You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body. -- C.S. Lewis
What sort of preparations should be made in the face of overwhelming odds (or, for that matter, any appreciable risk) of physical danger?
Confronted by the onslaught of Esav and his army, Yaakov answered this question by famously embracing a three-pronged strategy: he would pray, he would appease Esav, and he would ready himself and his family for battle (Rashi, Bereishis 32:9).
On the one hand, his approach was decidedly spiritual, replete with prayer and complete trust in G-d. But Yaakov didn’t leave it at that; “he didn’t rely on his righteousness, and he tried to save [himself] as much as he could” (Ramban, Bereishis 32:4). Yes, he prayed and he trusted. But he also made physical preparations to confront the real-life danger that approached.
We, too, must balance reliance on G-d with affirmative protection of our physical well-being (Ramban, Bereishis 32:4; Da’as Torah, Bereishis 32:9; Parpara’os L’Torah, Vayishlach).
We are generally obligated to refrain from dangerous and unhealthy activities (Rambam, Rotze’ach U’Shmiras HaNefesh 5:5; Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 427:10; Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De’ah 116; Rama, Yoreh De’ah 116:5). Indeed, “a person should never place himself in dangerous circumstances saying that a miracle will be performed” (Shabbos 32a; see also Berachos 32b).
This obligation stems from several of the Torah’s commandments. “Only guard yourselves, and guard your souls very much” (Devarim 4:9), and “you shall guard very much your souls” (Devarim 4:15).[1] There is also a commandment to take preventative measures to avoid danger (see e.g. Devarim 22:8; Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 427:7-10).
Still, not every action that poses some health or safety threat is prohibited. Overloading on pizza is probably not a great idea, but let’s be real: it’s not skydiving or bungee jumping. Patently dangerous activities are forbidden (see e.g. Rambam, Rotzei’ach U’Shemiras HaNefesh 11:5); less dangerous activities—though they carry some risk of danger—are not (see e.g. Rambam, Dei’os 4).
This distinction is rooted in the notion that, when it comes to risks accepted by society as tolerable, we are permitted to lead normal lives and rely upon Divine protection—“G-d protects the simpleminded” (Tehillim 116:6; see e.g. Shabbos 129b, Yevamos 12b, 72a, 100b; Kesubos 39a; Sanhedrin 110b; Avoda Zara 30b; Nidda 31a, 45a).
Routine vaccinations intended to prevent serious illness unquestionably fall into the category of acceptable risks—and there really is no excuse for not receiving them (and ensuring that your children receive them).
When the smallpox vaccine was first invented, R’ Yisroel Lipschitz (1782-1860; author of Tiferes Yisroel) ruled that one can and should be vaccinated, even at a time when the risk of vaccination was much greater than it is today (see Tiferes Yisroel (Boaz), Yoma 8:7). He even went so far as to deem Edward Jenner a “righteous gentile” for developing the smallpox vaccine that would save hundreds of thousands of lives (see Tiferes Yisroel (Boaz), Avos 3:14).
Because the vast majority of children do receive vaccinations, it is said that the risk to any given unvaccinated child is relatively small—although significantly greater than it would be for a vaccinated child. (Of course, this says nothing of the potential risk from the unvaccinated child to other children.) For this reason, R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ruled that, while parents are not obligated to vaccinate their children, they nonetheless should do so, and he urged doctors to persuade their patients to comply (see Nishmas Avraham, Choshen Mishpat 427:3-5).
Based on the distinction drawn above—characterizing risks either as “reasonable and permitted” or “unreasonable and forbidden”—R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ruled that vaccinations are commonly accepted as a standard precautionary measure, and one who fails to take such a measure is recklessly endangering his children and others. Notably, R’ Elyashiv ruled that parents of vaccinated children have an absolute right to insist that all classmates of their child be vaccinated to minimize the risks to their own children due to vaccination failure.
Rabbi Akiva Tatz put R’ Elyashiv’s opinion this way: “failure to immunize would amount to negligence…refusing childhood immunizations on the basis of unsubstantiated fears of vaccine side-effects is irresponsible…the danger of precipitating epidemics of measles, poliomyelitis and other diseases with potentially devastating complications is far more real than the dangers attributed to vaccines on the basis of anecdotal claims. Until objective evidence to the contrary accrues, the halachically correct approach is to do what is normal” (Tatz, Dangerous Disease and Dangerous Therapy, 2013, p.48).[2]
In fact, there is strong reason to assume that one who willfully refuses to receive vaccinations on the basis of anecdotal claims is not worthy of the Divine protection of “G-d protects the simpleminded” (cf. Yabia Omer 2 Yoreh Dei’ah 7; Yoseif Ometz 37; Rabbi Avigdor Miller Speaks, 2004, vol. 1, pp.276-77 [holding that one is not deemed “simpleminded” for ignoring serious, known risks; they are foolhardy or negligent]).
