“Zero, doctor” or Don’t disturb

More than 800 years ago, Maimonides wrote a 40 pages letter to Salah Ad-din ‘s son. The letter deals with the ways a person should use to control his health. This letter and its interpretation and commentary are the center of my research program and the community studies that we lead on the subject of Jawhar (ג’אווהר). The last chapter of this letter deals with doctors and their activities. While working on it I was approached by Tami Zori, who asked me to join the project “Zero, Home”.

“Zero Home” is an ecological-utopian performance, which suggests we start thinking about the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it. Its aim is to create a conversation about life and living in our changing world, in a mobile exhibition all over the country. You can read more about it in the Facebook page or on the site.

Tami offered me the job of the house-doctor – “Zero, doctor”. As far as I am concerned – it is very challenging. I am not a medical doctor and I have not studied modern medicine. I don’t give medical prescriptions, don’t use plants as medications and believe that it is advisable not to use nutritional supplements.  Well, yes – “zero, medicine” sounds about right.

I went back to the last chapter of Maimonides’ letter: (free translation) “the expert doctor knows how to support nature and not confuse it, and not cause diversions from its normal behavior“. In short – don’t disturb nature! Maimonides expresses himself even stronger in other places, stressing that sometimes it is better to avoid asking for doctor’s advice. By the word “nature” he does not always mean the Nature around us, but rather he preaches supporting the nature of a person, strengthening him where he needs it. Thus, each one of us should know our own temperament, and the forces that affect us in our everyday life. Then he can use them to balance his health.

The challenge of “zero, medicine” is not to cure illnesses and disease, but to keep people healthy. On our first discussion of the subject, Tami suggested the use of some medical plants, asking me to supply a list. I refused. The medicine I believe in uses the natural forces that surround us in order to have a balanced life.

The six natural forces of the Jawhar are:

1. Air
2. Food and drink
3. Mental events
4. Sleep and wakefulness
5. Movement and rest
6. Constipation and relief

It is not going to be easy, especially with a frantic woman like Tami (“the worker”).

There is one thing going for us: I have known Tami for a long time, and I know her nature (humor). She knows herself even longer, and we have years of qualitative research to go by.

Now my main challenge is to get to know the house and the ways it affects its tenant, for better or worse.

Tami, let’s go for it. I am coming to check the house.