SEGULOT: The Benefits of Physical Activity, According to Maimonides

הויאל והיות הגוף בריא ושלם, מדרכי ה ‘הוא, שהרי אי אפשר שיבין או
יידע והוא חולה צריך אדם להרחיק עצמו מדברים המאבדין את הגוף
ולהנהיג עצמו בדברים המברים המחלימים

In the fourth chapter of MT, Hilkhot De’ot, Maimonides says that maintaining a strong and healthy body helps to prevent diseases, allowing us to serve HaShem with all our strength. “Being that maintaining a healthy and sound body is part of our service to God, since one can not understand or have knowledge of the Creator if he is ill, therefore, one must avoid everything that damages the body and get accustomed to what it is healthy and helps the body to get stronger. “ Hilkhot De’ot, 4: 1
In the same chapter, halakha 14, the celebrated rabbi and physician, explains the importance of regular physical activity.
Hilkhot De’ot 4, Halakha 14
“There is another principle with regards to physical well-being: As long as one exercises, exerts himself greatly, and does not eat to the point of satiation … he will not suffer sickness and he will grow in strength….”
This Halakha, written more than 800 years ago, sounds very familiar to our modern ears, and allows us to appreciate that our Rabbis had long known the basic principles of preventive medicine.
Maimonides also wrote, Hilkhot De’ot 4 Halakha 15
“… whoever feels idle and does not exercise, … even if he eats the proper foods and is careful to follow the rules of medicine, he will suffer pain [and disease] … and his physical strength will diminish.
I would like to share with the readers other advices from Maimonides, less known, where he also refers to the importance of physical activity. I will quote below the words of Maimonides from David J. Zulberg’s book, “The Life Transforming Diet”,  a modern book of medical advice based entirely on the medical principles of HaRambam.
“Hippocrates [a renowned Greek physician, 460 – 370 BC, considered the Father of Modern Medicine] taught that exercise is the cornerstone of the preservation of health and the prevention of most illness. There is nothing that can substitute for exercise in any way” (p. 99)
“Without exercise diet alone is not sufficient for the preservation of health, and eventually medical treatment will be needed” (p. 100)
“…someone who is used to physical activity, even if he has a sick body or is old, is able to tolerate [illness and recover from it] better than a healthy person who is not used to physical activity” (p. 102)
This text is from a letter Maimonides sent to one of this patients
“As to what you mentioned, that you feel weak after exercises, the cause of this is the omission of regular exercises. If you resume exercising gradually, little by little, you will gain…strength and vitality…” (p. 102)
SEGULA FOR A GOOD HEALTH: Do not overeat, and do physical activity regularly.
Maimonides Diet


The fast of Gedalia

Today is the fast of Gedalia, a fast-day instituted by the Rabbis to remember the assassination of Gedalia Ben Ahiqam, the governor of Israel during the days of Nebukhadnetzar, King of Babylonia.  The fast is observed on the 3rd of Tishri, the day after Rosh haShana. This year, because Rosh haShana was followed by Shabbat, we fast today, the 4th of Tishri.
When Nebukhadnetzar destroyed the Temple (586 BCE) and exiled the Jews to Babylonia, he allowed a few Jews (mainly poor farmers)  to remain in Israel and work the land.  He appointed Gedalia Ben Ahiqam as their governor. Many of the exiled Jews were planning to return shortly from Babylon to Israel to work the land under the auspices of the king of Babylonia, hoping that eventually the Babylonian King (or his successor) would allow all the Jews to reestablish again in their land.
A Jew from Davidic descendant, Yishma’el Ben Netania, was opposed to the appointment of Gedalia because he did not belong to the Davidic dynasty. And he conspired to assassinate him. Simultaneously, Ba’alis, the King of Amon (=today Jordan) knew that a Babylonian appointed governor, Gedalia, would mean an easier access for the Babylonian to conquer Amon. Ba’alis then encouraged Yishma’el Ben Netania to assassinate Gedalia. In the seventh month (Tishri) Yishma’el and a group of men came to Gedalia in the town of Mitzpa where they were cordially welcomed with the honors due to descendent of Davidic dynasty. Gedalia had been warned of his guests murderous intent, but he refused to believe his informants, convinced that a Jew would never kill another Jew and compromise their hopes for redemption.  However, Yishma’el and his men murdered Gedalia together with the Jews who had joined him in Mitzpa and numbers of Babylonians whom Nebukhadnetzar had left with Gedalia. Fearing the vengeance of the Babylonian king, the few Jews that were left in Israel to work the land fled to Egypt. And Israel remained virtually without Jews. Thus, the exile of the people of Israel from its land reached its highest peak.  And the hopes for returning to the land vanished. 
In remembrance of this tragedy our Sages instituted the Fast of Gedalia.
The fast is observed today from daybreak till nightfall ( 7.37 pm , NYT).
Who is exempted from fasting today?
  
Minors: boys under 13 and girls under 12 years old are completely exempt from fasting.
Nursing women: According to the Sephardic Minhag, after giving birth women are exempted from fasting for 24 months, even if they are not actually nursing their baby.
Pregnant women are exempt from fasting today.
A person who feels ill, or who experiences symptoms of flu or fever, or a person with a chronic disease, such as diabetes, should not fast today.
Elders should consult with their physicians if the fast will not affect their health. If it will, they are exempted (and in some cases, prohibited) from fasting