To Your Health: 7 Surprising Tips for Health from the Ramchal's Disciple
We're all seeking magical tips to maintain our health. Here are 7 health tips from the Ramchal's disciple.
- נעמה גרין
- פורסם ח' חשון התשפ"ב
(Photo: shutterstock) #VALUE!
The disciple of the Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe David Valle, was also a physician by profession. In his book 'The Collections', he provided various methods for maintaining health.
1. Good Mood
"Know that most illnesses come from a sick spirit and not from the body, for the body, which is secondary, follows the spirit which is the main thing, as it is written in Proverbs: 'The spirit of a man sustains him, but who can bear a broken spirit'... for everything depends on the spirit which is in the heart," begins Rabbi Valle. He continues by quoting another verse in Proverbs: 'The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, a good report makes the bones healthy,' and explains: "That a person's health and nourishing of his flesh depend only on the spirit residing in the heart. If the heart receives its lights freely and abundantly, and from it to the body's organs without any hindrance like bad news, worry, sorrow, anxiety, and fear – then the body will become healthy, happy, and strong, even moment by moment. But if the sad and gloomy spirit does not receive the lights but with restriction and narrowness, then the body will fall ill and its flesh will wither even moment by moment.
As evidence, Rabbi Valle brings what is mentioned in the Talmud, that when Vespasian heard good news that they wanted to crown him, his foot expanded and did not fit into his shoe, and when his enemy was brought before him, his foot contracted.
Rabbi Valle concludes by saying: "And from this you understand what the wise man wrote: 'Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life'". (Proverbs 4:23)
2. Encouraging the Sick and Paying Attention to the Healing of the Soul
Due to this, Rabbi Valle explains the main role of the doctor is to encourage the patient's spirit. Regarding Rachel, it is said in Genesis: 'When her labor was difficult, the midwife said to her: Do not fear, for you have a son.' Rabbi Valle explains: "And she did this out of the wisdom of medicine, so that the joy of spirit would spread the forces to the womb and she would give birth easily".
As another example, we can see what is said about Eli’s daughter-in-law, of whom it is written in the book of Samuel: 'And in her death throes, the women attending her said: Do not fear, for you have borne a son'. "Therefore, the doctor must focus all his efforts on healing the spirit. And any wise doctor, when he comes to a patient, should investigate their worries: if they worry about something permissible, he should permit it, and if it is something forbidden, he should divert the patient’s mind with good words and comfort. Above all: Do not greet the patient except with a pleasant face".
Rabbi Valle directs the doctors: "And the wise and righteous doctor should make the healing of the spirit the main thing, to strengthen, encourage, and cheer it so that it expands and spreads throughout the body - then he is assured that he will achieve such good, fine, and fitting remedies that they will seem like miracles and wonders, and everyone will say that he has the wisdom of the Creator".
3. Eating in Moderation
Rabbi Valle continues to surprise by saying that the human body can overcome most diseases, but only if it's not preoccupied with digesting food. Therefore, one should eat less to allow the body to do its job and fight the diseases attacking it. His words are: "…the primary medicine (from the body's perspective) depends on diet as it is known, because nature, when it doesn't have to digest a lot of food, can focus all its energies to defeat the illness".
How does food affect a person, and how much should one eat? Rabbi Zamir Cohen explains:
Rabbi Valle continues to emphasize that despite this, the main thing depends on joy: "However, the main thing depends on the health and wellbeing of the spirit. You will see these world's wine drinkers and meat eaters, whose excessive eating and drinking does not harm them because their heart is healthy for them, and the joyous spirit overcomes all harms and repairs all harms. Conversely, you will see the broken-hearted ones, if they don't observe the rules about eating and drinking, they immediately fall ill and become weak. Therefore, the primary healing of these people depends on the spirit, not the flesh"
In his closing remarks, Rabbi Valle diagnoses four types of illnesses and suggests spiritual remedies. Although today we don't have doctors who know how to diagnose diseases based on the four elements—fire, water, air, and dust—we will bring Rabbi Valle's words to enrich our knowledge in this field:
4. Studying Torah
"Sometimes the illness comes because of fire, and the spiritual remedy is to engage in the study of Torah, which is like water that quenches the fire.
5. Strengthening in Mitzvot
"And sometimes because of water that enters him, and the primary spiritual remedy is that he should heat up in the performance of mitzvot and no longer be neglectful in them.
6. Great Reinforcement in Humility
"Sometimes because of the dominant air, and its spiritual reason is arrogance, and its spiritual remedy is to hold firmly to great humility.
7. Overcoming the Desires for Eating
"And sometimes because of the dominant dust, and its spiritual reason is greediness, especially if he eats forbidden foods, therefore his spiritual remedy is in the opposite".
How can one remove pain through the power of thought? Watch Rabbi Zamir Cohen's answer:
