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The Role of the Jewish Physician in the Progress of His People*

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The Role of the Jewish Physician in the Progress of His People* [From Fabricius d’Acquapendente: Opere chirurgiche, Padova, 1684.] ANNALS OF MEDICAL HISTORY . New Series, Volume X March, 1938 Number 2 THE ROLE OF THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN IN THE PROGRESS OF HIS PEOPLE* By HARRY AUSTRYN SAVITZ, M.D. BOSTON HE story of the And in the sight of great men he shall be Jewish physi­ admired. The Lord created medicines out of the earth; cian is as long And a prudent man will have no disgust at as the history them. of his race. In this lengthy This feeling of admiration for the narrative, he physician has been continued up to the occupied a present time. In a much more prosaic prominent and vulgarized manner, it is portrayed part and played an important role. One by the “Shadchen” in the matrimonial market, to whom an M.D. still means reason for this is, that from time imme­ “More Dowry.” The Jewish physician morial, the physician was held in high of the past appreciated this esteem and esteem by the Jews. Though not deified, endeavored to deserve it. He not only yet he was placed on a pedestal and peo­ delved into the mysteries of the healing ple looked up to him. In ancient times, art and science, and tried to advance it, Ecclesiasticus,1 the wise son of Sirah, but at the same time participated in all sang: the great movements of his people. He Honour a physician according to thy need of not only did not shirk his duties to his him with the honours due unto him: people, but he even endeavored to lead For verily the Lord hath created him. and guide them. For from the Most High cometh healing; And from the King he shall receive a gift. In the formation of the Talmud, that The skill of the physician shall lift up his great spiritual fortress, which preserved head; Jews and Judaism, for nearly 2000 *Read before the Greater Boston Medical Society, October 6, 1936. years, a number of physicians took part. ishness, being always ready to subordi­ Physicians were consulted whenever nate his own interests to those of the medical knowledge was to be applied to community. He said once, ‘‘A man may legal, ritual, and ecclesiastical ordi­ never exclude himself from the commu­ nances of Judaism, and physicians par­ nity, but must seek his welfare in that ticipated in a great many discussions of society.” adding much to the pattern of this From the close of the Talmud all gigantic encyclopedia. Very few physi­ through the so-called Middle Ages, the cians are mentioned by name in the thread of Jewish history was consist­ Talmud, nor is there a special section ently being woven. There were great dedicated to medicine. But in a perusal men in every generation who left monu­ of its numerous pages we come across a mental literary works. A great number number of physicians. One that is fre­ of these scholars were physicians. Not quently mentioned is Thudos or Theo- only did these physicians carry on the doros. The name of another physician, healing art and science during the so- Bar Girnte, occurs in connection with called Dark Ages, but in many instances his traveling in a sedan chair to visit his it was they who advanced Jewish culture patients on the Sabbath owing to his ad­ and learning in its various branches. vanced age. Other physicians mentioned Maimonides, whose eight hundredth in the Talmud as examples of gen­ anniversary was celebrated in 1935, was uine Jewish piety and benevolence, are by no means the only star in the Jewish Benjamin, and Aba, the surgeon. Al­ firmament. In the tenth century we find though the latter was dependent upon the famous Isaac Israeli (845-940) in his earnings, he was so unselfish and North Africa. He was the author of sev­ considerate that in order to avoid em­ eral medical works, the best known of barrassing the poor among his patients, which is his book on fever. He also he would never accept pay directly from wrote a commentary on the book Sefer any one, but instead had attached a box Yezirah (Book of Creation) . Graetz, in which each might place what he the historian, says of him: ‘‘His exam­ pleased. ple made a place in Rabbinic studies Yet another Talmudic physician was for the scientific method that shaped the Samuel Yarhina-ah (165-257), director activity of the succeeding generations.” of the Academy of Nehardea, who was A disciple of Israeli was Dunash ben not only a great teacher of the law but Tamin, a famous physician and favorite also an excellent physician, a research of the