Things Your Rabbi Won’t Tell You

As the month of Elul dawns, Jewish communities worldwide turn inward, embracing the season of teshuvah, repentance and reflection, in preparation for the High Holy Days. Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, looms just weeks away, prompting us to examine our deeds, mend relationships, and seek spiritual renewal.

Yet, amidst the soul-searching and prayer, there’s another commandment that deserves our attention during this sacred time: *V’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoteichem* (Deuteronomy 4:15), “Take utmost care of your lives.” This mitzvah, often interpreted as a call to protect our physical health, is as vital as spiritual repentance, yet it’s rarely the focus of Elul sermons.

The Torah’s command to guard our lives reminds us that our physical well-being is inseparable from our spiritual mission. Our bodies are not mere tools; they are gifts from Hashem, entrusted to us to maintain. Just as we wouldn’t neglect our spiritual health by skipping prayer or ignoring ethical lapses, we cannot ignore the doctor’s appointments, screenings, and lifestyle changes that keep us thriving.

The Sages teach that health is a prerequisite for serving God fully. The Rambam wrote in Hilchot De’ot that maintaining physical health is a path to knowing God, as a sound body supports a sound mind.

In Elul, when we’re already in a mindset of self-assessment, why not extend that reflection to our physical selves? This is the time to face the “annoying stuff', the blood pressure checks, colonoscopies, cholesterol tests, and family medical history discussions, that we often push off but can’t afford to ignore.

The Health Check Teshuvah

Imagine approaching your health with the same intentionality as your spiritual teshuvah. Just as we confess our sins and seek forgiveness, we can confront our health habits with honesty. Have you been avoiding the doctor because you’re “too busy”? Skipping exercise or eating poorly because “it’s just one day”? Ignoring that persistent fatigue or family history of heart disease? Elul is the moment to stop procrastinating and act.

Here’s how to make your health a priority this month:

1. Schedule That Checkup: Call your primary care doctor and book a physical. Get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar checked. These routine tests can catch issues early, from hypertension to diabetes, which disproportionately affect Jewish populations due to genetic predispositions like BRCA mutations.

2. Know Your Family History: Elul’s focus on ancestry is a perfect time to dig into your medical lineage. Ask parents or relatives about conditions like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. Knowledge is power, genetic counseling can guide preventive measures, especially for Ashkenazi Jews at higher risk for certain hereditary diseases.

3. Book the “Dreaded” Screenings: If you’re over 45, schedule that colonoscopy, it’s a lifesaver for detecting colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer in Jewish men and women. Women, don’t skip your mammogram or Pap smear; men, talk to your doctor about prostate screenings.

4. Assess Your Lifestyle: Are you getting enough sleep? Moving your body regularly? Eating nutrient-rich foods? Small changes, like swapping processed snacks for fruits or taking a daily walk, can make a big difference.

5. Mental Health Matters: The mitzvah of v’nishmartem includes mental well-being. Elul’s emotional intensity can bring stress or anxiety. If you’re struggling, reach out to a therapist or support group. Self-care, like meditation or journaling, can complement spiritual practices like tefillah.

Just as you wouldn’t enter Yom Kippur with unresolved sins, don’t enter the new year with neglected health concerns.