Dangers

It is forbidden to eat foods that may contain poisons, and even when the concern is remote, it is forbidden to eat them. For the Sages learned that a person must be very careful to guard his life, as it is stated: “But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously” (Devarim 4:9), and it is stated: “Be most careful for your own sakes” (ibid. 15). These verses were stated as a warning regarding faith in God, His Torah, and His mitzvot, which are the purpose of the existence of a person’s soul. However, the first condition for the fulfillment of faith is that a person live and not die, and therefore these verses also obligate a person to guard his life from death and illness. As Rambam wrote (Hilkhot De’ot 4:1): “Since having a healthy and whole body is among the ways of God – for it is impossible to understand or know anything while one is ill – a person must distance himself from things that destroy the body and accustom himself to things that make one healthy and strong.” Even when the concern of danger to life is remote, the Sages ruled to be more stringent about it than about the concern of a prohibition, for “ḥamira sakanta me-issura” – “danger is more severe than prohibition” (Ḥullin 10a; Rema 116:5). One who endangers himself by eating something dangerous and dies will be held accountable for it, as it is stated: “But for your own lifeblood I will require a reckoning” (Bereishit 9:5).

Eating foods that harm the body’s health is also forbidden, and one who guards his health fulfills a mitzva, for this is included in what the Torah instructed: “And walk in His ways” (Devarim 28:9). For God created our bodies to be healthy, and we must guard them and not eat foods that will impair their health. Furthermore, good health enables a person to engage in Torah study and fulfill the mitzvot with joy. Accordingly, the great Torah scholars of every generation guided their students in the ways of health, as explained in the Talmud and in the works of the poskim and musar. And if it is forbidden even to destroy food, all the more so is it forbidden for a person to destroy his body by harming his health (Shabbat 140b).

In all medical guidance, we must follow what is accepted by the physicians of our generation. In practice, the accepted guidance today is to limit as much as possible the eating of processed foods and foods high in sugar, margarine, salt, white flour, and saturated and trans fats. Among the foods characterized by these ingredients are soft drinks, industrial snacks, processed meats, bourekas, and cakes. On the other hand, it is recommended to eat plenty of vegetables and fruit and to drink water. Above all, one should not eat too much, and should be careful to get physical activity and good sleep. However, one must also beware of drastic diets and extreme health practices, for joy and naturalness are the foundation of health, and excessive caution and strictness harm them (see Peninei Halakha: Berakhot 13:9-11).^¹