Unlocking True Health and Wellness

Everyone wants to be healthy and whole in their lives. What is complete health? According to science, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease... and the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life."

What does Judaism say about complete health? As Maimonides states, "Since maintaining a healthy and complete body is the way of Hashem..." This implies that health is completeness embedded by the Creator within us, as all creation is complete. If we were born whole, surely Hashem provided us with the tools and laws to maintain it, and we need to know what they are (in my book, "Secrets of Nutrition," there's a summary of the laws of creation from Maimonides' sources and natural health sources).

At every moment, our holy soul resides within us, full of love, joy, peace, and of course, complete health and all the good things in the world, as it is a divine part from above. Why, then, don't we experience this well-being constantly throughout our lives? Health, joy, prosperity, peace, etc.? According to Kabbalah, it is because we cover the soul with many screens originating from our unrefined psyche (flawed characteristics, false beliefs), further harmed by poor nutrition and bad habits we've acquired, like eating when not hungry, drinking excessively or not at all, or delaying bodily functions for a prolonged time, which is very unhealthy for our bodies. All these lead to the accumulation and creation of toxins in our bodies, which settle in various organs (depending on one's genetics), causing all ailments, including obesity!

These and other harmful habits weigh heavily and obscure the light of the soul, affecting our life's pleasant experience in both body and soul. Therefore, you don't need to struggle to feel joy and health, nor should it depend on external surroundings or other people. It's within us, flowing constantly! We must, however, cleanse our soul and body to feel this and lead a healthy lifestyle. In my personal experience, various detox programs available today, including one I've developed, help individuals recover from various diseases, shed weight effortlessly, and experience complete health and the joys of life. This is because the body knows and is programmed to heal us every moment, cleansing both body and soul if we only stop interfering with our flawed ways. Many people have experienced complete health, vitality, and happiness simply by cleansing and changing life habits. Everything awaits within you, ready to be revealed, so go ahead - start the cleaning process!

When there is illness in the body or soul (because we've disrupted the body's regular course with unhealthy food and unrefined measures), it is a state of deficiency. To fill this deficiency, one of the best options is to pray over it. Rabbi Natan, a revered student of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, said 200 years ago: Whenever I see a deficiency, it is because it wasn't prayed for at all, or only a little.

So don't despair from praying, because that is what the evil inclination desires most — despair! Rabbi Nachman stated: "There is no despair at all in the world." This isn't just an expression; it is a true fact spoken by a righteous foundation of the world who knew what he was saying. According to Rabbi Nachman, the yetzer hara makes us imagine as if Hashem has left us, doesn't hear us, doesn't love us, and has forgotten us (Heaven forbid), and this isn't true at all! It's only an illusion. Don’t believe it. Keep praying!

There are many things a person must endure in life, whether they want to or not. The desire for a life of peace and tranquility is a product of imagination ("man is born to toil" - Job 5:7). One cannot choose what life presents or opt out of the laws of creation in this world; one can only choose how to respond to life events, whether to accept them with love or not, by working internally on one's traits that the Creator embedded within, and that's the commandment they have!

The reward for a person who works on changing their bad traits is immeasurable, with our holy books stating that one who forgives his own shortcomings by others will have their sins forgiven. I've heard in numerous rabbinical lectures that the heavenly gates are open at these very moments to request all one's desires.

If someone is lazy about improving their soul, their suffering will intensify!

There is no doubt that those who strive to refine their soul from bad traits will enjoy better health in body and soul. However, one might choose to escape life trials and not refine their traits, resisting trials or complaining about them. But one can't escape the repair. It's decreed from above for our eternal benefit.

One of the severe afflictions in our world is physical and mental suffering, namely — diseases, a significantly vast deficiency. It's crucial to acknowledge that every illness, ache, or health state of the body or soul is under specific and detailed divine supervision from the Creator of the universe. There is a reason for everything that happens to a person at a given time, from not feeling well to terminal illness, Heaven forbid. People then search for solutions to the deficiency that appears in their lives to return to completeness, to health.

If You Are Here, You Still Have Spiritual Growth Ahead

Every ailment or symptom we encounter is a direct message from the Creator to check our actions and correct them. A person is commanded to repent from their wrong deeds that harm themselves or their surroundings, and return to their true self and inner essence to draw from there the truth and correct knowledge on how to act every moment of their life based on the advice of the Creator dwelling within them! If you're browsing the Hidabroot site right now, it signifies your search for the path of truth to understand His will, to feel satisfaction and joy in your life. Blessed are you!