Court, accomplished in all the worker and a great observer. He spent known sciences, who composed an astro­ eighteen months with a shepherd to nomical work on the Jewish calendar. study eye diseases of animals. He was In southern Italy during the same pe­ especially skilled in the treatment of all riod lived Sabbatai Donnolo (913-7°) diseases of the eye. He discovered an eye who also wrote a commentary on the salve which was known as the “Killurim book of Creation. He was also the au­ of Mar Samuel.” He traced many dis­ thor of a Hebrew book on materia eases to a lack of cleanliness. He made rnedica. the statement that after venesection he The contemporary of Donnolo in fed his patients a meal made of spleen.2 Spain was a Jewish physician, linguist As a man Mar Samuel was distinguished and statesman, who was one of those for his modesty, gentleness and unself­ who made the protection and further­ ing of Judaism the task of his life. I refer takes the poet’s view of Judaism and the to the eminent physician, Chasdai Ibn Jews. If Maimonides’ writings repre­ Shaprut (915-70) . In spite of his high sent the intellect and mind of Judaism, position and great wealth, he felt a call so Halevi represents its heart and emo­ to be active in the cause of his religion tional side. Halevi’s “Songs to Zion’’ are and race. As one historian says:* his most beautiful works, symbolizing He was to some extent the legal and po­ the deepest of his emotions. One of litical head of the Jewish community of them is chanted today in Jewish Con­ Cordova. He gathered around himself a gregations all over the world, on the band of talented philosophers and poets ninth of Ab. It is an “Ode to Zion.’’ who immortalized him in their works and “Zion! Wilt thou not ask if peace be in their poems. More than any man he with thy captives. That seek the peace— gave impetus to the unfolding of the that are the remnants of thy flocks,” etc. golden period of the Judao-Spanish cul­ The following letter that he wrote ture. from Toledo, Spain, to a friend, more The zenith of Spanish-Jewish culture than 800 years ago, could be read today was attained with the two immortal apropos of what is now going on in physicians, Jehudah Halevi and Mai- Spain: monides. We shall say little of the latter as our ears still echo with the orations I occupy myself in the hours which be­ delivered throughout the civilized long neither to the day nor to the night, world in 1935 on the eight hundredth with the vanity of medical science, al­ though I am unable to heal. The city in anniversary of his birth. Judah Halevi which I dwell is large, the inhabitants are was born in old Castile in 1086. He giants, but they are cruel rulers. Where­ passed his years as a practicing physi­ with could I conciliate them better than cian in the City of Toledo. The his­ by spending my days in curing their ill­ torian, Graetz, thus eulogizes him: ness. I physic Babel but it continues in­ In the annals of mankind his name de­ firm. I cry to God that He may quickly serves a separate page with a golden bor­ send deliverance unto me, and give me der. To describe him worthily, history freedom, to enjoy rest, that I may repair to would need to borrow from poetry her some place of living knowledge, to the most glowing colors and her sweetest tones. fountain of wisdom. Judah Halevi was one of the chosen, to One of the great cultural contribu­ whom the expression, “an image of God,’’ may be applied without exaggeration. He tions of the Jews in the Middle Ages is was a perfect poet, a perfect thinker, a the work of the Jewish translators. Due worthy son of Judaism, which, through his to the work of these scholars Hebrew poetry and thought was ennobled and became a vehicle of expression for idealized. philosophic and scientific ideas. It also The physician Halevi was the author brought the learning of the Orient and of a work, the “Kuzari,” which is con­ the Occident together. Here again we sidered one of the classical works in find the Jewish physician playing an Jewish philosophical literature. The important role. This task of translation treatise is a series of five Dialogues, and was first undertaken by Judah ibn is romantically framed in the medieval Tibbon (1120-90) who emigrated to story of the King of the Khazars, the Provence from Spain. He translated royal convert to Judaism. Judah Halevi Halevi’s work. His son Samuel com­ * Graetz,3 Vol. 3. pleted the works of the Jewish philos­ ophers by rendering into Hebrew the matics, astronomy and philosophy. His “Guide to the Perplexed’’ of Maimon- works on astronomy -were translated ides.
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