Va'Etchanan: Guard Your Soul

ByRabbi Ruhi Sophia Rubenstein

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה

בְּרוּךֶ אַתֶה חֲוָיָה שְׁכִינּוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדַשְׁתַנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיהֶ וְצִוְתָנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה

בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהָתֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קֵרְבָתְנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתָהּ וְצִוְתָנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה

Blessings for learning and studying Torah

Berakhot 11b:

Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la’asok b’divrei Torah

Nonbinary Hebrew Project:

B’rucheh ateh Khavayah Shekhinu ruach ha’olam asher kidash’tanu b’mitzvotei’he v’tziv’tanu la’asok b’divrei Torah

Feminine God Language:

Brukhah at Ya Elohateinu ruach ha’olam asher keir’vat’nu la’avodatah v’tziv’tavnu la’asok b’divrei Torah

דברים ד׳:ט׳

רַ֡ק הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֨ח אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וּפֶן־יָס֙וּרוּ֙ מִלְּבָ֣בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֥ם לְבָנֶ֖יךָ וְלִבְנֵ֥י בָנֶֽיךָ׃

Deuteronomy 4:9

But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously, so that you do not forget the things that you saw with your own eyes and so that they do not fade from your mind as long as you live. And make them known to your children and to your children’s children:

ברכות ל״ב ב:ל׳

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּחָסִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל בַּדֶּרֶךְ. בָּא הֶגְמוֹן אֶחָד וְנָתַן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, וְלֹא הֶחְזִיר לוֹ שָׁלוֹם. הִמְתִּין לוֹ עַד שֶׁסִּייֵּם תְּפִלָּתוֹ. לְאַחַר שֶׁסִּייֵּם תְּפִלָּתוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ: רֵיקָא, וַהֲלֹא כָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַתְכֶם ״רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ״, וּכְתִיב ״וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם״. כְּשֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ שָׁלוֹם לָמָּה לֹא הֶחְזַרְתָּ לִי שָׁלוֹם? אִם הָיִיתִי חוֹתֵךְ רֹאשְׁךָ בְּסַיִיף, מִי הָיָה תּוֹבֵעַ אֶת דָּמְךָ מִיָּדִי?!

Berakhot 32b:30

The Sages taught: There was a related incident, involving a particular pious man who was praying while traveling along his path when an officer [hegmon] came and greeted him. The pious man did not pause from his prayer and did not respond with a greeting. The officer waited for him until he finished his prayer.
After he finished his prayer, the officer said to him: You good for nothing. You endangered yourself; I could have killed you.
Isn’t it written in your Torah: “Take utmost care and guard yourself diligently” (Deuteronomy 4:9)?
And it is also written: “Take therefore good heed unto yourselves” (Deuteronomy 4:15)? Why did you ignore the danger to your life?
When I greeted you, why did you not respond with a greeting?
Were I to sever your head with a sword, who would hold me accountable for your spilled blood?

מנחות צ״ט ב:ג׳-ה׳

ואמר ריש לקיש כל המשכח דבר אחד מתלמודו עובר בלאו שנאמר (דברים ד, ט) השמר לך ושמור נפשך מאד פן תשכח את הדברים וכדר' אבין אמר ר' אילעא דאמר רבי אבין אמר ר' אילעא כל מקום שנאמר השמר פן ואל אינו אלא לא תעשה רבינא אמר השמר ופן שני לאוין נינהו רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר בשלשה לאוין שנאמר השמר לך ושמור נפשך מאוד פן תשכח את הדברים יכול אפילו מחמת אונסו תלמוד לומר (דברים ד, ט) ופן יסורו מלבבך במסירם מלבו הכתוב מדבר רבי דוסתאי בר' ינאי אמר יכול אפילו תקפה עליו משנתו תלמוד לומר רק

Menachot 99b:3-5

And Reish Lakish says: Anyone who causes himself to forget even one matter from his studies violates a prohibition, as it is stated with regard to the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai: “Only observe for yourself, and guard your soul diligently, lest you forget the matters that your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life, but you should make them known to your children and to your children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9). And this is in accordance with the principle that Rabbi Avin says that Rabbi Ile’a says, as Rabbi Avin says that Rabbi Ile’a says: Wherever it is stated: Observe, or: Lest, or: Do not, it is nothing other than a prohibition. Ravina says: One who forgets his studies violates two prohibitions, as the verse uses both the term “observe” and the term “lest,” and these are two prohibitions. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: He violates three prohibitions, as it is stated: “Only observe for yourself, and guard your soul diligently, lest you forget the matters that your eyes saw.” The term “Guard your soul” is derived from the same root as “observe” and is considered an additional prohibition. The Gemara qualifies this statement: One might have thought this applies even to one who forgot his Torah knowledge due to circumstances beyond his control. Therefore, the verse states: “And lest they depart from your heart.” This indicates that the verse is speaking of one who willingly causes them to depart from his heart. Rabbi Dostai, son of Rabbi Yannai, says: One might have thought that this applies even if his studies were too hard for him to remember. Therefore, the verse states: “Only,” which excludes one who is unable to recall his studies.

