Healthy Responsibility

I know it might not make sense. I’m telling you to take care of yourself, get adequate rest and eat nutritious, well balanced meals. You tell me about the ninety-year-old grandfather you know who drinks ten cups of coffee a day, eats margarine-filled borekas for breakfast and smoked for fifty years. He, you tell me, is healthy and strong as an ox. Then you describe the young twenty-year-old vegan who drinks wheat grass every morning, exercises daily and yet has, lo aleinu, cancer; the woman you know who is pregnant with her tenth child, lives off cola and white bread chocolate spread sandwiches, while the one who only eats organic and whole grains is still childless. I know, it doesn’t make sense and you might ask me, “If my health is in G-d’s hands what does it matter what I eat and what I do?” To this I tell you that your body is a vessel. It’s a gift, a gift from G-d. Come judgment day and our Creator is going to ask you, “What did you do with this precious gift that I gave you? Did you take care of it and treat it with respect and love? Did you nurture it and use it wisely? Did you live responsibly and intelligently?”

The Ramchal in Mesilat Yesharim (9) instructs us: And a person who desires not to conduct himself in a wise manner and open himself up to dangers, this is not evidence of trust in G-d, but rather irresponsibility. Behold he is sinning in that he is conducting himself against the Will of G-d, Who Wishes that a person take care of himself… Yes, G-d decides who will live and who will die. Who will be healthy and who, G-d forbid, will be sick. But we have an obligation to take care of ourselves. He loves us. He is our Father and He wants us to love and take care of his child.