Mishpat Tzedek & Nefesh Beriah
Nefesh Beriah (Healthy Mind – Healthy Body) is a modern Jewish philosophy where spirituality meets health & wellness concepts. Mishpat Tzedek means “Righteous Justice or charity and justice”. These two concepts are found in the Torah (five books of Moses) and the concept of how I was taught to embrace Judaism, life, and interaction with the world and all human beings.
There are many modern and ancient concepts found in Judaism that requires all human beings to guard their complete health. Mind, Body and Breath (Soul).
The “Nefesh” sometimes called soul really translates from Hebrew into “living being.” The Nefesh isn’t considered separate from the body like some believe but the body and spirit have a symbiotic connection to each other. The Neshama (breath) as explained in the Torah is based on the breath as the life force as it states in Genesis 2:7 “and (God) breathed into his nostrils a Breath of Life and man became a Living Being (Nishmat Chaim).”
We see from here the breath animates the body and gives it life; however the body must be in good health to retain the life force properly. The goal of Nefesh Beriah is to harmonize our physical, mental/emotional, spiritual aspects to help us become closer to God and healthier people. Staying healthy is a very spiritual pursuit.
It’s written in the Torah (Bible) “”Guard yourself and guard your soul very carefully” (Deuteronomy 4:9-10). This concept is a divine directive to maintain every aspect of ones health.
People from all walks of life want to be healthy and live long prosperous lives. We believe that spiritual a connection will come naturally to anyone who pursues good health. We also belief that God gave information for health to many cultures around the world. For example we can learn meditation from many Eastern cultures or maintaining physical health from Yoga, and self defense from various cultures. Every aspect of bettering and protecting life and health is part of Nefesh Beriah regardless of the culture of origin.
Misphat Tzedek is a code of ethics and a guide to living a healthy life. The basis for Misphat Tzedek is found in Genesis (18:19) and first connected with the Patriarch Abraham. God made his covenant with Abraham because God acknowledged Abraham lived his life with “Righteous Justice”. The Torah has scores of examples and many stories of what it means to live a life of Justice and Righteousness, from the Ten Commandments to Loving your Neighbor as yourself. Of course only Torah study can teach us how to apply this in our lives. It’s well worth the time and energy for the concerned.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Shalom,
Stuart Rosenberg
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