread,
wafers, cabbage, hay,
and onions,
and garlic,
mustard and radish;
all these are in the (next category) of bad foods.
It is preferable that one should not eat of these
except in small quantities
and during the rainy season.
In the summer
one should not eat them. |
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| 32:15 |
There is (another category) of bad foods
of a lower level than the (previous) type.
Water birds,
(such as wild ducks)
young doves and dates,
bread mixed with oil,
dough that has been fully baked
until one can't smell the grains;
(from all these) it is preferable not to eat too much. |
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| 32:16 |
One should always keep oneself
from (eating) fruits on the tree.
One should not eat too many
even when they are dried,
and especially not when they are wet.
Before they are fully ripened on the tree,
they are damaging to the body,
and the carob is always bad
and acid fruits are bad,
and one should eat of these only a little in summer,
or in hot countries.
Figs, grapes,
and pomegranite are always good,
whether wet or dry,
and one can eat ones fill from these.
However, one should not eat only of these,
even though they are the best
of all the fruits of the tree. |
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| 32:17 |
Concerning drink,
water is the most natural drink for man,
and healthy for the body,
as long as it is pure and clear, it leads to
preserving the body fluids
and speeds up the evacuation of waste products.
When one drinks water,
one should choose cold (water)
which satisfies the thirst,
and improves the digestion,
more than (drinks) that are not cold.
However (the water) should not be very cold
because this can cause a chill (lit. put out the natural heat).
Particularly when one is tired and weary
one should be careful not to drink cold water,
because of possible effects on the heart functions.
One who is very stressed
due to tiredness and weariness,
is (particularly) vulnerable to cold water,
to the extent that it may be dangerous to him,
Heaven forbid.
Although water is good for the health of the body,
one should not drink too much.
One should not drink before eating,
because this chills the stomach,
and the food will not be digested as it should be.
Also while eating,
one should only drink a little water mixed with wine.
Only after the food has started to be digested,
should one drink a normal quantity.
One should not drink water
after a shower,
in order not to chill the liver,
and particularly should not drink in the shower.
One should not drink (water)
immediately after intercourse,
because the natural body heat (mechanism) is weakened
and (drinking) may cause chilling of the organs. |
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| 32:18 |
Wine strengthens the natural body heat,
improves the digestive process,
helps evacuate waste products,
and helps the body health
when drank in average quantities.
One who has a weak head
should be careful of wine,
which will worsen his weak condition,
and harm (lit. fill with vapours) the head.
Wine is good for old people,
and harmful to children,
since it increases the natural (body) heat,
like adding more fuel onto an existing fire.
One should be careful of wine
until one is over 24 years old.
It is preferable not to drink wine
before eating,
except a small amount to open the intestinal tracts,
and not while one still feels hungry,
and not after washing or while sweating,
and not after wearisome labour.
During eating one should only drink a little. |
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| 32:19 |
One should never eat
except when one is hungry,
and not drink
except when one is thirsty.
One should not delay relieving ones self,
even for a moment,
and should not eat,
until one has carefully checked
that one may need to relieve (ones self). |
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| 32:20 |
One should always try
(to make sure) his digestive organs are healthy,
and (ones digestion) is nearer to a laxative (state).
An important medical principle is that
all the time the intestinal tract is blocked
or only evacuates with difficulty,
harmful diseases may come.
Therefore it is preferable for a person
whose intestines are weak
and they do not have the pushing power,
to ask the doctors
to tell him what will cure them,
each person according to their constitution
and their age. |
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| 32:21 |
Normal tiredness,
helps the body to be healthy,
but being over-tired
and also (too much) rest,
is harmful to the body.
One should not over-exert in hot weather,
and in cold weather one needs to exercise more.
A stout person should exercise
more than a thin (lean) person. |
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| 32:22 |
One who wants to preserve his health
must recognise the emotional extremes
and be careful of them.
These are, for example, joy and worry,
anger and fear,
which are the functions of the soul.
The wise one needs
to be content with his portion,
all his life.
He should not be worried about things he does not have,
and not be looking for advantages,
and be good-natured,
and be happy to normal levels,
because this increases the natural (body) heat.
One should (properly) digest ones food
and expel the waste (products),
and look after ones eyes,
and ones feelings,
and also ones reasoning powers.
However, not to have too much enjoyment,
in eating and drinking,
like the foolish ones,
for from too much enjoyment,
the (internal) heat comes out to the surface of the body,
and lowers the natural heat,
causing a sudden drop in the temperature of the heart
and even bring death without warning.
