The Torah actually tells us to take care of ourselves, both physically and emotionally. Take a look at the following sources:
(יב) שֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת לְמַ֣עַן יָנ֗וּחַ שֽׁוֹרְךָ֙ וַחֲמֹרֶ֔ךָ וְיִנָּפֵ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲמָתְךָ֖ וְהַגֵּֽר׃
(12) Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor.
(ט) רַ֡ק הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד...
(9) But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously...
(25) If there is anxiety in a man’s mind let him quash it, And turn it into joy with a good word.
הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר...
Hillel said: do not separate yourself from the community...
Not only does the Torah instruct us to maintain our health, but it also tells us why.
(כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃
(27) And God created humankind in the divine image...
(א) 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.
(1) Since maintaining a healthy and sound body is among the ways of God - for one cannot understand or have any knowledge of the Creator, if he is ill - therefore, he must avoid that which harms the body and accustom himself to that which is healthful and helps the body become stronger.
(כב) לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣יב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃
(22) A joyful heart makes for health...
1. By getting rest, on Shabbat or otherwise
On this day we are commanded to abstain from all work…to give man relaxation from continuous and unending toil and by refreshing their bodies with a regularly calculated system of remissions to send them out renewed to their old activities.
2. By putting your health first above everything else
(א) דְחוּיָה הִיא שַׁבָּת אֵצֶל סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת.
(1) The [laws of] the Sabbath are suspended in the face of a danger to life as are [the obligations of] the other mitzvot.
3. By spending time with others
(יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃
(18) God יהוה said, “It is not good for the Human to be alone...
4. By connecting to a spiritual power
ויחלש כח היצר הרע מעליך ותתחזק נפש השכלית שבך על ידי התורה שהיא מזון אל הנפש הזו גם היא.
This weakens your evil inclination, whereas your intellectual soul becomes strengthened and nourished by your Torah study.
5. By being in touch with your emotions
(18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people. Love your fellow as yourself...
As you have read, rest is a central aspect of wellness in Judaism. However, rest is much more than physical. There are many types of rest, and therefore many ways that you can practice relaxation in your life.
-
Physical: active rest through stretching or other gentle movement, passive rest through reclining or napping
-
Mental: journaling, brain-dumping, thinking, meditating
-
Sensory: creating soothing environments for touch, taste, sight, smell, or sound
-
Creative: playing, being in nature, experiencing joy, making art
-
Emotional: expressing yourself, focusing on your own needs
-
Social: spending time with others, having deep conversations, taking alone time to recharge
-
Spiritual: connecting with meaning, purpose, peace, or something larger than yourself through performing rituals, praying, meditating, or taking social action in order to experience belonging, connection, or calm
Consider the following questions:
-
How can you implement Jewish concepts to incorporate wellness into your life?
-
Are you doing all the things necessary to take care of yourself? If not, why?
-
What aspects of rest are you lacking in your life? What can you do to bring about rest in those areas?