If anyone else understood that we were advocating that
diabetes should not be treated as a health problem but
instead as a moral problem, we take this opportunity to
stress: We do not mean to suggest that the medical aspects
should not be treated, or even to imply that the vigor with
which the medical aspects are approached should in any way be
diminished. At all stages, the health aspects should not be
ignored. Our suggestion to study mussar was in
addition to taking all medical measures.
Let us also make it clear that we in no way intended to
suggest that those with insufficiently-controlled eating
problems were on a par with criminals and lowlifes. If we
gave that impression, we apologize.
Those in the West who attack morality and the moral
approach to life, caricature a moralist as seeing everything
as either black or white. People who are serious about
morality know that almost every real-life case is shaded and
nuanced. There are clearly major distinctions that apply to
the moral issues that are involved. Some moral issues involve
areas that are more influential on others, and/or are in
areas that may indicate general moral decay. Moral issues
like eating are relatively benign in both these aspects:
their influence on others is not strong, and they do not
necessarily point to general moral decay. Moreover, every
case of every person is different. The particular mix and
influence of the moral and the nonmoral issues is dynamic and
different from person to person and from case to case with
each person. As we wrote: "It is improper and impractical to
use such principles to criticize someone else."
Experience shows that taking morality seriously heightens
one's sensitivity to the particular circumstances and the
subtle nuances that are present in every case, and it is a
libel to paint moralists as favoring a black-and-white
picture of life.
Our main point was to raise the consciousness that people
have of the moral issues involved. Most doctors and public
health officials in the West have no training in moral
issues, and the general secular spirit that prevails
discourages giving any attention to the moral aspects of any
problem even when they are undeniably present in many cases,
though perhaps not all.
The Rambam was famous for arguing that a doctor must treat
the whole person, and not ignore the non-medical aspects that
are there. We came to highlight particular aspects of
particular conditions, but we firmly believe that the lessons
are relevant and applicable to everyone, and not just the
visible sufferers.