Especially vulnerable to this,
are over-weight people,
because their natural body heat is reduced,
as their arteries, which move the blood around,
which is the source of the body heat,
(work much) slower.
Worry is the opposite to joy,
and also is harmful,
because it cools the body
and reduces the natural heat of the heart,
and (may) bring on death.
Anger raises the heat of the body
until there comes a type of fever.
Fear makes the body colder,
which is why a frightened person shakes,
and if one is too cold,
this (can lead) to death.
Always one should be careful
not to eat when one is angry
or afraid
or worried,
but only when one is normally happy. |
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| 32:23 |
Normal sleep
is good for the health of the body,
because it (aids) in the digestion of ones food
and relaxes the emotions.
If it happens, that because of illness,
one is not able to sleep,
one should eat things
that cause sleep.
But too much sleep is harmful
because the head becomes full (lit. with gasses)
because the vapours rise from the stomach to the head,
and fill the head with "smoke",
which can cause great harm to the body.
Just as a person
should be careful not to sleep immediately after eating,
he should also be careful
not to sleep when he is hungry,
for when the body does not have enough nourishment,
the heating mechanism over-works,
and again cause problems to the head.
When one sleeps, ones head should be raised,
since this helps move down
the food from the stomach,
and reduces the gasses that rise up to the head.
One should normally sleep at night,
sleeping in the day can be harmful
and is not recommended
except to those who are used to this. |
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| 32:24 |
The accepted way of bathing (at that time of course !)
is that one enters the bath-house
once a week.
One should not go to bath
when one is hungry
or full-up,
but when the food has started to be digested.
One should wash the body with hot water,
then with warm (water),
then with tepid (water)
and (finally) with cold water.
After leaving the bath,
one should put on clothes
and cover well the head,
so as not be affected by a cold wind.
Even in summer,
one needs to be careful of this.
One should wait after going out,
until one is emotionally cool
and with a relaxed body,
and has cooled down,
then one can eat.
If one slept a little
after leaving the bath and before eating,
this is very good. |
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| 32:25 |
A person should always try and live
in a place where the air is pure and clean,
in a high place and a comfortable house.
If possible
one should not stay in summer
in a place that is open to the north,
or to the east,
so that there are not anything causing rot.
It's very good to frequently clean the air in the house
with pleasant perfumes,
and effective vapours (incense). |
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| 32:26 |
The best air for the health of the body
is that balanced equally
between cold and hot.
A person should therefore be careful
not to over-heat his house in the winter,
as ignorant people do,
because too much heat causes
many illnesses to come.
Rather one should heat it such that
one neither feels cold
or too hot. |
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| 32:27 |
One should take care of ones eyesight.
One should be careful from actions
which involve a sudded transition
from a dark place to a very bright one.
If one needs to go
from a dark place to a well-lit place,
one opens the door a little,
looks at the small (amount) of light
for some moments,
and then open more
and agin look at the light for some moments,
and then open fully.
One should do the same
when coming from a well-lit place to a dark place,
because the change from light to dark,
or from dark to light,
without a transitional (state) is harmful to the eyesight.
Therefore, G-d, may his merciful name be blessed,
created the world with this aspect,
that the sun rises over the earth slowly
and not all at once,
and also sets slowly.
Because of this, we make the blessing:
"who lights the world,
and its inhabitants in His mercy."
Since He brings the light up for us slowly
and not suddenly, in one go.
Light which returns from the sun (glare),
that means the sun shines on a place,
and from there is reflected the light.
This kind of light is harmful to the eyes,
and one should be careful not to live in a house
where all the windows are north-facing,
because the sun does not appear in the north,
so the light on that side is all reflected light.
Similarly, even if the windows
are on the east side,
or the south or west,
if the sun is not visible through these windows,
because of a high wall in the way or similar,
then also the light that comes in
is only reflected light.
One should be careful about writing
or reading a book
or doing any precise work
at dusk.
Similarly at noon
when the sun is at its peak.
Also not to write a lot,
or read a book with small print,
or do any precise work by the light of a candle at night.
Looking too much at the color white
is also harmful to the eyes.
For this reason the sky is blue
and not white
so that our eyes are not harmed.
Too much looking
at a pure red object
or at a fire, is also harmful.
Smoke and sulphur fumes are also harmful
and also fine dust,
and a wind that is blowing against the eyes,
also too much walking,
and exaggerated steps,
excessive crying
as is written (Eichah 2:11):
"My eyes fail with tears".
And worst of all
is excessive intercourse.
However, it is a commandment of G-d, the creator,
(so this is not as bad) as it seems. |
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