What is the text literally saying (p'shat)?
What does the text suggest about Jewish values?
What are the implications for how we understand our work around wellness?
תנו רבנן להגיד גדולתו של מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא שאדם טובע כמה מטבעות בחותם אחד וכולן דומין זה לזה אבל הקדוש ברוך הוא טובע כל אדם בחותמו של אדם הראשון ואין אחד מהן דומה לחבירו
The Sages taught: [The fact that Adam, the first man, was created alone serves] to declare the greatness of the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He. A person stamps several coins with one seal, and they are all similar to each other. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamps all people with the seal of Adam the First, and not one of them is similar to another.
הוֹאִיל וֶהֱיוֹת הַגּוּף בָּרִיא וְשָׁלֵם מִדַּרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם הוּא. שֶׁהֲרֵי אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבִין אוֹ יֵדַע דָּבָר מִידִיעַת הַבּוֹרֵא וְהוּא חוֹלֶה. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיק אָדָם עַצְמוֹ מִדְּבָרִים הַמְאַבְּדִין אֶת הַגּוּף. וּלְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בִּדְבָרִים הַמַּבְרִין וְהַמַּחֲלִימִים. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: לְעוֹלָם לֹא יֹאכַל אָדָם אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהוּא רָעֵב. וְלֹא יִשְׁתֶּה אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהוּא צָמֵא. וְאַל יַשְׁהֵא נְקָבָיו אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע אֶחָד. אֶלָּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַשְׁתִּין אוֹ לְהָסֵךְ אֶת רַגְלָיו יַעֲמֹד מִיָּד:
Seeing that the maintenance of the body in a healthy and sound condition is a God-chosen way, for it is impossible that one should understand or know nothing of the divine knowledge concerning the Creator when he is sick. It is necessary for man to distance himself from things which destroy the body, and accustom himself in things which are healthful and life-imparting. These are: never shall man partake food save when hungry, nor drink save when thirsty; he shall not defer elimination even one minute, but the moment he feels the need to evacuate urine or feces he must rise immediately.
דתני רב יוסף (דברים י) אשר שברת ושמתם מלמד שהלו חות ושברי לוחות מונחין בארון
Talmud Bavli Bava Batra 14b:
Rabbi Joseph learned: [The verse states: “the tablets] that you broke and put them” (Deuteronomy 10): [the juxtaposition of these words] teaches us that the tablets
as well as the broken pieces of the tablets were placed in the Ark.”
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאדֶךָ:
You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.