Moses Maimonides on bathing relative to Chinese medical theory

[Guest guest]

Dear Chris,

 

A little more background: The selection that I quoted from the Rambam (AKA

Moses Maimonides) is a selection from his magnum opus on Jewish law, " The

Mishna Torah " (my apologies Attilio, but under the context of this discussion I

need to clarify from whence I quoted). Judaism, meaning Jewish law does not

compartmentalize health, behavior, diet or ritual, but integrates them.

Therefore the section that I originally quoted was written as a religious

guideline for one to maintain health and was written for the Jewish layperson.

As such, Chris, no rationale or theory is mentioned concerning bathing.

 

However, in one of his 10 books on medicine, Hanhagat Habriut (The Regimen of

Health), he mentions in much greater detail specifics of bathing, and there

gives his rationale as follows: " In regard to the head, it is never proper to

wash it with cold water...for even though cold water strengthens the brain, it

retains its superfluities (dampness and phlegm?-YF) and dulls it. Similarly,

all the nerves become dulled, because the brain is their source and all

movements become heavy. Sometimes hemiplegia may develop or facial paralysis or

spasms of the hands. Therefore he should be especially careful. So too,

lukewarm water adds coldness and softness to the brain, and all the movements

and senses are weakened. On the other hand, hot water strengthens the substance

of the brain, removes superfluities, strengthens its nature and all its

movements and sensations. "

 

You will forgive me for having a limited background in Chinese classics, but

it seems to me that Maimonides speaks here as relating to the head very much the

way we speak in Chinese medical theory as relating to the Spleen, and that just

as the Spleen hates dampness, so does the head, and there too, damp accumulation

engenders phlegm, phlegm blocks the Qi, and mists the channels, particularly the

heart channel, dulling the brain. Furthermore, when combined with wind, phlegm

causes wind-stroke in the channels (Bell's Palsy), in my reading of the Rambam.

 

Chris and Attilio,I appreciate your challenges, and I also appreciate Hugo's

gloss as well:

 

" I see M.Maimonides' suggestions as being almost exactly in line with what

Chris relates from the MaWangDui - they are different only in their methods.

M.M. seems to describe a process of activating yang (hot baths) without

depleting yin (avoiding sweating as well as avoiding loss of tone (spleen

" essence " ?)) and without creating obstruction (applying cold to the head), but

rather encouraging flow throughout, and finally, consolidating the exterior via

application of cold to the body (not the head). It would also be interesting to

know how M.M.'s recommendations would change based on different climates. "

 

Indeed, the climate of medieval Egypt was hot and humid. I would also

suspect that he would have proposed a different bathing protocol in a colder or

dryer climate.

 

Thank you all. The exchange of ideas and the diverse adaptations in the

applications of Chinese medical theory I find so very satisfying and

stimulating.

 

Respectfully,

 

Yehuda

 

ch brings me to the cool-head / warm-feet

issue. And bathing? (Yehuda) Does Moses

Maimonides provide a theoretical framework for

his prescription, i.e. why? Especially at the end

( " …as soon as one perspires and the body becomes

relaxed, one should rinse off and leave the

bath… " ) closely approximates sauna therapy, as

practiced in central/northern Europe (and

possibly traceable back to Turkish-, Roman-bath protocols).

 

Moses Maimonides says in the Laws of behavioral traits: 4:16-- " One should

wash his entire body with hot water that does not scald the body, and the head

alone may be washed with water hot enough to scald the body. Then he should

wash his body with lukewarm water, and then tepid water, and so on until he

washes with cold water. (But) over his head he should not pour either lukewarm

or cold water. In the rainy season one should not bathe in cold water. One

should not bathe until one perspires and one's entire body becomes soft like

dough (as one is after a massage), nor should one remain too long in the bath.

Rather, as soon as one perspires and the body becomes relaxed, one should rince

off and leave the bath. "

 

Sincerely,

 

Yehuda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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