The story is told of a young man who developed a growth on his face. Although his doctors confirmed that it was cancerous and insisted that it be surgically removed, the young man went to an alternative healer who claimed it could be treated with medicinal creams. When the tumor continued to grow despite the creams, the healer insisted that the continued growth showed that the illness was leaving the body and that the young man would soon be healed. The doctors, on the other hand, maintained that unless the growth was surgically removed, he would die.
The young man decided to consult with R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. R’ Shlomo Zalman explained that, while the Torah generally allows one to choose between different forms of treatment, when the matter is one of life or death, the Torah mandates the form of treatment used by a majority of people—in this case, surgery. The young man agreed to have the growth surgically removed, followed by a doctor-recommended course of radiation.
Just before his final radiation treatment, the young man bumped into none other than R’ Shlomo Zalman. He thanked R’ Shlomo Zalman for his counsel and advised that there was only one radiation treatment left.
R’ Shlomo Zalman took the young man’s hand in his and said, “Men darf nisht, men darf nisht” (“It’s not necessary, it’s not necessary”).
But despite the very clear admonitions to safeguard our physical well-being, it is equally clear that we must do so only in support of the soul—never in its place. Indeed, that is why the Torah’s commandments to guard our physical well-being refers not to the body but to the “soul” (see Chofetz Chaim, Devarim 4:15; Ta’am VaDa’as, Devarim 4:9).
Indeed, while the Rambam devotes an entire chapter of laws to those governing one’s health, he prefaces this chapter making clear that the underpinning of those laws is the need to serve G-d and walk in His ways (Rambam, Dei’os 4:1; see also Rambam, Dei’os 3:9). Other authorities also preface their admonitions about physical health by explaining that one must maintain good health in service of the greater good—the service of G-d—a means to an end, not itself an end (see e.g. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 32:1; Pele Yo’etz, “Shemira”).
“The Law as a whole aims at two things: the welfare of the soul and the welfare of the body…Know that as between these two aims, one is indubitably greater in nobility, namely the welfare of the soul…man has two perfections: an initial perfection, which is the perfection of the body, and an ultimate perfection, which is the perfection of the soul. The [initial] perfection consists of being healthy and in the very best bodily state…It also is clear that the noble and ultimate perfection can be achieved only after the initial perfection has been achieved…But once the initial perfection has been achieved it is possible to achieve the ultimate, which is indubitably more noble” (Moreh Nevuchim III:27).
This notion was perhaps best encapsulated by Hillel the Elder, who was accustomed to walk together with his students before continuing on his own way. One of his students once asked where he was heading, to which Hillel responded that he was headed to fulfill a mitzvah. When his students pressed him further and asked which mitzvah he was headed towards, Hillel explained that he was going to take a bath in the bathhouse.
“Is that really a mitzvah?” the students asked.
“It certainly is,” answered Hillel. “If the statues erected to kings in the theaters and circuses are washed and scrubbed…how much more should I, who have been created in G-d’s image and likeness, [wash and scrub my body]” (Vayikra Rabba 34:3).
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To function at our spiritual best and fulfill the essential purpose of existence, we need to safeguard our health and safety. So go ahead: exercise, eat right, sleep well. But do these things in furtherance of the right objectives. Your body will thank you. And so will your soul.
[1] Most authorities understand this to be a commandment to safeguard our physical well-being (but see Maharsha, Berachos 32b; Torah Temima, Devarim 4:9), with some of the opinion that the prohibition is rabbinic in nature (Rambam Rotzei’ach U’Shemiras HaNefesh 5:5; Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 427:10; but see Pri Megadim, Orach Chaim 4:2; Be’er Hagola, Choshen Mishpat 427), and others maintaining that the prohibition is biblical (see e.g. SeMA, Choshen Mishpat 427; Pri Megadim 97:3).
[2] To be sure, there are certain individuals for whom vaccinations may be medically inadvisable. It should go without saying that those cases are the exceptions—not the rule—and should be discussed with a competent halachic authority and a competent physician.