Which path should one choose to heal body or soul?

Generally, people visit various doctors and professors (and I do not diminish their knowledge. It's just important to know that their permission to heal comes only from the Creator, unfortunately, some do not believe in His existence and even try to replace Him). It's crucial to understand that medicine doesn’t offer a real solution to diseases nor authentic healing, just symptom suppression, weakening, or elimination, but not for long, because the diseases do not heal, and the toxicity causing them remains in the body. Conventional medicine saves lives and we need it greatly! But, combined with natural health, it often leads to the prevention of diseases and holistic healing.

(Photo: shutterstock)

People who have despaired of conventional medicine will turn to alternative medicine and all the resources it offers: different practitioners from various fields, massages, nutritional supplements, energy treatments, etc., as many of us as practitioners do for ourselves and our clients (and may the blessing reside on all of us and the path we choose to treat our clients, the main thing is not to cause harm). This way is also a choice, but it's essential to note that the full solution for root disease healing is not entirely found there.

So, what is the correct solution for achieving complete health?

To find the right guide to a healthy lifestyle, seeing a practitioner who views every aspect of a person's life and demands they personally correct their flawed ways, cleansing and purifying their body and soul from excesses. Change must occur in all areas: in worldview, in belief system, in nutrition, in the mind and emotions, throughout the day, in sleep hours, work, social life, sun exposure (mandatory for a few minutes daily), proper breathing, and balanced physical activity. All of these are necessary for good welfare and complete health. And let us not forget to pray to the Healer of all flesh, Hashem, and request the right aide to guide us to complete health.

"For those who do not believe in Hashem must resort to many tactics. For example, when healing is needed, numerous herbs are required, and sometimes the necessary herbs aren't available in their country, or the available herbs aren't good for their ailment, but Hashem is good for all ailments to heal them, and He is ever-present... and through prayer one achieves general peace" (Rabbi Nachman, Likutei Moharan Torah 14 part 11).

Without doubt, any existing medicine can be consulted. However, it's crucial to remember not to turn it into an idol, running to every natural or medical healing method and from practitioner to practitioner, steering away from the purpose which is understanding Hashem’s will for us, what is the process of repair for our souls in this world. Quickening the process is to turn to Hashem and ask – what do You want from me? Enlighten me. And He sends messengers to illuminate, thus strengthening faith in Him.

It’s important to understand that the Creator of the world leads every detail of creation with precise divine providence. Therefore, there are no coincidences in a person's life. Every moment everything is orchestrated from above, and every occurrence throughout one's day is decreed by the Creator down to the smallest details. The most important thing to know is that divine providence is always only for the good of each one, to guide us to the purpose we were created for.

When a person doesn’t awaken to grasp the Creator’s will and His hints, more challenging situations come their way. And if then too the person doesn't learn, situations without natural solutions (all the medicines known today) arise, and they have no choice but to rely on faith, transcending nature ("nature" in Gematria equals "Hashem").

Usually, a person healthy in spirit seeks answers for their suffering and wants to know why it happens. There is only one true answer to this question, and it is a deficiency in faith.

Thus, faith is the strongest power a person has in their soul, and in order to actualize it, one must speak with the Creator daily from the depths of their soul about all their needs, revealing the springs and treasures from within and the light of intellect and correct knowledge within to know what to do every moment in their life, thus seeing, expecting, and hoping for divine providence in their life, filling their deficiencies, with joy emerging on its own and healing all ailments, simply by connecting to Hashem – for anyone who has achieved this, even for brief moments in their life, knows that this is the joy everyone yearns for here, and nothing else.

Thus, in order to achieve greater faith – prayer and a constant connection with Hashem are needed. Everyone has faith within them, even if they claim: "I don't believe." It's imprinted in our inner soul, and certainly among Jews more than any other nation. If one "does not believe," one is actually resisting their nature and the faith senses within them, which the Creator embedded within. But first, we must believe in the Creator and that He renews everything in creation, and only He can cure any disease at any time, and thus prayer alters nature. The greatest pleasure to the Creator is knowing His children recognize Him through the power of faith and create a relationship, like children longing for their aged father whom they haven't seen for a long time, and asking him directly for all they desire. A person who walks this path will experience the vision of faith through their senses and recover from their ailments, with His help!

Ruth Liat Or-Patz, Naturopath D.N, Sports Instructor B.Ed, commentator on detox and weight loss workshops, and author of "Secrets of Nutrition".

To book workshops or home gatherings with Ruth Liat Or-Patz free of charge, call 073-2221290