ספר החינוך רל״א:ג׳

מדיני המצוה. מה שאמרו זכרונם לברכה (שבועות לה, א) שאסור לקלל בשום ענין, ומכל מקום אינו לוקה אלא המקלל בשם מן השמות כגון יה, שדי ואלוה וכיוצא בהן, או ובכל כנוי מן הכנויין, כגון חנון, קנוא, וכיוצא בהן. ובכל לשון שקלל בשם או בכנוי חיב, שהשמות שקוראין בהן הגוים להקדוש ברוך הוא הרי הן בכלל הכנויין. ומה שאמרו (שם לו, א) שאפילו המקלל את עצמו לוקה, שנאמר (דברים ד ט) השמר לך ושמר נפשך מאד...

Sefer HaChinukh 231:3

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shevuot 35a) that it is forbidden to curse in any way. But nonetheless, he is not lashed unless he cursed with a name of one of the names [of God], such as Y-ah, Sha-dai, E-loah and similar to them, or with any appellation of one of the appellations [of God], such as Compassionate, Jealous and similar to them. And he is liable in any language that he curses with a name or appellation, as the names that the gentiles call the Holy One, blessed be He, are among the appellations (even though they are in their languages). And [also] that which they said (Shevuot 36a) that even one who curses himself is lashed, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:9), "But you shall guard yourself and guard your soul much." . . .

שולחן ערוך, חושן משפט תכ״ז:ח׳

וכן כל מכשול שיש בו סכנת נפשות מצות עשה להסירו ולהשמר ממנו ולהזהר בדבר יפה שנאמר השמר לך ושמור נפשך ואם לא הסיר והניח המכשולות המביאים לידי סכנה ביטל מצות עשה ועובר בלא תשים דמים:

Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat 427:8

Likewise, one has a positive duty to remove and guard oneself of any life-threatening obstacle, as it is said "beware and guard your soul". If one did not removed said obstacles, one has cancelled a positive commandment and transgressed "do not bring bloodguilt" (Deut. 22:8).

From Rabbi Goldie Milgrom "Eco- Kosher: Jewish Spirituality in Action" at http://reclaimingjudaism.org/teachings/eco-kosher-jewish-spirituality-action
Shmirat Haguf is the mitzvah to treat your body as sacred space.
"Take care of yourself, and guard your soul diligently" Deuteronomy 4:9
"A Jewish body is very precious since it is necessary for the performance of the practical mitzvot, upon which the rectification of the entire world depends."' Avraham Greenbaum
"Every person must take great care of his[her] physical body" Likutey Moharan I,22:5
4. Treatment of Laborers: The mitzvah of halanat sachar requires that workers be paid on time. Considerations of labor standards are an essential ethical complement to matters of keeping kosher. Learn more:
Implications for ECO-Kashrut:
The mitzvah of shmirat haguf leads to asking about the role of insecticides and hormones in the growing of vegetables and raising of animals. Bovine growth hormone, for example, can affect the growth and development of children. Can this practice be allowed for kosher milk, because it does pass into the animals milk.

Certain insecticides can compromise health in many ways, will this begin to be taken into account in certifying products as kosher or simply each individual Jew choosing what will be part of your sacred conscious eating practice?

From Ayelet Shachar's sourcesheet "Body" at https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/27573.14?lang=en&with=all&lang2=en
"Guard yourself and guard your soul very much" (Deuteronomy 4:9). "The repetition of the word 'guard' alludes to the positive and negative commandments, which protect the limbs and channels which make up the mortal house [the body]. For our rabbis stated (Zohar, Vayishlach 170b) that the 248 positive commandments correspond to the 248 limbs of the body, while the 365 prohibitions correspond to the connecting sinews, arteries and channels" (Kli Yakar on Deuteronomy 4:9).
Our part
Of all the 613 mitzvos that make up the pathway to a healthy life, the mitzvah of guarding bodily health has special importance since this is where we have to put in effort to properly maintain and protect the instrument with which we perform all the other mitzvos. The body is physical and functions according to the natural laws God has fixed. Our part is to provide the body with everything necessary for it to function at its best in accordance with its nature.